Kevin's Blog

Welcome! This blog should provide two things. First, a vicarious experience of nature through images, captions, and video. Secondly, the blog will share some of the research and literature that reinforces the paradigm of nature as a restorative and healing force. The goal is to give an educational, and rejuvenating "virtual nature experience".

Kevin's Web Log

March 26, 2010 - 3:03 PM Permalink

Filoli Garden

Title: "Filoli Grandeur"

Location: Filoli Garden, near Woodside, California

Title: "Garden Heaven"

Location: Filoli Garden, near Woodside, California

Title: "Garden Vantage Point"

Location: Filoli Garden, near Woodside, California

I've been in a lot of gardens in the last 20 years in a handful of countries, and as far as "manicured" gardens go, this may be the most artistically beautiful I've ever been in.  The horticulturalist at the Filoli Garden is a true artist, using layers of color and perspective lines, forms, etc to create an experience that just takes your breath away at each turn. As you walk slowly along the paths and enter new "palettes" you just have to stop in your tracks in amazement.  Its like walking through a collection of incredible paintings in a museum. 

This is an expansive garden, 16 acres in the English Renaissance style. The estate is anchored by a 36,000 square foot house built in 1917 by Mr. William Bowers Bourn whose wealth came from gold mining.  The name Filoli came from an acronym built from the first two letters of each word from his credo: "Fight for a just cause, Love your fellow man, Live a good life.  

The estate was bought by the Roth family in 1937, and Mrs. Roth donated 125 acres which include the garden and house in 1975 to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.