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Videos and Virtual Tours

Bulb Talk Part II: Tulips

Join Elise on a walk through the Garden for the second installment of the Bulb Talk. Heralding the arrival of spring, tulips are filling beds and containers all around Filoli.

Women's Speaker Series

Honor Women’s History Month and carve out a new “her”story. Hear from women leaders in the fields of horticulture, architecture, gardens, and beyond in this series of moderated discussions.

Bulb Talk Part I: Daffodils

Enjoy this first installment of Filoli's spring Bulb Talk. Nothing says spring like a daffodil! Learn more about these cheerful blooms and some of their history at Filoli and beyond.

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From Orchard to Grove and Back: Olive Orchard Restoration

April 8, 2021

Guests who have visited Filoli in the past few weeks have stared in wonder at the renovation to the olive grove in front of the House. Learn more about the olive orchard restoration.

Refinishing Filoli’s Oak Floors

March 14, 2021

By Julie Bly DeVere, Director of Museum Collections Over the last few years, we have slowly been refinishing the floors in the main rooms of the House back to their…

Using Television to Expose Racial Injustice

February 28, 2021

Census records reveal that there were no Black staff at Filoli during its time as a family home. Though the African American population in the Bay Area boomed after the end of World War II, the Peninsula was not a welcoming place for Black families.

Early Daffodil Meadow With Magnolia Blooming

Daffodils at Filoli

February 19, 2021

No other flower says spring like the daffodil! The pleasure of seeing a whole field of bright yellow trumpets, planted en masse, is a heart-warming and exhilarating experience. What better…

Hustle and Bustle at Filoli: Winter in the Greenhouse with Kate

February 11, 2021

By Kate, Horticulture Production Manager For the greenhouse horticulturists, winter is particularly full of activity as we prepare for spring. By January, thousands of bulbs have been planted in the…

Japanese maple and juniper bonsai at Filoli (photo by Jeff Bartee)

All About Bonsai

January 21, 2021

Did you know that Filoli’s collection includes more than 50 bonsai? They’ll be on display through the end of February in the Garden House and on the Dining Room Terrace.…

Through the Garden Gate: Filoli’s Bonsai Collection

December 31, 2020

Bonsai has graced the Filoli estate dating back to the Bourn era and continues today as a sizable and stunning collection. Jim Salyards, Director of Horticulture Peter del Tredici, emeritus…

Kee Low, long time chef for the Roth family pictured in the Kitchen

Chinese Exclusion Act: Chef Kee Low

December 27, 2020

The Roths’ chef Kee Low had a talent for duplicating dishes from the family’s international travels. Though census records mark Kee’s birthplace as California, his descendants state that he emigrated…

'Isabella Worn (Bella), standing on a garden path in the middle of beds full of lavender in the Garden, with Louis Mariconi (Head Gardener). Bella is wearing a v-neck patterned dress and brimmed hat and holds a sheaf of lavender. Tall poplar trees of the High Place visible in background.'

Early Women Entrepreneurs: Bella Worn

December 27, 2020

Filoli will celebrate the role of women in Horticulture, starting with Bella Worn who was a principal garden advisor and florist to the Bourn and Roth families. In 1888, she…

'Filoli Reception Room north half with butler Teikichi Taga setting a floral vase in the middle of the room. In center of room in middle of seating group of 4 side chairs, one George II Gainsborough chair, and red floral damask sofa. Bouquet on coffee table in center. Side table with glass ash tray. Refectory table behind sofa and small upholstered benches on either side of refectory table. Figurines and large flowering plant on top of refectory table. View into library through doorway in northwest corner and side chair to left of doorway. Large Flemish mille fleur tapestry over fireplace and small hanging tapestry on either side of fireplace. 2 green Neoclassical urns and clock on mantle. Side tables on either side of fireplace. High back sofa in front of northeast doorway. All on large tapestry rug. Lit chandelier at top right corner of photo. Pre-Internment image of Teikichi Taga.'

Japanese Internment During World War II: Toichi Domoto, Teikichi Taga & Mai Arbegast

December 27, 2020

Toichi Domoto’s nursery supplied plants for Filoli during the Roth era, including many varieties of camellias. Despite the challenges the Domoto family faced — including economic hardship during the Great…