The historic Filoli house and gardens are a treat to visit any time of year, but their spring season is highly awaited for its dazzling showcase of colorful flowers. Plan a day trip soon to experience the ocean of blooms throughout 16 manicured acres, including a jubilant daffodil field, tens of thousands of tulips, and delicate cherry blossoms.
Guests are also invited to enjoy extensive spring programming in March, April, and May, including pop-up performances, spring teas, floral parties, wellness activities, and fashion events. Read on for all the ways to make the most of Filoli in spring 2025.
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When is the peak season for spring flowers at Filoli?
Many of Filoli’s anticipated flower blooms will peak at different moments throughout the spring, so no matter when you visit, there will be plenty to enjoy. However, usually April is the ideal month to catch spring flowers because the rose garden and cutting garden blooms overlap with earlier flowers like magnolias, daffodils, tulips, wisteria, and more. You can get the most up-to-date information at Filoli’s “What’s Blooming” page.
What flowers bloom at Filoli in the spring?
- February-April: Early spring blooms such as camellias, magnolias, daffodils, and flowering trees
- March-May: Wildflowers, tulips, irises, wisteria, and peonies add even more color to the grounds
- April-October: Roses and flowers from the cutting garden bloom all the way into fall
- May-July: Lavender adds a pop of purple to late-spring blooms
How many flowers does Filoli plant for the spring?
While we don’t have 2025 figures available so far, past years can give us an idea of what to expect. In 2022, Filoli planted over 86,000 flower bulbs, including 47,000 tulips in 30 varieties. This doesn’t even include the abundant daffodil meadow which presents a brilliant golden display of over 1 million narcissus.
What’s on Filoli’s schedule of spring activities?
To accompany its abundant gardens during the spring season, Filoli has also organized a stacked schedule of events and fun programming. Here’s what to put on your calendar…
Spring Kickoff Weekend
- Saturday, March 1, 2025 – The Northern California Hanfu Association presents pop-up performances in celebration of Chinese Floralia.
- Sunday, March 2, 2025 – Filoli invites the Bay Area’s J-Fashion community to wear their best Japanese spring couture for a day of lawn games, on-site J-Fashion vendors, photo ops, and an adorable bow-making station.
Spring Teas
- April 14 – May 2, 2025 – Experience an elegant tea service in the Garden House complete with sparkling wine, finger sandwiches, and delicious pastries.
Spring Flora Party
- April 3-5, 2025 – Guests are invited to create a beautiful flower arrangement while enjoying light snacks and drinks.
Wellness Wednesdays
- March 12, 2025 – Join an instructor-led watercolor sketching session in the garden.
- April 16, 2025 – Participate in a harmonious Tai Chi session.
Dapper Days Weekend
- May 24-25, 2025 – Filoli invites guests to wear their favorite 1920s-1940s period clothing for a stylish weekend featuring specialty vendors and thematic merchandise.
What else should I know about Filoli?
The Filoli property covers 654 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains and dates back to 1917, when socialites William Bowers Bourn and Agnes Moody first built it as a self-sustaining retreat. The estate includes a grand 56-room mansion and 16 acres of carefully manicured gardens, which heiress Lurline Matson Roth worked to develop in 1937 alongside the property’s original gardener. She later donated the property to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in order to honor her belief that “Filoli is too beautiful to be private.”
Visitors have been welcome to explore the estate ever since, including the mansion, gardens, and scenic trails. While the spring season is an ideal time to see the gardens at their best, it’s also worth experiencing the popular Holidays at Filoli every winter, when the grounds are decked out in thousands of glittering lights.
This summer, we also have our eye on a new exhibition by Danish sculptor Thomas Dambo, where six oversized troll sculptures will take up residence in Filoli’s redwood grove.
Make sure you plan a trip to see Filoli at its best this spring, because these beautiful blooms will be gone before we know it.
📍 Location: Filoli Historic House & Gardens, 86 Cañada Rd, Woodside, CA 94062
🌐 Tickets: You can get daytime admission tickets to Filoli here