Garden of Eden on odd side of highway

The road that runs adjacent to Interstate 280 in San Mateo County felt too long, too windy and seemed located on the wrong side of the freeway to be considered within the tony town of Woodside. My GPS guided me past a pristine reservoir and I soon spotted the well-designed logo: Filoli. I passed a guard gate and found my way to a parking lot filled with immaculate European cars. It was early evening Thursday, July 5, and the sun prepared to set behind the Santa Cruz Mountains. A visitor’s center emerged through the trees and I realized that I’d clearly found my destination — and I was into it.

Filoli is an estate and gardens, formerly home to very wealthy families and now thriving as a nonprofit open to the public. The entire property is made up of acres and acres of flawless taste, the kind of class that makes one feel welcome as opposed to inadequate. And this summer, we can all bask in its magic hour glory on Thursday nights as part of Filoli’s “Summer Nights” program.

Completed in 1917, Filoli was first home to the Bourn family (Gold Rush money) and later to the Roth family (shipping money). In 1975, the late Mrs. Roth donated the estate to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and now, for an entrance fee, regular folks can wander the mansion and grounds, soaking up the ambiance, exquisite gardens and floralscented air.

“Summer Nights” began last year, and the staff at Filoli has focused on making the weekly Thursday evening event a destination activity, with themed nights, live music, lawn games and, of course, cocktails. Guests are welcome to wander the 54,000-squarefoot mansion, explore the 16-acre English-Renaissance Garden, dine at a small cafe (which serves, among other options, two kinds of quiche) and take part in various activities. This past Thursday was “Americana Swing Night.” Red, white and blue bunting was hung near the pool where, nearby, a dance instructor offered swing lessons. Guests purchased It’s-It ice cream sandwiches and plastic cups of wine. Little kids and adults alike took part in lawn games like croquet and badminton and, of course, the weather was perfect. I suspect it always is at Filoli.

As Filoli Director of Development Susan O’Sullivan guided me through the gardens, she couldn’t help but take it all in herself. Even to regulars, the scene is picturesque. “Oh, I’m so happy to see that there’s people here and that they’re doing stuff,” O’Sullivan said. “You build it — and you hope people will come.”

There’s no additional cost to attend “Summer Nights,” which runs through Aug. 30. The price of admission ($11$22) works for an entire day and includes Thursday’s extended summer hours of 5 to 8 p.m. The concept, intended to score new fans of Filoli and develop future annual members of the nonprofit, seemed to be working — at least on me.

I was particularly interested in the quirks of the place. For example, I recognized the mansion from the film “The Game.” It’s where a production crew actually drenched the interior walls in paint for the infamous graffiti scene. More recently, Filoli played host to an Estée Lauder “Beautiful” fragrance commercial. And then, there are the flower arrangers.

In addition to employees, including 16 fulltime horticultural staff, Filoli runs on the backs of 800 volunteers. And the most coveted volunteer position is that of flower arranger. Every room of the Filoli mansion contains a stunning fresh flower bouquet, replaced weekly and made exclusively of flowers from the Filoli gardens. And those bouquets are arranged by a collection of devoted floral fans who must audition for the honor. I enjoyed imagining a cutthroat community of Filoli flower divas all vying for bouquet placement — at any cost. If that’s really the case, O’Sullivan was not spilling the beans.

We explored the gardens, subtly divided into separate, beautifully designed spaces. Meanwhile, the world’s most dramatic peacock, a permanent estate guest, preened for an appreciative audience. Colorful glass sculptures were placed in select locations — part of another ongoing Filoli program that celebrates the “Colors of California.”

Swing music drifted across the reflecting pond. A spry volunteer with a sun hat and a walking stick prepared to lead a group on a guided hike. Across a patch of pear trees, two women sat quietly on a bench beneath an arbor. The scene was so serene that it almost looked fake. But nope — we were just on the weird side of I-280 in Woodside.

Folks can wander the mansion and grounds, soaking up the ambiance, exquisite gardens and floral-scented air.