Aah celebrating birthdays.  These days it seems each kid wants to do something unique and with so many kids it can be hard to do something totally original. That is the dilemma the twins were facing, what to do for their 14th birthday.  Around this time is when I got a very timely newsletter from Filoli Gardens announcing their Daffodil Daydreams!  A totally unique experience with hundreds and hundreds of daffodils in full bloom, what an awesome idea for a birthday event!  I asked the girls if we could all go with their friends to see the daffodils and if this trip could be the twins’ ” birthday party celebration”.  This would be something so original and special.  Both Anjali and Rani  agreed and invited three of their friends for the daffodil viewing.  It ended up being a gorgeous sunny day and what a memorable experience it was!!

FILOLI Gardens

Located 30 miles south of San Francisco, Filoli is a historic country estate garden that is open to the public. The story of Filoli is one of generosity.  Filoli’s web site describes their story in this way “Mr. and Mrs. William P. Roth, who bought the property in 1937 maintained the gardens and gained worldwide recognition. Mrs. Roth made Filoli her home until 1975 when she donated 125 acres, which included the House and formal garden, to the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the enjoyment and inspiration of future generations. The remaining 600 acres was given to Filoli Center.”

The area where Filoli is situated is gorgeous. All you see as you drive towards Filoli gardens are beautiful green hills, and open green space with wild flowers and deer.  The road that runs parallel to the gardens is a very popular biking trail.

Daffodil Daydreams and Spring Flowers

The girls and I had an amazing time!  We couldn’t believe our eyes!  We have never seen anything like this – ever!   We were swimming in daffodils, and tulips, and all types of spring flowers. The field of daffodils was something very special. It was like a beautiful green carpet with vibrant yellow embroidery.

500,000 daffodil bulbs burst into bloom at Filoli every year! And it is just amazing!!  Because in nature, daffodils bloom in profusion in the woods and prairies and multiply over time, which is what Filoli garden has tried to replicate. They planted daffodils in mass plantings on their property and those bulbs have multiplied again and again over the years for a stellar show in the spring!  Filoli also showcases how daffodils can be used in pots, in small gardens, in large spaces, and best of all in a woodland setting.

Kids and Nature

The day we went to Filoli for the daffodil viewing, the weather was unreal -a perfect 70 degrees and sunny!  All the visitors were calmly and happily admiring the flowers in the gardens, which made the entire, experience peaceful and stress free.  I was so thrilled to see the kids enjoying the scenery as much as I was. They were taking pictures left and right, and just kept repeating “Wow, this is so beautiful”, “Take pictures of this, oh and take a photo of that flower“.  “Look at how gorgeous that is“.  Between all of us we must have taken more than 200 photos!

The best way to describe this trip to Filoli is like this – It was amazing. Absolutely gorgeous. Peaceful, enjoyable, and the kids had a great time! Took 100s of photos. The weather was unreal.  Perfect birthday! A bday the kids will remember!

Filoli Gardens Daffodil Daydreams: More Pics

More Photos of kids and flowers

Tulips at Filoli

More Spring Flowers!

Ending the day with birthday cake and tea