Photos — Frances Rivetti
Oh what a lovely day spent wandering the house and gardens of Filoli in Woodside, a half-hour's drive south of San Francisco. This was my first time visiting and a wonderful outing with my British American girlfriends, who all love a smashing National Trust property pit-stip as much as I do. This one, however, is a lavish 20th Century American estate, which harkens back to a dazzling era of California wealth and luxury.
The British National Trust abounds with historic homes and gardens, its US contemporary, The National Trust for Historic Preservation is considerably smaller in scope, but an important non-profit that, hopefully will continue to expand in the future. By supporting The National Trust for Historic Preservation, we can all help save these extraordinary places for generations to explore in the years to come.
Today, over 100,000 visitors flock to Filoli to experience its seasonal splendor, inside and out. It remains the sole intact estate from an era when San Francisco’s wealthiest families created grand showplaces in the countryside outside of the city in the years after the 1906 earthquake.
The Filoli Library (below) and Florilegium collections provide valuable resources for the study of horticulture, botany, the arts, local history . . . this gorgeous library was modeled on a historic library design from Denham Place in England.
“Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.” When Anglophile William Bowers Bourn II and his wife, Agnes turned the key to their Georgian manor, built 30 miles south of San Francisco in 1917, he came up with its unique name as a clever combination on his life credo. As heir to California’s Empire Mine gold fortune, William Bourn built his magnificent English-style Filoli estate with 16 acres of formal gardens amidst 654 sprawling acres.
Shortly after the gardens were completed in the early roaring twenties, William Bourn suffered a severe stroke and was confined to a wheelchair. The estate he had created as his refuge became just that as he took solace and joy in being pushed around his gardens to soak in plantings and panormaic views until he passed, in 1936, aged 79. His wife Agnes died six months earlier, aged 75. And, sadly, their daughter, Maud Bourn Vincent, had passed away from pneumonia before her parents, at age 45, after falling sick during a transatlantic voyage from Europe to the United States. The couple's young son had died in infancy. The entire family is buried on the estate.
The house is a lot bigger in scale than a contemporary country house in England, built at the end of World War I. It's easy to see the influence from William's years in England when he studied at Cambridge University, only with all the resources he had at hand, back home in California, most aspects of the house interior living spaces are plus-sized, starting with the kitchens.
Lurline Matson Roth, a San Francisco shipping heiress and self-taught horticulturalist and her husband, William, purchased Filoli in 1937 for an undisclosed price. It was an irresistable country retreat for her family: twin teenage daughters, Lurline and Berenice and their 21-year-old son, William. Lurline employed 16 gardeners, but she was frequently outside in all weathers, working alongside them, deadheading camellias, pruning roses and overseeing the garden she saw as a living tapestry.
Lurline, a naive San Franciscan and heiress to the Matson Navigation Company, was a well-known and accomplished equestrian who competed in horse shows across the country and bred award-winning specimens. In 1964, she and her son, an unsuccessful California gubernatorial candidate in 1974 renovated Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco.
It's not hard to picture the Roth family and guests enjoying the bounty of their California orchard and garden in lavish meals around this elegant dining table. A Tiffany silverware set for 18 and floral arrangements from the property would've set the table scape off nicely, I'd say! I chatted to one of the estate managers in the dining room as he and his team prepared for a fundraiser. We discussed what it would have been like to work in service to the Bourn and Rot families and he said he didn't think it would have been very easy to cater for the elite. I doubt things have changed. Can you imagine cooking for and catering to Zuckerberg or Musk? Even with today's modern amenities, it can't be easy to blend into the shadows while tending to the rich, powerful and famous.
Elegant and informal, the grounds are as enchanting as any I've vistied in my native England.
Lesley looking very "English Country Home" covergirl in her pretty summer frock.
Jane and Gail wouldn't mind hosting us for the weekend if they were in charge!
Lurline Roth lived on alone at Filoli after the death of her husband in 1963. She had the foresight to donate the estate to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1975 after establishing an endowment to maintain the gardens. Although she moved to a smaller house not too far from Filoli, she returned frequently on weekends to wander her beloved brick walkways and allées. She passed away in 1985, aged 97. My friend Laura's Mom Louisa was one of the first docents at Filoli and she remembers the kindness of Lurline B. Roth toward volunteers and visitors, fondly.
A stroll though Filoli’s summer Garden is a treat for the senses! Take in the decadent scents of lavender and roses and the colorful rows of vegetables. Silver and blue perennials and succulents are paired with a parade of pink annuals including begonias, fuchsias, and zinnias.
Tempting to say the least. Both Lesley and I love a swim and a few laps of this super pool would've been a welcome respite from the August afternoon heat. I don't suppose anyone swims here these days, but if pools could talk, there must've been some fun poolside parties back in the day!
Wear comfortable shoes, a hat and bring a full water bottle. No pets allowed.
There's a plant sale section attached to the store. Here's Lurline's old golf cart put to good reuse.
Having staff to help maintain fresh floral arrangements at all time was a thing! Priorites.
Lady of the house. In another life, I could do it! Meanwhile, we did enjoy a nice lunch at the Quail Cafe (open 10 to 4.30 pm).
One's own ballroom. So civilized.
If You Go:
Filoli is nestled on a slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains and surrounded by the protected Peninsula watershed. Filoli is proud to participate in Museums for All offering free and reduced admission to any holder of a SNAP EBT card. Please email [email protected] to reserve your admission with Museums for All. Otherwise, it's best to book tickets ahead. Check out the website for special seasonal events and workshops.
Admission
86 Cañada Road, Woodside, CA 94062
Open every day 10am - 5pm
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