Experience the Exquisite Gardens of the Biltmore Estate
What architect so nobleâ¦as he who, with far-reaching conception of beauty, in designing power, sketches the outlines, writes the colors, becomes the builder and directs the shadows of a picture so great that Nature shall be employed upon it for generations, before the work he arranged for her shall realize his intentions. â Frederick Law Olmsted
View the work of Frederick Law Olmsted, the founder of American landscape architecture at the Biltmore Estate. Garnering over 1 million visitors a year the 8,000 acre estate located in North Carolina was built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt. Biltmore Estate is the largest home in America but it is also home to 75 acres of beautiful and picturesque gardens.
You get your first taste of Biltmoreâs beautiful landscapes from Approach Road, a winding three-mile drive up to the estate. A mix of exotic and indigenous plants featuring thousands of Rhododendrons the woodland landscape of Approach Road begins your transportation to another time created by the stunning Biltmore Estates.
Biltmore has six main gardens along with the conservatory and 250-acre Deer Park featuring oak groves where you can spot white-tailed deer in the early morning or evening. The glass-roofed conservatory was designed by Richard Morris Hunt, who also designed the main house, and is a lush tropical retreat with palms, ferns and orchids.
The Azalea Garden at 15-acres is the largest of the Biltmore gardens bursting into color in April. The work of horticulturist Chauncey Beadle who lived and worked on the estate for 60 years, the garden is now home to over 1,000 azaleas along with magnolias, dogwoods and conifers.
The Italian and Walled Gardens are the two most formal spaces created by Frederick Law Olmsted on the estate. The Italian Garden presents three symmetrical pools laden with elegant water lilies and classical statuary, a perfect garden for a quiet stroll. However, for more festive times the gardenâs manicured grassy area transforms into grass tennis courts for lively sporting events.
The Walled Garden, unlike the Italian, is purely ornamental with beds arranged in patterns and two vine covered arbors. When visiting in spring the garden is overflowing with daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips. The lower half of the Walled Garden is dedicated to roses with over 2,000 roses growing on traditional garden structures such as a maypole and double arch.
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Besides the gardens surrounding the house itself you can stroll through the 1 acre kitchen garden at the Farm in Antler Hill Village. The kitchen garden features herbs and vegetables used in the Biltmore restaurants. The winery also at Antler Hill Village is celebrating their 25th anniversary, offering tours and tastings you can learn about winemaking and explore the historic cellars.
Donât miss the upcoming event, Festival of Flowers, April 2 through May 15, 2011. Spring arrives at Biltmore with over 100,000 tulips and acres of azaleas. This estate wide event celebrates the beauty of Vanderbiltâs 8,000 acre estate with gardens and landscapes designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. If visiting in May tulips make was for irises and peonies.
Address:Â 1 Lodge Street; Asheville, NC 28803
Hours of Operation:Â Open 365 days a year, hours vary by season
Admission: $69 Adult, (Winter Special until March 31st â $29 Adult), children under 9 are FREE. Twelve-Month pass is available with the Passholder membership.
Parking:Â Free
Pet Policy:Â Pets are allowed on the estate grounds but must be kept on a leash. No pets allowed in any buildings. (Except service dogs)
Food:Â No outside food or drink (except water) is allowed inside the grounds. However, there is a great restaurant on premise, The Terrace, and there is a picnic area outside the grounds.
Photography:Â Is allowed for personal use only outside Biltmore House. No photography, videotaping, sketching, or cell phone use is permitted within Biltmore House.
For more information visit http://www.biltmore.com/
Inc. Magazine honors MasterGardening.com on Inc. 5000
Frederick, MD – MasterGardening.com, a leader in gardening supplies and décor, announced today that it has been named on Inc. Magazine’s fourth annual Inc. 5000. Named the #179 fastest growing consumer products and services company in the country and #3299 overall on the prestigious list of fastest-growing private companies in the United States. Joining MasterGardening.com on the list are prominent brands such as music website Pandora, Brooklyn Brewery, and convenience store chain 7-11.
“The leaders of the companies on this year’s Inc. 5000 have figured out how to grow their businesses during the longest recession since the Great Depression,” said Inc. president Bob LaPointe. “The 2010 Inc. 5000 showcases a particularly hardy group of entrepreneurs.”
MasterGardening.com exhibited a 58% growth in revenue over the last 3 years with 2009 revenue reaching $4.2 million. The online retailer features high quality garden products to last a lifetime and focuses on environmentally friendly products and plant health solutions. Every year MasterGardening’s team of buyers’ search for new and innovative products from around the world making them stand out from other gardening ecommerce venues.
“Our continued growth is a testament to our customers’ passion for gardening and commitment to sustainable living,” states Martin Havrilla, Marketing Manager for MasterGardening.com. Starting as a mail-order gardening company Mastergardening.com switched to ecommerce in 1995 and has seen a steady growth in sales. Now featuring thousands of items MasterGardening.com is pleased to join the ranks of honored companies on the Inc. 5000.
About MasterGardening.com
Starting as a mail-order gardening company Mastergardening.com switched to ecommerce in 1995. MasterGardening.com now how thousands of items including garden decor and unique garden gifts delivered to your door. MasterGardening’s sister site DeerBusters.com specializes in award-winning deer fence, deer repellants, and pet fencing. To learn more visit www.mastergardening.com or call 888-407-9730
Memorial Day Giveaway!
It has been awhile since we had a giveaway on MasterGardening Blog so when I realized Memorial Day weekend was approaching I got a little excited. I love holidays since they are a great excuse to give some of our great products away! Recently while touring our warehouse I came across a Simple Garden starter kit that sadly lost its seeds. A quick visit to our seed section to select a couple organic seed packets and I had myself a great giveaway for my loyal readers!
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Itâs never too late to get started growing and this starter kit makes it easy to grow what I refer to as my âSweet Duoâ. If you havenât already figured it out I really like intercropping and companion planting. Planting two or more plants together to help each other out is a great organic way to get larger harvests and to keep pests at a distant. The âSweet Duoâ is another great companion planting pair of sweet basiland sweetie tomatoes. Basil helps repel flies, mosquitoes, mites, aphids and control tomato hornworms. Basil also has been reported to improve the flavor of your tomatoes, plus they are a classic cooking pair.
The Simple Garden is a great all in one container garden. In your starter kit you receive a self draining container, 2 packets of seeds, planter stick, soil cube, planterâs guide, and planterâs template. The Simple Garden is a perfect solution for any urban or small space gardener. You can choose to grow your plants completely indoors or transplant your seedlings to your outdoor garden.
If this planter doesnât match your garden style check out our vast selection of pots and planters on our website MasterGardening.com.
Entering to win is easy- Just answer the following question by posting a comment below and you will automatically be entered into the random drawing. Then check our facebook page Tuesday (May 31st) to see if you won! And donât forget you can save $5 on all pot & planter orders of $50 or more until May 31st! Code: Planter
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What edibles do you like to grow indoors?
Mother’s Day for the Gardener
By Teresa Odle
Mothers who love to garden also love gifts related to gardening. From books to tools to potted plants, you can’t go wrong by giving the gift of earth and growth. For examples, think of a book specific to the mother in your life. Has she been having problems with bugs or diseases on her flowers? Then a problem solver might be a good choice. If she plans to go big with vegetables this year, she’ll need to know how to preserve her harvest.
Garden tools and gadgets are fun and can complement a few fresh plants or a nice flower arrangement (note to family: I’d really love a power lopper). It only takes one stealth family member to go through mom’s current selection or spy her out there struggling with dull pruning shears to notice what she needs. Maybe she just needs a belt for those shears because she keeps misplacing them (and no jokes about her advancing years or declining memory in the card — this is Mother’s Day!) Buckets and wheelbarrows also help her lug everything around. A folding wheelbarrow/garden cart can make her days outside more enjoyable.
Are you afraid your gift might suggest Mom should get to work? Here are a few more relaxing ideas: How about a hammock, some outdoor (unbreakable) glassware for her drinks, a new straw hat or a new lounge chair? Bird feeders and seed or garden statuary that she can enjoy any time of year also make nice gifts for many moms. And don’t forget to add the hug.
Sprout’s Giveaway: “Healthy Garden Healthy You”
Here at MasterGardening.com we can’t get enough of Dr. Earth’s Organic Fertilizers. They are a fantastic product. Most fertilizers only feed the plants but not the soil the plants are growing in. The founder of Dr. Earth, Milo Shammas says, “The nutrition your fruits and vegetables provide you is only as good as the nutrition you provide your soil.” All of Dr. Earth’s products contain Pro-Biotics which brings life to the soil. Dr. Earth conducts extensive research and formulates the perfect nutrient ratio based on specific plant’s needs. They use natural sources instead of chemicals to boost nutrients in the soil and plants. For example nitrogen is derived from fish meal and alfalfa meal while Potassium comes from kelp meal and cottonseed meal.
Beyond the Dr. Earth product line, Milo Shammas has written a fantastic book, “Healthy Garden Healthy You” which highlights 100 easy-to grow plants and their health benefits. “In reading Milo’s book (Dr. Earth) you will be treated to answers to every organic gardening question you could possibly ask. This book is the A to Z of organic gardening as it relates to you health and beyond,” states Bob Tanem, KSFO, America’s Happy Gardening.
Here is your chance to win a free copy of Milo Shammas book, instead of just 1 winner we will have 3!
Entering to win is easy- Just complete the following sentence by posting a comment below and you will automatically be entered into the random drawing. Then check our facebookpage tomorrow morning (1/25/11) to see if you won! And don’t forget to check out all Dr. Earth’s great fertilizers at MastergGardening.com.
“I talk to my plants….”
*UPDATE: Congratulations to the winners- Susan Harkins, Sherri Paustian, Becky Balli
Gardening with Children: Avocado Plant
Yesterday we posted a terrific avocado recipe for Garlicky Guacamole. Well, here at Mastergardening.com we like to make use of as much of the fruit or vegetable that we can. (The skin of an avocado can be used to serve salad or dip in.) Therefore, we had to find a second life for our avocado pit and we succeeded. We not only found a great use for that lonely avocado pit but a fantastic project to do with children too!
How to Grow an Avocado Plant from a Pit
What you will need:
1 Avocado
3-4 Toothpicks
1 Glass, Vase, or Mason jar
Water
Step 1: Eat an Avocado! Make some delicious Garlicky Guacamole, add it to salsa or slice it up on a sandwich. Just remember to save the pit!
Step 2: Clean the pit and dry it off. Make sure not to remove the brown outer layer of the pit.
Step 3: Pierce the avocado with the toothpicks. We only used 3 but you can use 4 to make it more stable.
Step 4: Suspend the avocado pointed side up on top of a glass using the toothpicks as supports. Fill the glass with water till the water comes halfway up the avocado pit.
Step 5: Place the avocado where it will recieve indirect sunlight. Top off the water as needed, keeping the water level halfway up the pit.
Step 6: After 2-6 weeks you should see the avocado pit sprout roots and a stem. Once the plant is 6 inches cut back the plant to 3 inches. Cutting back allows the plant to have thicker roots and a stronger stem.
Step 7: Once the plant has grown back to around 6 inches it is ready to be potted. This plant can also be planted outdoors but only if you have warm winters or it won’t survive.
An avocado plant will make a great house plant but don’t expect to be eating avocados from it anytime soon. It will take 5 or more years to see fruit from your plant and the fruit it does bear will be slightly different from its parents.
This project is a great way to get children involved in gardening as they can see every step the seed takes to become a plant! We will be posting updates on how our little pit is doing so we can grow together! We welcome you to post pictures and updates on how your plant is doing too!
Some interesting facts about avocados
-Avocados belong to the genus Persea in the Lauraceae family.
-Also known as an Alligator pear for its shape and rough green skin
-San Diego is the avocado capital of the United States
-43% of US households buy avocados
-Avocado trees can grow between 20 to 40 feet tall
-Native to South and Central America
-Mexico is the world’s top producer of avocados, 2nd is California
-Avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit
-Approximately 53 million pounds of guacamole are eaten on Super Bowl Sunday
Experience the Exquisite Gardens of the Biltmore Estate
What architect so noble…as he who, with far-reaching conception of beauty, in designing power, sketches the outlines, writes the colors, becomes the builder and directs the shadows of a picture so great that Nature shall be employed upon it for generations, before the work he arranged for her shall realize his intentions. – Frederick Law Olmsted
View the work of Frederick Law Olmsted, the founder of American landscape architecture at the Biltmore Estate. Garnering over 1 million visitors a year the 8,000 acre estate located in North Carolina was built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt. Biltmore Estate is the largest home in America but it is also home to 75 acres of beautiful and picturesque gardens.
You get your first taste of Biltmore’s beautiful landscapes from Approach Road, a winding three-mile drive up to the estate. A mix of exotic and indigenous plants featuring thousands of Rhododendrons the woodland landscape of Approach Road begins your transportation to another time created by the stunning Biltmore Estates.
Biltmore has six main gardens along with the conservatory and 250-acre Deer Park featuring oak groves where you can spot white-tailed deer in the early morning or evening. The glass-roofed conservatory was designed by Richard Morris Hunt, who also designed the main house, and is a lush tropical retreat with palms, ferns and orchids.
The Azalea Garden at 15-acres is the largest of the Biltmore gardens bursting into color in April. The work of horticulturist Chauncey Beadle who lived and worked on the estate for 60 years, the garden is now home to over 1,000 azaleas along with magnolias, dogwoods and conifers.
The Italian and Walled Gardens are the two most formal spaces created by Frederick Law Olmsted on the estate. The Italian Garden presents three symmetrical pools laden with elegant water lilies and classical statuary, a perfect garden for a quiet stroll. However, for more festive times the garden’s manicured grassy area transforms into grass tennis courts for lively sporting events.
The Walled Garden, unlike the Italian, is purely ornamental with beds arranged in patterns and two vine covered arbors. When visiting in spring the garden is overflowing with daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips. The lower half of the Walled Garden is dedicated to roses with over 2,000 roses growing on traditional garden structures such as a maypole and double arch.
Besides the gardens surrounding the house itself you can stroll through the 1 acre kitchen garden at the Farm in Antler Hill Village. The kitchen garden features herbs and vegetables used in the Biltmore restaurants. The winery also at Antler Hill Village is celebrating their 25th anniversary, offering tours and tastings you can learn about winemaking and explore the historic cellars.
Don’t miss the upcoming event, Festival of Flowers, April 2 through May 15, 2011. Spring arrives at Biltmore with over 100,000 tulips and acres of azaleas. This estate wide event celebrates the beauty of Vanderbilt’s 8,000 acre estate with gardens and landscapes designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. If visiting in May tulips make was for irises and peonies.
Address: 1 Lodge Street; Asheville, NC 28803
Hours of Operation: Open 365 days a year, hours vary by season
Admission: $69 Adult, (Winter Special until March 31st – $29 Adult), children under 9 are FREE. Twelve-Month pass is available with the Passholder membership.
Parking: Free
Pet Policy: Pets are allowed on the estate grounds but must be kept on a leash. No pets allowed in any buildings. (Except service dogs)
Food: No outside food or drink (except water) is allowed inside the grounds. However, there is a great restaurant on premise, The Terrace, and there is a picnic area outside the grounds.
Photography: Is allowed for personal use only outside Biltmore House. No photography, videotaping, sketching, or cell phone use is permitted within Biltmore House.
For more information visit http://www.biltmore.com/
Sprout’s Giveaway: “Healthy Garden Healthy You”
Here at MasterGardening.com we canât get enough of Dr. Earthâs Organic Fertilizers. They are a fantastic product. Most fertilizers only feed the plants but not the soil the plants are growing in. The founder of Dr. Earth, Milo Shammas says, âThe nutrition your fruits and vegetables provide you is only as good as the nutrition you provide your soil.â All of Dr. Earthâs products contain Pro-Biotics which brings life to the soil. Dr. Earth conducts extensive research and formulates the perfect nutrient ratio based on specific plantâs needs. They use natural sources instead of chemicals to boost nutrients in the soil and plants. For example nitrogen is derived from fish meal and alfalfa meal while Potassium comes from kelp meal and cottonseed meal.
Beyond the Dr. Earth product line, Milo Shammas has written a fantastic book, âHealthy Garden Healthy Youâ which highlights 100 easy-to grow plants and their health benefits. âIn reading Miloâs book (Dr. Earth) you will be treated to answers to every organic gardening question you could possibly ask. This book is the A to Z of organic gardening as it relates to you health and beyond,â states Bob Tanem, KSFO, Americaâs Happy Gardening.
Here is your chance to win a free copy of Milo Shammas book, instead of just 1 winner we will have 3!
Entering to win is easy- Just complete the following sentence by posting a comment below and you will automatically be entered into the random drawing. Then check our facebookpage tomorrow morning (1/25/11) to see if you won! And donât forget to check out all Dr. Earthâs great fertilizers at MastergGardening.com.
âI talk to my plantsâ¦.â
*UPDATE: Congratulations to the winners- Susan Harkins, Sherri Paustian, Becky Balli
Celebrate Earth Day with Mastergardening.com
Don’t forget to do something good for the earth today. Plant a tree, organic fertilizers that you can use without fear of harming the environment.
If we all do a little bit more to help out the Earth, future generations will be able to reap the rewards.
Happy Earth Day!
Mother’s Day for the Gardener
By Teresa OdleÂ
Mothers who love to garden also love gifts related to gardening. From books to tools to potted plants, you canât go wrong by giving the gift of earth and growth. For examples, think of a book specific to the mother in your life. Has she been having problems with bugs or diseases on her flowers? Then a problem solver might be a good choice. If she plans to go big with vegetables this year, sheâll need to know how to preserve her harvest.Â
Â
Garden tools and gadgets are fun and can complement a few fresh plants or a nice flower arrangement (note to family: Iâd really love a power lopper). It only takes one stealth family member to go through momâs current selection or spy her out there struggling with dull pruning shears to notice what she needs.  Maybe she just needs a belt for those shears because she keeps misplacing them (and no jokes about her advancing years or declining memory in the card â this is Motherâs Day!) Buckets and wheelbarrows also help her lug everything around. A folding wheelbarrow/garden cart can make her days outside more enjoyable.Â
Â
Are you afraid your gift might suggest Mom should get to work? Here are a few more relaxing ideas: How about a hammock, some outdoor (unbreakable) glassware for her drinks, a new straw hat or a new lounge chair? Bird feeders and seed or garden statuary that she can enjoy any time of year also make nice gifts for many moms. And donât forget to add the hug.
A Very ‘Green’ Greenhouse
Last week we introduced you to our friends at Grow Food, Grow Hope, a wonderful AmeriCorps* VISTA project in Wilmington, Ohio. Today the Grow Food Grow Hope VISTA volunteers are back to show you an inventive use for your plastic pop or soda bottles.
Going from this    ââââââââââââââââ    to this!
growfoodgrowhope@wilmington.edu.
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Do you know of a garden or wildlife organization that deserves to be recognized for itâs work in their community? Email us at Sprout@Mastergardening.com!
Not Your Grandpa’s Garden: Thinking Outside The Row
Close your eyes and picture a vegetable garden. Chances are you just saw a rectangular bed with neat and tidy rows of green- just like grandpaâs, your motherâs and your neighborâs gardens. When starting a new garden it is easy to go straight to the old standards and overlook the beauty that can be achieved with a little planning. This year when laying out your edible garden try thinking outside the box, or row as the case maybe. Row after row of vegetables can be lovely in their own way but there are many simple ways to add a punch of style to your garden this season.
Try incorporating flowers in to the vegetable beds. Edible varieties are always nice, such as pansies and calendulas. Another option is to plant flowers to help the garden. Sunflowers and marigolds are great helping plants that will ward off unwanted pests.
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There are a few rules to always remember, however, when designing your space no matter how straight or curvy. You always want to take practicality into account. Donât make your beds too deep. You still need easy access to all the plants. You also want to do a bit of research, make sure when combining plants in beds that they are compatible. For instance donât plant corn and tomatoes together since they are both summer crops the tomatoes will have their light blocked by the taller corn. Just remember, with a little planning and creativity your vegetable and fruit garden will have as much visual appeal as your prized flower beds this season.
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What are way you add style to your edible garden?
Garden Spotlight- July 2011
July always starts with a bang as  family and friends celebrate Independence Day with bbq, fireworks and lawn games. Most of our gardens are now in full swing with hot summer days feeding plants loaded down with green tomatoes and a bright riot of colorful flowers. To help celebrate all those beautiful gardens we have initiated our Garden Spotlight. We will be featuring a different garden each month picking from photos submitted by our readers and loyal customer. In June we asked you to send us your photos for our July spotlight and as June has finally left us we at last have a winner!
Congratulations Sarah Wadleigh your garden is the winner of our July Garden Spotlight! Sarah we will be getting your MasterGardening.com gift card right out to you!
Here is the winning photo of Sarahâs beautiful spring garden.
 August entry form. If you didnât win this month try, try again. We will be picking a new garden to feature every month!
Garden Spotlight – September 2011
August has come to a close and this past weekends Labor Day celebrations have brought the unofficial start of fall and a new Garden Spotlight winner! We had a ton of entries this month! While the winner is selected by employee vote, I would like to share with you a few of my personal favorites!
Portia Jenkins submitted this shot of her plum trees. I just love the tree loaded with fruit and covered with moss. Very lovely and tasty!
Apple Slicer Corer Peeler just in time for apple season!
Preparing the Garden for Old Man Winter
Garden Spotlight – August 2011
A new month is starting again and that means we have a new Garden Spotlight winner! We feature a different garden each month picking from garden photos submitted by our readers and loyal customer.
Congratulations Cathy Lafrenz your garden is the winner of our August Garden Spotlight! Cathy we will be getting your MasterGardening.com gift card right out to you!
Here is the winning photo of Cathyâs thriving garden.
Indoor Herb Garden
Looking to add a little spring green to your winter blues? Try planting an indoor herb garden. Not only is this a a great way to bring the outdoors in, but an herb garden is functional providing you with great herbs to spice up your favorite winter stews, soups, and fresh breads. Planting an indoor herb garden is also a fun and education project to do with children.
liquid fish concentrate and water your plants with that, makes worrying about when to feed your plants obsolete.
Community Gardening- Life on the Balcony Style
Hello Everyone!
Here at MasterGardening we are big fans of a blog called Life on the Balcony which is a terrific resource for any gardener with space issues. Fern, an award winning blogger, gives tips, tricks, projects and ideas for container gardening. Her latest project is a community container gardenonline! Garden enthusiasts across the globe will be growing the same 5 plants (âSunspotâ Sunflowers, âPurple Petraâ Basil, Garlic Chives, âSpacemasterâ Cucumber, and âBetter Bushâ Tomato) from seed in containers and sharing their triumphs and failures in the process. This is a great way to learn more about gardening with a support group to help make your container garden a success!
Mastergardening.com will be participating and we are pretty excited to grow with the community. You donât have to grow all 5 plants or any of the same plants. As many have seen MasterGardening has our own company garden under way so we will be trying our peppers, tomatoes, and onions out in containers plus we will be adding in Fernâs selections of sunflowers and chives!
In honor of the Life on the Balcony Community Container Garden MasterGardening.com will be offering 10% off all pots and planters until March 14th. Just use the coupon code LOTBplanters at checkout.
So, head on over to Life on the Balcony to learn more and join in the discussion.
Looking forward to growing with you!
Sprout