Hearst Castle's Use of Hardscape

Hearst Castle is filled with hardscape delights – paths, stairways, statues (both ancient and modern), fountains, planters, trellises, and sarcophaguses (yes, Hearst collected them). Here are some of my favorites, but you can find many more. I’m sure I could visit the garden multiple times, in multiple seasons, and continue to be surprised and delighted.

Paths and Stairways

I found a variety of paths in different forms; all of which invite the viewer to enter into the garden, and explore new areas. Often paths are shaded, at least for part of the day. A stairway can be an extension of a path, providing access from one level in the landscape to another level.

Lighted terms flank a shady path	Split staircase leading to a path
 Curved staircase with Moorish tile facing	Terrace pathway and staircase leading to Casa del Sol

HTML Tables 

Water Treatments

Fountains, fonts, and pools provide water in the garden. Running water provides a soothing sound, standing water is reflective.

 Glimpse of a shady fountain through the trees

 Font casts a long shadow in the afternoon sun

HTML Tables

Sculpture

The landscape at Hearst Castle integrates an extensive collection of sculptures. They provide visual interest and capture light in different ways all through the day.

 Ancient Egyptian statue stands watch	Sarcophagus turned garden ornament
Marble columns and statues in the pool area	Large term provides a focal point on one of the terraces

HTML Tables

Accessories

Distinctive lighting is used throughout the landscape, and trellises provide structure for climbing plants.

Lamps are used throughout the garden

Trellises support roses and Bougainvillea

HTML Tables

 
The hardscape elements at Hearst Castle are in character with the Renaissance garden, and the Renaissance Revival style.
 

Hearst Castle Gardens

The Renaissance Revival style often includes lush gardens, and Hearst Castle is no exception. As we know from our exploration of garden history, structures and garden form a unified whole in the Renaissance style.

Structures and gardens complement each other in a unified design

Julia Morgan and William Randolph Hearst designed the gardens to be in bloom year round, using native and Mediterranean climate plants. Roses, Rhododendron, and Hydrangeas thrive on the sunny hilltop, as does the Bougainvillea that grows on the guest houses. You can find the fragrant “Peace climber” rose growing on several structures and trees.

Roses and hydrangeas flourish in full sun

Playful marble statue - maiden feeding an ear of corn to a lamb

Morgan and Hearst incorporated native Coastal Live Oaks (Quercus agrifolia) into the garden design – sometimes changing plans to work around an existing tree, other times moving an entire tree and its root structure to a new location.

Stately Coastal Live Oak that provides shade and habitat

Other trees found in the garden include Cryptomeria (a deciduous Redwood), Yews, Cypress, Stone Pine, Deodar Cedar, various palms, and fruit trees.

A variety of trees, flowers, and hedges

Japanese boxwood is used as a low hedge, and as a parterre to boarder planting areas.



Boxwood parterres

Terraces provide places to gather, and to enjoy the spectacular “borrowed” view of the hills, coast, and Pacific Ocean.

Formal terrace with a fabulous view

Wide rustic terrace surrounded with pines and palms

 The Esplanade is a wide walking path around the hilltop. It is lushly planted with flowers, and provides afternoon shade.

Orange trees line the Esplanade

 

Hearst Castle

After a hearty breakfast at the Madonna Inn, we drove north to San Simeon and Hearst Castle, enjoying the leisurely drive up the coast. At the Visitor’s Center,  we watched the informative film “Hearst Castle – Building the Dream,” and learned all about William Randolph Hearst and his life.

Side view of one of the distinctive Hearst Castle towers

I was especially interested to learn about Hearst’s formative years: summers spent camping on the sprawling cattle ranch that would become the site for Hearst Castle, and the year and a half spent travelling through Europe and the Mediterranean with his mother on a “grand adventure.” These early experiences exposed Hearst to art, culture, and architecture; forged a love for the land near San Simeon; and inspired a lifelong passion for collecting art.

Inside view of the iron grating used in the entrance to Hearst Castle

After a successful business and publishing career, Hearst hired Julia Morgan, from the San Francisco Bay Area, to design and develop the hilltop estate, called “La Cuesta Encantada” (The Enchanted Hill). One of his objectives was to house and display his art collection. They collaborated on the project in a 28-year partnership from 1919 – 1947. Interesting to me, was that he was more interested in the creative process than actually finishing the project.

Art and architecture integrated into the Hearst Castle design

Morgan designed the estate in the Mediterranean Revival architectural style that was popular at the turn of the 19^th century. The style incorporates elements from Spanish and Italian Renaissance, Spanish Colonial, Venetian Gothic, and Beaux-Arts architecture.

An alter in the Casa Grande

We took the Grand Rooms tour, which enables you to see the major rooms of the Casa Grande (the big house). It was fascinating to see how his collections—including the contents of a European castle, religious art and objects from European cathedrals, and medieval tapestries—were integrated into the architectural design.

Medieval tapestry from the 1200s, in the "mille fleur" style 

After the tour, we had the opportunity to stroll around the grounds and guest cottages, lounge by the famous Neptune pool, explore the gardens, and enjoy the panoramic view from the hill top.

 

The famous Neptune pool

Strolling the grounds by one of the guest houses

 

We ended the day with dinner at Linn’s Restaurant, in nearby downtown Cambria, California, where they feature California cuisine using local ingredients, and Hearst Ranch beef!