Filoli Gardens recently bloomed into the spring season by opening their spring flower displays to the public.
Filoli Gardens is a 654-acre property located in Woodside that features numerous gardens, trails, and several distinct ecosystems. The spring exhibit kicked off on March 3 and showcased thousands of different spring flowers, including tulips, daffodils, and hyacinth bulbs.
“I love visiting Filoli Gardens, especially during the spring season,” said Yashvi Shah, a Carlmont student. “I enjoy going on guided tours and hearing about all of the different kinds of flowers.”
The spring display is a seasonal exhibit that traditionally runs from March through May. Building the display is a lengthy process that requires a significant amount of preparation before its opening.
“Our spring display is planted in November and December in conjunction with the holiday lights so that it grows and blooms by spring,” said Haley O’Connor, a formal garden manager at Filoli.
The vegetation planted is primarily based on the previous year’s successful flowers and plants. Additionally, plans for future plants are sometimes based on different aspects they bring to the gardens, such as color.
“Maybe we tried a peach or an apricot and decided we wanted something more red, so we’ll adjust our plants and flowers to bring more red into the gardens for the next year,” O’Connor said.
In recent years, certain gardens, such as the sunken garden, have been switched to include plants that require minimal water. These gardens utilize xeriscape, a style of landscape that requires a minimal amount of irrigation.
“For the past three years, we have created a pretty dry garden that has reduced our water usage,” O’Connor said. “We still water certain areas such as the turf, but almost everything else is on xeriscape.”
When constructing the main plan for the displays, there are numerous parts to the process, including designing the layout. For over 15 years, Jim Salyards, the associate director of horticulture initiatives, has taken on this role.
“I love the layout of this year’s spring garden design,” said Kiyo Aretun, a Carlmont student and Filoli enthusiast. “It is really easy to navigate and there is a great mix of flowers and other plants in each display.”
To continue with the success of the spring display, there are several future events planned at Filoli to maintain a high level of attendance. This includes activities such as Spring Teas, an experience where participants are able to enjoy a cup of tea in Filoli’s Garden House.
“I have really enjoyed the past displays and hope that I will be able to visit this year’s,” Shah said.
With the spring displays being one of their most popular exhibits, Filoli is expecting a successful season while continuously looking for ways to adapt and improve the property.
“We are always evaluating, constantly looking at things, and deciding if it works,” O’Connor said.
