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Woodside, Calif.—Filoli Gardens is a 654-acre estate in Woodside,
California. Its grandeur, once shown in the
opening scene of a popular TV series, Dynasty, and in movies such as Heaven Can
Wait and The Joy Luck Club, represents the beauty of Woodside, a
small city surrounded by forests and parks, yet
amazingly close to Silicon Valley, Stanford
University and San Francisco Airport in San
Mateo County.
Even though
it's slightly tucked away, Filoli Gardens and
Estate is known
throughout the world for
its magnificent gardens that are recognized for
their historic significance and beauty. Based on
European design, the grounds include soothing
water gardens and terraced gardens. Filoli
estate is nestled in the foothills of the
Coastal Range on the San Francisco Peninsula.
Open to the public, the San Mateo County mansion
features 43 rooms and exquisite gardens set to a
backdrop of looming mountains that turn a
burnished gold in the autumn. Nowhere are the
seasons more noticed than at the Filoli gardens.
Spring:
Dormant during the winter months, the land
bursts into life with 58,000 tulips and 25,000
daffodils most springs. From late April to June,
the 500 roses at Filoli stand in splendor,
offering a delicate, delightful fragrance.
Summer:
The summer season blossoms with cherry, pear,
and apple trees in a wonderland of pink and
white. Summer visitors delight in the kitchen
garden with colorful vegetables such as red
'Cayenne Slim' chili and the 'Purple Ruffles'
basil, which are both used in making Filoli's
estate-crafted vinegars. Late summer is peak
season for the intricate knot garden, which then
gives way to the fragrant lavender.
Summer bouquets of
cut flowers at Filoli Gardens grace
tables and mansion decor with stunning displays
of blue, purple, and dusty white highlights.
Fall:
Autumn is when Filoli's Fall Festival is held.
Guests taste 50 varieties of pears and apples
and an amazing collection of sweet, juicy and
fragrant American hybrid table grapes.
Winter:
Filoli is closed from November to February.
Back in 1915,
nothing but woods filled Woodside community. The
design for the classic garden was a
collaboration between the Bourn family and Bruce
Porter, who was known for his garden designs
incorporating parterres, terraces, lawns and
pools. It was envisioned and built beginning
around 1917. The director of horticulture, known
for her stunning combinations of plants, holds a
master's degree in horticulture from UC Davis.
Named Filoli, to Fight, to Love, to Live,
William Bourne built the country retreat
completed in 1917.
Open February through October. Address: 86 Caņada
Road, Woodside, California 94062. Directions: Approx. 30 miles south of San
Francisco in Woodside, south of Highways 92 and 280 Junction. Call for hours, schedule changes and
restrictions: (650) 364.8300 x507. www.filoli.org.
Woodside is
5.5.miles southwest of Redwood City and approx.
18 miles
from San Francisco Airport (SFO) in Burlingame.
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