Garden Journeys: A World of Topiaries, through September 24, 2004, features an array of extraordinary, life-size topiaries representing many of the countries Vanderbilt visited in his world travels during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Giant hand-painted postcards from various countries accompany a dozen or so figures standing as high as six feet tall. Plant materials appropriate to each country will also complement each scene.

In the Italian Garden, look for a gondola in a reflecting pool with a postcard from Italy. A postcard from Egypt will be accompanied by a topiary camel at the ticket office and in the Walled Garden look for a topiary elephant and a postcard from the Taj Mahal.

�While the actual topiaries will be pretty spectacular, the surrounding plantings are really going to add to the impact,� said Director of Horticulture Parker Andes. �We�ve been researching which plants are native to each country represented and are designing the surrounding, mini-gardens to reflect that. We�ll use things like date palms for Egypt, tropicals for India and a traditional Zen garden with raked stones for Japan.�

The topiaries have been designed and built by R&B Construction in Pine Mountain, Georgia. The welded steel structures are filled with lightweight materials and then packed with moss. Pots of ivy are tucked into the moss and the live ivy is trained to cover the exterior of the topiary. Details such as a saddle and bridle on the topiary horse or a headdress on the elephant are added to give the finished figures a touch of realism. The massive topiaries are then set into place using a crane�the elephant actually weighs as much as an elephant!

Susanne Woodell, Landscape Manager, has played the key role in designing the displays. She was tapped early in the process to help come up with an idea to draw more interest to Biltmore�s already magnificent gardens. She had worked with topiaries before at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia, and was eager to take on the challenge of such a large show. In meetings with estate curatorial staff, Woodell quickly developed a list of countries visited by Vanderbilt and matching topiaries that would transport guests to another time and place. In researching plants native to each country, Woodell got the idea of incorporating appropriate garden styles from each locale. It�s an idea that has even involved travel on the landscaper�s part. She spent a week in Florida shopping for tropical plants suitable for India, Spain and Egypt.

�I�m very excited,� said Woodell. �It�s the biggest thing I�ve done in my career. I�m so excited about everyone finally getting to see the vision I�ve constructed in my imagination.�

Woodell is also working closely with artist Mark Mounce of Waynesville, NC, who is painting the postcards to accompany the topiaries. The postcards, ranging in size from three by five feet to four by eight feet, will feature hand-painted images from the country represented, with appropriate postage and excerpts of real notes written by Vanderbilt to friends and family.

In addition to those already mentioned, the final list of topiaries and estate locations includes: