Over the last decade, my Aunt Char and I have visited Filoli in Woodside, California in all four seasons and at Christmas. The gardens, grounds, and home are always beautiful, stately and inspiring, and there is always something new to see. We recently visited Filoli in the midst of a summer heat spell to celebrate Aunt Char's birthday. As an added treat, my cousin Chris (of Glam Camper fame), and his wonderful wife, Nancy, were in town and joined us on the expedition. On the day we visited, staff and volunteers were preparing for an evening fundraising gala, so we caught glimpses of the preparation throughout our visit.
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| Grand entrance with begonia containers and party preparations |
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| Ready for our house and garden tour |
The temperature hovered in the low nineties, so we were in shade-seeking mode throughout our visit. We lingered within the house for our self-guided tour and enjoyed the decorating changes since our last visit to Filoli for the holidays in 2019, and the beautiful floral arrangements from the gardens. Chris and Nancy pointed out some interesting details about the unique woodwork that appears throughout the house. We also appreciated the cooler temperature and relief from the midday sun.
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| A shady spot close to the house |
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| Enjoying the architecture from a shady bench |
The grounds were beautiful in layered shades and textures of green. Begonias, coneflowers, and hydrangeas were blooming in full force when we visited, and the dahlias were just ramping up.
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| Sunken Garden |
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| Garden House |
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| Shady terrace with begonias in containers |
The Garden House is one of my favorite buildings. It would be the perfect space to savor my morning coffee and read the newspaper and periodically enjoy the landscape through the arched windows. For our visit, we enjoyed a break from the sun and the beautiful views of the garden.
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| Garden House is a favorite place |
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| A shady respite in Garden House |
By the time we toured the Cutting, Vegetable, and Production Gardens, the sun was not as high in the sky and a marine breeze was stirring. Resting in the shade to survey the beauty was still part of our strategy.
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| View of the Wedding Terrace |
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| Hydrangeas of all colors |
The hydrangeas were so beautiful and colorful! The flower color is partially determined by the soil's pH (acidic soil yields blue or lavender, and alkaline soil yields pinks and reds). The gardeners must modify the soil to produce such a variety of color. (We had time to ponder this on the shady path).
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| Black-eyed Susan flowers |
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| View towards Crystal Springs Reservoir from the High Place |
My husband, Rick, joined us at Fentons Creamery and Restaurant for dinner and ice cream creations, and conversation about our visit to the garden. The atmosphere at Fentons was very festive that night, with lots of birthday celebrations (we fit right in with Aunt Char's birthday). Later we regrouped at our home for conversation in the cool of the evening. What a great day, filled with beauty and wonderful people!
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