Morning in the Garden

Pack your bags for Killarney, Ireland, and explore Filoli’s sister estate, Muckross! Guest host Rowan Smith, Filoli’s Decorative Arts Curator, finds CEO Kara Newport at the end of a summer sabbatical spent reading the Bourn family’s letters. Archivist Patricia O’Hare opens the family photo albums, and Shane Tracy and Sandra Dunley share what the Bourns’ gift still means to Ireland.

When the sun goes down, another world wakes up at Filoli. Longtime residents Jim Salyards and Alex Fernandez share tales of mountain lion meetups, midnight newt migrations, and unexplained happenings in the Historic House. Plant Curator John Chau reveals how fragrant flowers lure moths after dark.

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Go behind the scenes of a flower show like no other! During a bustling morning of preparations, Fleurs de Villes co-founders Karen Marshall and Tina Barkley share the stories behind the exhibition’s elaborate floral mannequins. Florists Maryam Issa and Chrissy Condie reveal the ingenious techniques they use to bring characters from the screen to life using entirely botanical materials.

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Heads up! The next episode, “Across the Creek (Season 4, Episode 15 - our first video episode!) is not available on Spotify due to their video upload restrictions. You can listen or view it on Apple Podcasts or YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnG-nlUQd3I

Step inside the greenhouses with guest host Katie Kenna, and realize the delicate choreography hidden in how life in the Garden begins. Production Garden Manager Jackie Salas traces the step-by-step journey of formal blooms to the rich soil of our compost windrows. Out in the open terrain, Natural Lands Apprentice Amelia Mauer embraces a wilder wisdom, letting experimental wildflower plots adapt to untamed elements, native grazers, and historic land management.

Slow down, and the Garden reveals a world of beauty hidden in the details. Plein air artist and watercolor instructor Ali Walker finds simple shapes in complex blooms, from the geometry of a dahlia to the ombré petals of a rose. Rowan Smith and Bobby Gamba uncover the Bourn family’s historic artworks in the Garden, including one inscribed with Festina Lente – “make haste slowly” – a century-old invitation to pause and look more closely.

Follow the wave of color spilling through the garden this week. Haley O'Connor greets Willa with a handful of cherry plums and a theory of punctuation for every garden room – the Perennial Border reads like a run-on sentence, the Walled Garden like a form letter. Aimee Saunders leads the way into a secret garden of giant blue hydrangeas.

Filoli is looking good enough to eat! Jammaker Pablo Lugones transforms the morning's harvest of rose, marigold, and dahlia petals into a jelly the color of a glowing sunset. Horticulturists Ellen Harsha and Joseph Sulpizio walk the Vegetable Garden, savoring the sunwarmed berries and the thrill of a kiwi vine fruiting for the very first time.

The summer fog peeks over the ridge right on cue as a thousand public garden professionals arrive at Filoli for a golden hour party. Guests from across the country share the winding paths that led them into horticulture – like a DIY wedding bouquet that turned into a full-time job – and make the case for why we all should visit the gardens they call home.

From the Garden Archives: We are bringing back this perennial favorite episode, originally published on August 7, 2024. Whether you missed it the first time or want a refresher, enjoy these timeless tips on summer color!

Late summer delivers a rainbow burst of blooms. Jia Nocon invites her non-Horticulture coworkers to make their own bouquets from the Cutting Garden. Jackie Salas showcases the vibrant hues of Filoli's new Dahlia Garden, and Gillian Johnson talks color-changing hydrangeas.

Summer kicks off with a new exhibit about the people, plants, and animals that call Filoli home. Artist Jayson Fann shares how his childhood gathering wood on the riverbanks shapes the sculptural nests he has installed along the trails. Curator Rowan Smith highlights the immigration stories of Filoli’s historic staff through the years.

Stroll through the garden on a misty morning to uncover a piece of Filoli’s history. Writer Eric Hsu shares the story of the Domoto family – pioneering Japanese American nurserymen who revolutionized the West Coast cut flower industry. Discover how their lasting horticultural legacy still blooms across the estate today, from historic tree peonies to rare maples.

A restless wind moves through the oaks as we explore the art of haiku and its kinship with the garden. Aileen Cassinetto, the former Poet Laureate of San Mateo County, notes that both crafts demand the same thing: patience, precision, and a willingness to notice what others walk past. This year’s Haiku Contest winner Cindy Lutz shares how writing one poem a day for 25 years has taught her to find the miraculous in the overlooked.

A breezy morning brings the moving colors and textures of the Perennial Border to life. Jim Salyards shares the history of the Arts & Crafts garden style and recommends his favorite plants to add vertical drama. A new woven trellis sculpture by artist Jungil Hong rises and falls through the perennials, soon to be covered in intertwining vines.

Meet Rose Wonders, the monumental troll who has taken up residence in Filoli’s forest. Sonia Capitant recounts the arrival of the 30-foot giant, while artist Thomas Dambo explains how his recycled wood sculptures are designed to change our perspective on nature. Katie Kenna reflects on how that same spirit of wonder helps local students connect with the land, one "burrito tree" at a time.

Spring takes center stage as a heat wave puts the garden in the spotlight. Director of Horticulture Brendan Dellerba shares the creative tricks his team uses to stagger the blooms of our 100,000-bulb display – and hints at his even bigger plans for next year. In the Rose Garden, Regina Carter takes inspiration from classic English estates by experimenting with new understory companion plantings and dramatic “rose bending” techniques.

Revel in a rainy walk through the garden. Jackie Salas and Haley O’Connor highlight the winter work that goes into creating Filoli’s glorious spring show. From the careful pruning of fruit trees to the precise edging of formal parterre beds, discover how the season’s beauty is thoughtfully shaped long before it blooms.

In this season finale episode, Willa sits down with Gregg Castro, Culture Director of the Association of Ramaytush Ohlone, to discuss Indigenous relationships with the land; perspectives and practices passed down through generations. Together, they explore the newly refurbished mural in the Lamchin Interpretive Center, created by Amy Hosa in partnership with the ARO. The mural depicts Ssupichom, a thriving village that stood here long before Filoli was built. John Chau, Filoli’s Plant Curator, also joins the conversation to share insights on the restoration of native plants surrounding the center, from the practical dogbane to the showstopping matilija poppies.

For this special episode; guest host Katie Kenna interviews some of Filoli’s horticulturists to answer your budding questions. Chats with the team reveal their favorite critters at Filoli, some expert growing tips, and what makes this place special to them.

In the heart of Monterey, a hidden garden brings new life to a historic site. Join Willa at the Cooper Molera Adobe to uncover its story and delight in the surprising scents of geranium, otherworldly blooms of passion vine, and edible flowers that decorate treats at the onsite bakery.

Featuring:

Karyn Lee-Garcia, Cooper Molera’s Executive Director

Donna Gibson, President of the Historic Garden League

Isabella De Sibert, Stuck in the Mud

Step into a garden where every path leads to a new time and place. At the Huntington in Pasadena, Willa wanders from a cactus-studded hillside and under a wisteria-draped pergola, down rose-scented paths and into a Chinese stargazing pavilion – all before lunch. Along the way, meet the staff who care for these renowned living collections and uncover the deeper meanings we assign to plants.