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| Biltmore Estate |
Day two of our Maple Society adventure in North Carolina was
a tour of the Biltmore Estate. The house...er, mansion is called an
"American Masterpiece," although George Washington Vanderbilt modeled
it after several Loire Valley French chateaus. One must stand back on the lawn
at least a hundred yards to fit the behemoth into your camera field. Naturally
Vanderbilt made extensive buying trips overseas to fill his digs with carpets,
tapestries, furniture, prints and oil paintings. The estate also has its own
village, named Biltmore Village, and includes its own All Souls Episcopal
Church, and of course a charming Parish House. Vanderbilt coyly referred to his
estate as his "little mountain escape," but his intent was clearly to
show off.
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| Guarding the Biltmore Estate |
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| Biltmore Estate from the garden |
A million people visit each year, and the multitudes are led
along roped walkways, and entry into individual rooms is not allowed. The place
was dimly lit, considered the authentic "lighting of the period," and no photography was allowed. It
was dismal, and no wonder nobody lives there anymore. Across one room I
recognized Renoir's Algerian Girl painting, but it was small, and in the
dark room it was basically wasted. I grew increasingly claustrophobic as the
walkways were jammed with heavy-set tourists, and when I glimpsed an exit I
quickly bolted for the outside air. Ok, I thought to myself, I'll never have to
tour Biltmore again in my life.
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| Biltmore Estate from the garden |
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| Biltmore's landscape |
Since V. wanted the best, he employed the renowned landscape
architect Frederick Law Olmsted, but overall I found the design and the
contents therein to be unremarkable. There were a lot of nice old trees to be
sure, But I've seen dozens of landscapes in America and Europe that are far
more inspiring than at Biltmore. Furthermore the labeling was lacking, but
maybe that is understandable with a million people tromping through, but I came
to see and learn, and I feel that I'm not working hard enough if I can't
positively identify the trees.
A large Acer palmatum was growing just below the mansion,
and it could possibly be a hundred years old. So was a huge Cercidiphyllum,
japonicum I assumed, and a gnarly Parrotia persica had the most massive trunk
of any I have ever seen.
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| Chrysanthemum garden |
Popular with the public I suppose are the formal gardens,
and the "Mums" were at their peak. Generally I'm not a fan of Chrysanthemums,
but I know that the plant is ubiquitous in England this time of year, and all
Grandmas there seem to love them. The Japanese love mums as well, and so did
the Chinese before them, with a history that dates back to the 15th
century BC. In Japan there is even a "Festival of Happiness" to
celebrate the flower each year, and a single petal placed at the bottom of a
wine glass will hopefully result in a long and healthy life. Kiku to the Japanese, they are the
symbol of autumn, and on the 9th day of the 9th month of
the year the people would use cloths to wipe Chrysanthemum dew on their skin in
hopes to maintain their youth. To this day the Chrysanthemum Throne is the name used for the seat of the Japanese
Emperor (no, not in his bathroom). To the Japanese people a white mum symbolizes grief and should never
be used as a gift to the ill, or to be given as a gift at all, for they are used in funerals. Red mums, on the
other hand, symbolize feelings of love and affection for your special one.
Botanically, Chrysanthemums originated in China, and later were named from
Greek chry for "golden" and
anthemion for "flower."
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| Dahlia 'Isadora' |
Biltmore's formal gardens also include Dahlias, and even a
few were labeled. I used to consider them to be a plant for wimps, for
unsophisticated gardeners who are after a cheap thrill. But I'm more
broad-minded these days and tolerate diversity more now than in the past, and I
have to admit that the firework-like genus does provide a lot of pop in the
garden. 'Isadora' wears a little too much makeup, and perhaps thrusts her orbs
too suggestively into your face, but it is nice to be aroused with her gaudy
enthusiasm from time to time.
Dahlia is a genus of tuberous herbaceous perennial plants
native to Mexico, Central America and Colombia. Like Chrysanthemum, both are in
the Asteraceae family. Dahlias do not
attract insects via scent, which explains why they can be so wildly colored.
The genus was named for Anders Dahl, a student of Linnaeus, and is the national
flower of Mexico. Dahl is a homophone
(a word that sounds the same as another, but means something else) of the
Swedish word dal or
"valley," and it is sometimes referred to as the "valley
flower."
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| Musa basjoo |
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| Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' |
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| Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii' |
Hardy bananas, Musa basjoo, were growing in the garden, and
they were seen frequently throughout the trip. Personally, I can't imagine
placing one in my garden, and I'll continue to be satisfied seeing it in other
landscapes. They are frequently used at the fast-food-joints' McDonalds, along
with "windmill palms," Trachycarpus fortunei and Phormium species.
Nothing wrong with the tropical theme, but I can't see them with my maples and
conifers. I will admit to owning two Ensete ventricosum 'Maurelii', the
non-hardy "Red Abyssinian Banana" from Ethiopia. I hope I won't be
doomed to hell for buying them at the local Home Depot, the evil empire of
plant mongers. They were extremely large and were advertised as "WOW!
17.00 each" They came from the bankrupt Hines Nursery of California, who
sold them for what – eight dollars apiece? It was very un-Buchholz-like of me,
but everyone who sees them is impressed. Back to Musa basjoo, it is known as
the "Japanese Banana," native to the Ryuku Islands. It is a member of
the Musaceae family, and features a
showy yellow flower. The genus name honors Antonia Musa, a Roman physician from
the first century BC.
Near to all of this colorful activity was the conservatory,
a building I found most tasteful and inviting. Again, most plants were not
identified, but some were. Heliconia psittacorum, the "Lobster Claw"
or "False Bird of Paradise," used to be included in the Musaceae
family, but was later placed in the Zingiberales
order. Heliconias are native to the tropical Americas and the Pacific Ocean
islands, west of Indonesia. Their flowers are produced on long panicles, and
the brightly-colored waxy bracts contain the hidden flowers. Zingiber zerumbet
(locally known as Awapuhi) is a
vigorous plant, known as the "Shampoo Ginger," and is mostly known to
supply a conditioner for the hair. The flowers are cone-like protuberances
similar to the conifers. Of most of the above: I admit that I copy from the
internet, and have little or no knowledge of these plants myself; but it is
rewarding to encounter floral gems, and then to research their stories.
Unidentified plants in the Biltmore Conservatory
I don't understand why the labeling had to be so sparse. Do
the caretakers even know what they are growing? Or do they all know everything
themselves, and assume that the public would never care? I took a few photos
anyway, so if a reader is certain about the identity, I would like to know.
Back outside, not all "Crepe Myrtles" were labeled
in the Biltmore landscape, but some were, as in the hybrid 'Natchez', a cross
of indica and fauriei, a US National Arboretum introduction. Seed of fauriei was
collected from Yakushima in 1956. The eventual seedlings proved resistant to
powdery mildew infestation. When it was hybridized with indica 'Pink Lace' in
1964, half the seedlings showed no susceptibility to mildew, and from that
group 'Natchez' was selected and named (for a nation of Native Americans from
Mississippi) and released. It features white flowers and a beautiful reddish
cinnamon-colored trunk. I find Lagerstroemia flowers to be fake-like, and I
would prefer if they didn't flower at all, but I'm in the minority certainly.
But give me a Stewartia over a Crepe Myrtle any day. The Lagerstroemia genus
was named for the Swede Magnus von Lagerström, a merchant who supplied Carolus
Linnaeus with plants. The debate over whether the common name should be Crape Myrtle or Crepe Myrtle is not interesting to me, so that's that.
The paths covered some distances and the woody areas were
nice, with Tsuga carolinianas hovering over the canopy. Funky bridges were
cute, and Bass pond was tranquil. A large Taxodium distichum was showing off
its "knees," its root projections called pneumatophores. Some scientists think they provide oxygen to the
roots, or help to stabilize the trees in soft muddy soil. Taxodium ascendens
produces knees as well (at my nursery) and also Glyptostrobus and Metasequoia.
For the most part autumn color had not yet arrived in Asheville, and its delay
was explained as due to the unusual wet summer.
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| Unknown mushroom species |
Maybe I'm not being fair to Biltmore's garden with my lack
of enthusiasm. And maybe that was due to our mid-day visit to the Biltmore
winery, and an overstay in the tasting room, where I exited half-sauced, and
continued on to purchase a bottle of their excellent pinot noir...which is what
I am drinking this evening while writing this. I will possibly be accused of
arrogance by concluding that I could have done better in both home and landscape,
if I had Vanderbilt's bank account.
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| The Critikos Estate |
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| Dr. Critikos (left) with 'Miss Grace' |
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| Alexander and Gerri Critikos |
The next morning we were bused to the Critikos garden, home
of Dr. John and Gerri Critikos. After a short ride to Flat Rock on very serene
country roads, a beautiful brick house appeared with a garden on the slope
below. I had met the good Dr. C. the previous day and found both him and his
wife most likable. What good people!...but poor Dr. John was afflicted with a
serious case of "Maple and Conifer Fever," what one son described as
his "positive stress ball." I was pleased to be photographed with the
doctor next to my introduction of Metasequoia glyptostroboides 'Miss Grace' and
found his plant enthusiasm to be energizing. At 9:30 in the morning we were
fueled by Mimosas and Bloody Marys after exiting their house, and I couldn't
help but to reflect that this was my ideal Carolinian home, much more so
than the...stretched opulence of the Biltmore Estate.
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| The Critikos landscape |
Many of the plants in the Critikos garden, including the
'Miss Grace' "Dawn Redwood," were purchased cheaply at the local Ace
Hardware. They were dumped on the market by Iseli Nursery of Oregon, who had
previously bought and bought and bought (including from me) even when they knew
previously they would eventually declare bankruptcy. They are also dumping at Home Depot on the east coast,
which infuriates legitimate independent garden centers who have to pay full
price. And it certainly doesn't help my company at all. Anyway, that's why I
fear I may go to hell for buying two bananas at the Box. In no way, of course,
do I blame Dr. C. for buying low.
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| Cryptomeria japonica 'Little Champion' |
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| Thuja occidentalis cultivar |
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| Cercis canadensis 'The Rising Sun' |
The Critikos Collection is still in its infancy, and now
looks a lot like mine when I started. Eventually crowding occurs and the
chainsaw comes into play. Besides, with his Fever, he has just started and will
want to add many new plants. At some point the entire lawn might go.
We were promised something "awesome" at Hopewood,
Dr. C.'s neighbor. Word leaked out that a huge maple was the anchor of their
garden, and sure enough a fantastic specimen of Acer palmatum was larger than
any other I can remember seeing, including in Japan. The tree was healthy and I
imagined a few hundred people could easily stand beneath its canopy. I supposed
the owner is like me with my huge oak, Quercus garryana, that after every
nightly windstorm, in the morning we peek out the window to make sure it is
still standing. Don't succumb on my watch!
In my mind I'm going
to Carolina. Can't you see the sunshine, can't you just feel the
moonshine?...And it seems like it goes on like this forever, you must forgive
me if I'm up and gone to Carolina in my mind.
-James Taylor.
being a resident of NC, I have never even been to Biltmore, always seemed kind of tacky to me.........
ReplyDeleteenjoyed the reading though :)