The Lodge provides the focal point for most groups that come here; the outdoors provides setting and context. This is a place that seeks to balance the needs of the people who pass through, and of the natural world, which abides. For different places on the land, we choose varying degrees of management intensity from groomed rock gardens to wild places untrod by human feet for many years. How I admire your clear vision and hard work. You have created a place of beauty. I found here love, comfort, and a different way of looking at things. May you continue to find deep satisfaction doing your life’s work.
- Debbie Galloway; Consultant, The Wunderlin CompanyThis approach invites people into a deeper experience with the natural world, at their own level of comfort. Great blue herons, fox, deer, hawks, and beaver also call this home.

Outside the Lodge are a swimming pond, grassy areas for walking, talking, and playing, and a waterfall into a small pool. Lighted decks and a covered Gazebo by the pond provide plenty of room for hanging out; a fire pit integrated into the decks is perfect for evenings under the stars, roasting marshmallows, singing or howling at the moon. The gardens feature many kinds of flowers, with a concentration of species that attract butterflies.

The rest of the land is natural, providing a peaceful backdrop to gatherings at the Lodge, and an integral part of the Bend of Ivy experience. Formerly a working farm, the land is now passing through its own transformation as former pasture land is being reforested with hardwood trees. The land is diverse, with high knolls from which one can see the highest peaks in Eastern North America. Trails lead to the Ivy River and through the forest to hidden quiet places. Springs and small creeks and boulder gardens are everywhere.

There is an old iron mine where ore can still be found. An abundance of wildflowers makes the woods a mecca for explorers; sometimes “Stonepeople” appear in the river. Above the gardens, a spiral labyrinth with a large boulder and a sugar maple in the center provides a meditative outdoor experience. Trail maps are available to aid in your exploration.

The peace and beauty of the natural surroundings holds stillness for people, and provides inspiration for workshops and retreats.

The surrounding Asheville area is rich with opportunities. The Biltmore Estate, shopping, world class dining and arts, the Blue Ridge Parkway, white-water rafting, and horse-back riding are popular additions to a trip to the mountains.