oliveoloveblog

I didn’t know that right in my backyard was a beautiful little estate called Filoli. The name originated from the owner’s credo: “Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.” Located in Woodside, this amazing property was home to the Bourn family and then subsequently the Roth family before being donated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation who then opened the home and garden to the public.

The magnificent home sits among acres of fruit orchards, rose gardens, olive trees and a variety of other plants and vegetation, and we were lucky to get a glimpse of the Bay Area in the early 1900’s.

We arrived just in time for the docent-guided tour of the house and gardens, and we loved learning about California history and ins and outs of the property. This estate is a perfect place for a good book or a nice walk, and they have jazz concerts and other events on the property in the summer.

Because we visited in the fall, the gardens were filled with begonias. But we were told in the spring (around Easter), the estate is covered with endless rows of pink tulips, one of my favorite flowers. See what Filoli looks like in the spring here! Props to the hubs for finding this hidden gem and taking me here for my birthday!