DJ Q&A

KN: In this role, I support the Filoli horticulturists responsible for greenhouse production and for growing fruits and vegetables and cut flowers in the gardens. Production is an important part of our horticulture operations at Filoli, where we grow from seed in our historic greenhouses nearly all the plants used in the garden, including annual bedding and perennials. Filoli has about 10 acres of orchards where over 10,000 pounds of fruit are harvested each year to be made into Filoli cider and jams and to be donated to local food banks. Next year we will be increasing production of vegetables in Filoli’s vegetable garden. As you can imagine, our team of six horticulturists including myself keep very busy.

DJ: How did you come to do this kind of work?

KN: I came to horticulture after a brief stint as an environmental scientist because I like to work outdoors and be active and I love plants. I studied Biology and Museum Studies (specializing in Plant Collections) in college and worked in residential fine gardening for several years before coming to Filoli.

DJ: What did you first do when you came to Filoli?

KN: I started at Filoli as an Assistant Horticulturist, working with an experienced Lead Horticulturist, caring for the gardens and lawns around the mansion and the visitor center and orchard. That area is still one of my favorites because of the gorgeous mature wisterias growing on the mansion that we carefully prune each winter.

DJ: How did the lockdown affect planning for Holidays at Filoli?

KN: When the lockdown happened, we hoped Holidays at Filoli would still occur, but of course we didn’t know. I am responsible for the lighting display, so I had to make my light orders in the summer and just hope the event would happen. Since Filoli reopened, the Visitor Services staff has been monitoring visitation capacity and adjusting the route through the property to make it distanced and safe for visitors coming to enjoy the garden and the lights.

DJ: Do the decorations this year combine traditional with new design elements?

KN: The garden lighting display in the past highlighted the formal design of Filoli’s gardens and that will always be the case. Over the classic lighting of the garden structure, we layered different, more playful and dynamic elements to create a fun, immersive experience. To me, the most exciting new lighting display this year is in the Woodland Garden where we added many colorful glowing orbs in the foliage that you can walk amongst on a network of paths or view from above with a hot chocolate on the Woodland Garden Court. I think the curtains of twinkling lights we hung from the branches of Filoli’s majestic Camperdown elm trees will be a new favorite photo spot this year, especially while the trees hang onto their bright yellow fall foliage — the effect is stunning.

DJ: How many people worked on installing the lights?

KN: The entire Filoli staff pitched in to help with the lighting this year along with professional holiday lighters. In all, I would guess at least fifty people worked on Filoli’s lighting installation this year — it was a huge effort.

DJ: What would you say to someone who has never seen Filoli during the holiday season?

KN: The changing of the seasons feels magnified at Filoli as the leaves turn colors and the garden becomes very peaceful. Gardeners like myself appreciate Filoli in the wintertime because that is when the garden “bones” are revealed and you can see the architecture of the place — an effect that is even more striking with the addition of the holiday lights. Sometimes it is hard for me to imagine a family living in a home as grand as Filoli, but the holiday decorations truly bring the entire property to life. Holidays at Filoli has a festive feeling that embraces old traditions and new ones — it’s a beautiful time of year in a beautiful place.

TICKET INFORMATION: Filoli is located at 86 Cañada Road in Woodside. For more information about Holidays at Filoli and to reserve tickets visit https://filoli.org/events/holidays, call 364-8300 or email info@filoli.org.

Susan Cohn is a member of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle and the American Theatre Critics Association. She may be reached at susan@smdailyjournal.com.