Read 'Plant Profile: Iris Japanese (Iris ensata syn. kaemperi)' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

The Japanese have spent over 500 years breeding this beardless iris and have created a spectacular flower that are very different from those of the more familiar German or Siberian iris. They are large (up to 10” across) and relatively flat looking more like dinner plates than traditional iris. This is due to the fact that the 3 upright petals (standards) are virtually eliminated and the 3 lower petals (falls) have become larger. Single cultivars have 3 broad, overlapping petals, while doubles have 6 petals, and peony-style flowers have up to 12. All cultivars need abundant moisture in spring when preparing to bloom but can tolerate drier conditions after blooming. Some cultivars are tall and can be placed at the back of a border and all look lovely around ponds or along waterways. Plant in spring or fall.

Type: Herbaceous perennial.

Bloom: Large (up to 10” diameter) white, blue, pink, purple, or lavender between late spring to mid summer (weeks after German and Siberian iris).

Size: 24-48” H x 24” W.

Light: Full sun to partial shade.

Soil: Organic-rich, acid, moisture retentive soil. DO NOT use lime near these iris.

Hardiness: Zones 4-9.

Care: Cut back foliage to 6” in fall. Divide every 3-5 years when flower number or size diminish.

Pests and Diseases: No serious problems but roots susceptible to rot in the winter if the plant is grown in boggy or wet conditions.

Propagation: Division or offsets in spring or fall.

Companion plants: Astilbe, heuchera, garden phlox.

Outstanding Selections: Many excellent cultivars are available but here are some of the classics.

‘Cry of Rejoice’ (yellow centered deep purple)
‘Eleanor Perry’ (purple veined violet)
‘Great White Heron’ (semi double, pure white)
‘Pink Frost’ (Double, 8” wide, light pink, ruffled)
‘Variegata’ – Purple flowers, leaves with white variegation.

Read 'A Visit to Biltmore Gardens, Asheville, North Carolina' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

A visit to Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, is a delightful experience and held quite a surprise in regard to the gardens. The literature and public opinion suggest that the spring bulb show and the fall coloration are spectacular but that there is nothing special the rest of the year. Not so! In mid summer, the gardens are lovely and offer far more than the “bedding out” that I expected. I had difficulty finding in depth information on the plantings but I was delighted and impressed with what I saw and would like to have more information. This garden is well worth a visit during the summer and I intend to try it during the Christmas season and in the spring to round out my experience there.

The entrance to the house and gardens prepares you for the visual banquet you are about to see. The road is long and narrow with countless meandering turns and brings you slowly through a wooded area, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted of New York’s Central Park fame, to the house or gardens, your choice.

We began our visit with the conservatory designed by Richard Morris Hunt, also architect of the house.

The conservatory provides exotic plants and flowers for the house and tender plants for the garden just as it did in Vanderbilt’s day.

Outside the conservatory is a garden with many flowers attracting butterflies and hummingbirds.

A long, elegant flight of stairs brings you to the rose garden featuring both heirloom roses as well as All American Roses.

A beautiful mass planting of lavender overhangs the rose garden, English style.

Bountiful borders of flowers fill the borders on three sides. Here the white border overflows its boundaries with its luxuriant growth.

In the center is an arbor covered with grape vines and enhanced with massive patterned beds planted out with flowering annuals in the Victorian manner.

This huge 4 acre complex of gardens is enclosed by a wall with espaliered plants such as apple, pear, apricot, plum, rose of Sharon, pyracantha to delight the eye.

The design of this whole garden was inspired by the gardens of Chateau de Vaus-le-Vicomte, a 17th century chateau near Melun, France, belonging to Nicolas Fouquet, finance minister of Louis XIV. The story goes that Louis was so infuriated by the extravagances of Fouquest’s chateau at Vaus-le-Vicomte that he had him banished and built Versailles to out do him. Isn’t history interesting?

Beyond the walled garden is a shrub garden featuring 500 different species of plants, shrubs and trees in a naturalistic setting.

A further climb up the hillside towards the house brings you to the Library Terrace that offers a fabulous view of the Italian Garden. This garden was designed in the style of 16th century French gardens but derives its name from the many Italian style statues that decorate the garden. Five pools create the setting for the display of water plants.

You will find a variety of water plants including water lilies…

Lotus…

with koi swimming through out the pools enjoying their regal surroundings.

After a visit to the house, you can enjoy the farm area where there is a farmyard and gardens. These cucumbers are going to be trained up teepees.

Pole beans are growing up strings set up as a support for them.

This whimsical scarecrow made of pots adds charm to the vegetable garden.

There are many other gardens at Biltmore but they are seasonal and not of interest during summer.  They could be great at other times, so investigate!  They should be spectacular when in season.

The inn at the estate is lovely although, of course, pricey. If you want an elegant get away, this is one to consider; it offers mountain views from the rooms, the cocktail balcony, the dinning room, the terrace, and more. The food and service in the inn are excellent.

Note Bene: Biltmore, unlike many other estates of the American gentry, is a profit making organization in the tourist trade, rather than a museum or research facility.

Read 'Visit to the Generalife in Granada, Spain' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

Overview of Generalife Gardens

When you think of Spain, what comes to mind? Bull fighting? Costa del Sol? Gardens? If “gardens” is your answers then perhaps you would want to visit the Generalife in Granada, Spain. There are many beautiful gardens in Spain but the Generalife is probably its premiere garden and is one of the few surviving examples of the gardens created by the Moors. It is associated with the Alhambra and was joined to it by a covered walkway that spanned the ravine between them. It has its own unique qualities, however, and is one of my favorite gardens to visit.

The Generalife, meaning “Architect’s Garden”, was the summer palace and country estate of the Moorish sultans. It was built in the 14th century by Muhannad III but was given to the Catholic Venegas family of Granada by the monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, in 1492 when they conquered Granada. In the 19th century both the Alambra and Generalife suffered neglect but were taken over and redone by the state in the 20th century.

Cypressus Walkway

As soon as you enter the Generalife through the iron gates you know that this is a special place. Tall cypresses line the walkway, giving way to masses of oleander, rhoodendron, and roses. The highlight of the garden is the Patio de la Acequia with its breath-taking water display. A myriad of fountains spray water along the length of a long rectangular pond surrounded by plantings of both shrubs and flowering plants including myrtle, roses, and orange trees. This garden is bordered on two sides by porticoed pavilions, and a gallery of 18 arches on a third side. One of the porticoes called the mirador (lookout) has five beautiful arches with exquisite overhead windows. Passing through this portico you enter the Patio de la Sultana with its center pool surrounded by oleander and myrtle. Other outstanding features include a staircase with its flowing water in the banister that leads to the upper level of gardens. Parterres around a fountain containing roses create a more modern, renaissance look.

Parterres	Court of the Long Pool	Waterstairs

Arches in the Generalife

The use of plants and water in the Generalife is very unique and beautiful.  If you are fortunate enough to visit this area of Spain be sure to include this garden in your itinerary. It is interesting both historically and in a modern context and is on my list of Must See Gardens.

Read 'A Visit to Villandry Garden, Loire Valley, France' at http://www.KarensGardenTips.com.

Chateaux Villandry and vegetable garden

As I plan my vegetable garden I always think about the gardens at chateaux Villandry in the Loire Valley in France. It was there that I saw for the first time how beautiful a vegetable garden could be and every year I pledge that I will try to make my vegetable garden more attractive. The kitchen garden at Villandry is so spectacular it is intimidating but still the memory lingers and never fails to inspire.

Ornamental vegetable garden

The kitchen garden is located on the lowest of three levels of gardens. It is made up of 9 identical squares coving 15,000 square yards, and laid out in different designs made up b the colors of the vegetables. Each of the 9 squares is edged with box and has its own unique design. Paths going through each square facilitate the collection of vegetables. Two designs for each square are planned each year; one for spring, the other for summer. The spring design uses such vegetables as sweet peas, broad, beans, radishes, lentils, cabbages, and lettuces with perennials such as strawberries, artichokes, sorrel, chives, and savory. Flowers such as pansies, daisies, forget-me-nots are used to brighten things up. The summer design includes both decorative and edible cabbages, zucchinis, purple and green beets, gourds, celery, Brussels sprouts, carrots, leeks, eggplants, peppers (for pimentos), tomatoes, chives, parsley, basil and chicory. Flowers such as petunias, vervain, blue sage and orange rudbeckia form the borders. Great care is taken to contrast the foliage of the plants as well as their growth habit so that lacey jade green carrot foliage is next to golden celery and spreading sorrel and lettuce are next to upright eggplant and artichokes. Fountains, bowers, flowering arbors, The over all effect is stunning as can be seen in pictures, but the reality is even more impressive.

Garden of Tragic Love

The kitchen garden is not the only attraction at this Renaissance chateaux. On a second terrace on the same level as the castle drawing-room, dining room, and hall, are the decorative gardens. They are edged with boxwood accented with yew trees and planted with flowers. The Garden of Love features 4 parterres each planted in a different design and dedicated to a different kind of love: tragic love, fickle love, tender love, and passionate love. The Garden of Music lies at right angles to the garden of Love and is separated from it by a canal. It is similar in appearance to the Garden of Love but its hedges are cut in the shapes of musical instruments and the symbols of musical notation. A simple labyrinth and an herb garden with 32 species of aromatic, medicinal and cooking plants are nearby on this same terrace.

Garden of Fickle Love

Gardenof Passionate Love

Garden of Tender Love

Water Garden

On the third terrace there is a lake shaped like a classical mirror that serves as a reservoir for the water needed to operate the fountains and irrigate the gardens below. The lake is flanked by lawns and fountain panels on either side and is home to swans and snow geese.

This was the most impressive garden I saw on my trip to France. The gardens of Versailles are certainly magnificent too but the gardens of Villandry left a more vivid picture in my mind.