No garden centric to central California would be complete without a visit to Filoli, a country house set in 16 acres of formal gardens surrounded by a 654 acre estate. I'd heard about Filoli for years as it's been featured on many garden shows and was looking forward to seeing this grand place in person. Even the 100 degree temperature couldn't damper my enthusiasm. O.K. it did but I was still excited, especially since the gift shop had a big cooler filled with ice cold water!
The olive orchard.
Looking back through the allee leading to the main garden entrance.
Filoli has an interesting history. To learn more, go here.
It's also a rather large garden so here's a map to help you out. the trees next to the parking area that have Garden Entrance and House Entrance written on them are the olive orchard.
The clock tower sits atop the carriage house, now used as a gift shop.
One of many gates in the walled garden. These block views of the gardens and give a feeling both of enclosure and of mystery beyond. (Like, do you think it might be cooler over there? Geeze, It's hot out today!)
Path to the cottage.
the sunken garden. This, by the way, is not the swimming pool, that's hidden behind the hedge in the left rear.
The garden house.
Garden house from further away, looking across the sunken garden.
Aloe in bloom.
Agave parryi var. huachucensis.
Spectacular grown in a shallow pot and used as living statuary.
This may be Chartres Garden.
Part of he walled garden.
More of the same. the order gets a little blurry because of many trips back to the gift shop beneath the clock tower to get more water.
To see some amazing images of Filoli in all seasons taken by the talented Saxon Holt, go here.
The rose garden.
Perennial border.
Knot Garden.
I'm tired just thinking about the maintenance on this.
And onward through the photinia.
The cutting garden.
Cutting garden. Deer proof plants here!
The middle of the yew allee.
Looking back on the yew allee from the high place.
The high place. I thought that 60's Haight-Ashbury was the local high place but I'm pretty ignorant bout things like that.
Woodland garden offered welcome shade.
The swimming pool is beautifully maintained. I guess the fact that no one swims in it helps with that. On this sweltering day, it sure was tempting to roll up my pant legs and go wading!
Looking back at the clock tower from the other side of the sunken garden.
And for a helicopter tour of the grounds.