Located 30 miles south of San Francisco, Filoli is nestled on a slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounded by more than 23,000 acres of the protected Peninsula watershed. To the two families who lived here, Filoli represented a desire to create a magnificent and enduring country estate. Today, Filoli’s mission is to connect our rich history with a vibrant future through beauty, nature, and shared stories.

What's Blooming

Filoli StrokeLine
Gingko Squares Bluebird
Water lilies are blooming in the Sunken Garden pond. On a warm day, dragonflies dance above the water and frog song fills the air.
One of the most popular trees in the United States, dogwoods thrive in the sun or shade - which makes them perfect for the Woodland Garden in the shadow of the native oaks.
Explore the colorful blooms along the historic iris border at the edge of the Garden Orchard. The name "iris" comes from the Greek word for rainbow.
Known as the "queen of climbers," the clematis vine brings white blooms to the front of the House.
Rhododendrons bring vibrancy to the shaded Walled Garden. These flowers were a favorite of Lurline Roth, along with her beloved camellias.
Seed pods on the Camperdown elm are showing off their beautiful chartreuse color.
The purple blooms of the double-flowered wisteria over the Clock Tower Shop door are showstoppers!
See vibrant blue ceanothus on the Estate Trail. These drought tolerant native shrubs are a great addition to California gardens.
The yellow-blooming flannel bush next to the Nature Center is the size of a tree! It is currently abuzz with bee and fly pollinators.
Clouds of pink 'Sherwood Orchid' azaleas are at home in the Woodland Garden.
Pretty potted pansies add a cheerful touch throughout the Garden.
The Lady Banks rose cascades down walls in the Clock Tower Shop courtyard. This thornless variety is the first rose to bloom at Filoli each year.
The perennial border runs along the cherry laurel hedge and contains sages, smoke bush, roses, purple top vervain, and more!
These tidy evergreen shrubs hide in the shadows of trees most of the year, but in spring they command attention with a show of ruby red flowers.
Catch the bright orange blooms of our state flower, the California poppy, near the pool.
Growing from bulbs, Spanish bluebells create a blue-violet carpet of bell-shaped flowers.
Propagated from seed in Filoli's Greenhouses, purple and blue violas are now adding color to spring beds.
Some of the tree peonies now blooming in the Cutting Garden were donated to Filoli by renowned nursery-owner Toichi Domoto.
The foxgloves blooming around the Sunken Garden attract bees with their tubular flowers.
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Check out the Latest Blog Posts

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Recollecting the House

September 12, 2023

One of the most satisfying parts of my job is recollecting items that once lived here. Every time I feel very much as if another piece of the puzzle is…

The Sleeping Child 1

Artist Spotlight: Mary Curtis Richardson, the “Mary Cassatt of the West”

June 21, 2023

Next time you wander through the Library in the Filoli House, take a moment to gaze at the portrait of William Bourn’s mother, Sarah Esther Chase Bourn, on the south…

Photo by Jeff Bartee

Sharing Seeds, Sharing Culture

May 17, 2023

by John Chau, Plant Records Specialist In the summer of 2022, Filoli’s Vegetable Garden opened to the public for the first time. This land has been used for growing produce…