Coastside Great Escape: Filoli's Blooming Gardens

Last week, Great Escape massage with facial combination treatment to heal your skin and soul.

This week, stop and smell the roses at Filoli, the 20th century country estate in Woodside noted for its exquisite gardens and mansion designed by Willis Polk.

Indeed, spring is here and Filoli is in full bloom. A visit to this remarkable 654-acre property, including the 36,000 square foot Georgian country house and spectacular 16-acre English Renaissance garden, is a chance to decompress and experience some peace and serenity for which the estate’s gardens and grounds were designed for.

Daffodils are blooming throughout the garden. The upper meadow in particular is swathed in yellow. Stroll the mowed path and check out the blooming peaches and plums as you go.

The tulips are here, too. Tulip ‘Van Eijk’ is blooming in containers in the sunken garden and lining the yew allee and in the dining room terrace there’s an infusion of blooming tulip containers, including Tulip ‘Marit.’

Then there are the Camellias throughout the garden, which are also in full bloom. The Camellia reticulata ‘Buddha’ in particular at the Dutch garden is a must see. Espalier pears along the yew allee are blooming as well.

Numerous magnolias, such as the Saucer Magnolia in the main courtyard, are posed to bloom this week, so don’t miss those.

The Garden House is filled with flowering bulb containers such as hyacinth, tulip and daffodil.

Some new plantings this month include the last of the bareroot roses and visitors will note projects, such as rose garden planting and perennial border dividing, planting and composting, being worked on as they stroll through this natural historic site, which is listed on the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Filoli is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10am–3:30pm; Sunday, 11am–3:30pm

For directions, admission fees and special events, go to www.filoli.org or call  (650) 364-8300.