Day 2 - Filoli

FiLoLi

We woke, well I awoke this morning filled with an almost childish delight thinking about the day, what I hoped was in store and growing anticipation to actually seeing the Filoli Estate home and gardens. Our agenda today, is really the reason behind the whole trip we are taking, it is to see the garden.

Directions: from Pacific Inn, North on El Camino Real, Left on Whipple Ave, Right on Alameda Ave, Left on Edgewood Rd, drive 1.5 miles, Right on Canada Rd, drive 1.3 miles and destination is on the left.

The garden opened at 10am and I wanted to be there when the gates opened. After a quick stop at Target to pick up snacks, sunscreen and cold medicine we set off for the 10 mile, 15 minute drive. The countryside is stunning, rolling hills covered with lush grass and tall towering trees. We drove through a mini redwood forest and marveled at the size of them even though they are not the giant sequoias. Driving along Canada road, surrounded by the rolling hills a small sign appeared ‘Filoli Estate’. There was no fancy gate to herald the end of our drive just a narrow asphalt road. About 100 yards down the road was a small manned admission box. I stopped, returned the warm greeting and was told to proceed as I was a day guest. Over the short, narrow, brick lined bridge continuing our drive for almost a half mile into the woods. I am not sure what I was expecting, maybe a glimps of the house or garden, but reality was a large parking lot surrounded by huge, old twisted olive trees. Looking towards the left and up a slight incline was the admission office. And my heart leapt a little and my first ‘can you believe it’ escaped me as we made our way up the stairway made of red bricks lined with huge containers of perfectly blooming yellow daffodils. On talking to the very helpful ladies who exchanged lime green stickers for our money, we took their suggestion and signed up for the 2 hour docent lead tour. We met up with John our guide and seven other ladies. A sign of what was to come for Jeff, he was to be outnumbered by women.



After a brief history of the olive grove and how everything we were to see ran on a south/north west/east line, we began the tour.  The Estate was 654 acres, 16 acres of garden with the longest axis sound /north of 1/3 mile.  The name Filoli was created by the owner Mr Bourns, combining the first two letters from the key words of his credo: “FIght for a just cause; LOve your fellow man; LIve a good life.” I loved it already and had yet to see anything besides some daffs.  We Walked past the house entrance (on my gosh) towards the right-the Lower Terrace.

The Lower Terrace was actually  on the outside of the higher walled Northwest Terrace.   I think I had walked 50 feet and taken 20 pictures when we received the advice from the docent to keep up, we could come back later for pictures.  Along the wall  (about 6 feet high) were azaleas, wisteria trained along the wall  and smaller trees. To the right of us were open padocks. At the end of the terrace we turned left and walked along the Nothwest and Southwest Terraces.  It was along this walk that we saw our first tulips.  I was to quickly realize that each room/area, had it’s own color scheme.  Along this side of the house it was orange and yellow.  Pots of tulips EVERYWHERE you looked.

 From the regular looking solid colored orange ones, to the fancy multi colored, delicate shape of different varieties.  There were small sets of stairs throughout the property and on each step sat a container of tulips.  In the garden they were set amongst forget-me-nots and other blue toned bedding flowers.  Walking up the stairs that divided the north and south terraces and looking straight on to the house it was breathtaking.  The tall 2 story mansion was sheathed in wisteria, the blooms just popping open, the leaves still yet to be seen.  The wisteria trained around the tall arched windows, across balconies starting to hide the red brick of the mansion.  The terraces were paved in large black slate tablets, sets of chairs and benches placed around the terraces to sit and soak up what was in front of you.

The Sunken Garden:  Hidden from view by a thick hedge about 6 foot tall, I didn’t see it at first and then suddenly I caught a saw a little red just over the hedge.  A few more feet and I stood at the top of  one of the 5 sets of steps leading into the garden.

 Brilliantly simple.  Red tulips set in their own walled garden created by the small box wood hedges.  These all surrounded a small reflecting pool.

  

 Out of the sunken garden we walked through the small garden house – a place to sit protected from the elements and view the gardens and house and into the walled garden.  This garden – really several combined is really with in a tall brick made wall, probably 10 feet high. Walking past climbing hydrangers (not in bloom), magnolias  and the wall covered with creeping delicate ivys, it was stunning.

It was only the beginning.  In front of us was the ‘stained glass window’ made of flowers. The boxwood hedges  symboliesed the lead of the window, the flowers became the stained glass.  I don’t know the names of the flowers but there were bright orange, delicate about 1” and about 1 foot tall, in other sections there were purple flowers.  There were boxwoods  shaped into balls, boxwoods shaped into delicate looking scallops for dramatic effect and while I was walked on the gravel paths between it all, I realized, that this place had far exceeded what ever thought I had it would be like.  Words can not do it justice.

 Walking along the far side of the walled garden toward the wedding place, we passed sights that begged to be revisited.

 The rose garden was not in bloom but the peonies were just starting to bloom.  First time I had actually seen a peony and I now know why people love them.  Huge blooms, amazing colors and structure.

 Skirting the wall garden we entered the top section of the garden, walking down the pear allee. The trees were in bloom, and on this perfect day, it smelt delightful.  Looking towards the High Place, up the center of the Yew Allee lined with apple espaliers that were at least 12 feet tall.  I think this section was what Jeff enjoyed the best, he kept remarking on how much he liked the espaliers, they were so tidy.

 Out in the open were hardscape designs of little steps, little walls covered in ivy’s  and there before us, a design of white tuplis with purple pansies.  In the center of it all was tall bubbling fountain.   On each side stood flowering, weeping cherries.  Every way I looked there was more to see. The Dutch garden was filled with more tulips and for get me nots. Through the woodland made up of towering camillias, rodedendrans and ferns on the ground and a quick look at where the tennis courts were.

Back through the walled garden, past the white and purple section of tulips, and onto the swimming pool garden.  This was so well done, it was a simple rectanglue pool   placed in the center of another Yew allee with a small pavilion at the west end. 

Our garden tour over we moved in to the house.  It was a simple design, huge rooms, 17 foot ceilings  but not ostantiasios at all.  I enjoyed our tour here and was glad we had the opportuinity to see it.  But, I wanted to see more of the garden.  After the tour was over, we headed back out to the car for a quick lunch and a recap of what we had seen and what to see again.  I have to say Jeff is the most amazing husband.  He let me have my day at Filoli just as I had planned, we had arrived at 10 and had planned to stay the day until closing at 3:30…and we did.  After lunch, we walked back to the garden and basically rewalked what we had done on the tour, slower, more sitting and more pictures.  Jeff had his Iphone and as I had hoped it would be, while I ran around looking at the flowers, he would sit and play with his phone.  I would find him and then we would walk to the next section together, he would find a bench or chair and again I would have my fill of the garden.   The weather was perfect, the spring flowers were amazing and so much more than I had imagined they would be.  It was an incredible day filled with so much beauty, so many inspiring moments in the garden to learn from and I know that I will think often of my day here.

I learnt something today: gardening is not just putting plants in the ground.  A garden is designed with care and patience.  It uses the senses to make it something special, something extradinoary. Use what you have, a hill, a wall, a dip a knoll and turn it into a object of delight. 

ated to drive down that long drive way and leave, but I know that I will be back someday in another season to enjoy it all once more.

We drove almost 2 hours along the coast to Monterey and had dinner at the Chart House, wonderful food, wonderful setting on in the harbor. It was 8pm when we pulled into our hotel for the night a little tired, but relaxed and happy.

PS: I had some trouble; the first 100 picutes were taken in RAW mode and I can not see them on my laptop. and then while posting the text, some of it does not quite line up with the pictures, I will fix when I am home.