At Filoli, we believe gardens are more than beautiful spaces — they are living storytellers that connect people to history, culture, and the natural world. With Morning in the Garden, we bring this mission into the digital space, transforming seasonal changes, cultural traditions, and expert voices into an immersive audio experience.
Far beyond a traditional garden podcast, Morning in the Garden innovates by blending soundscapes, storytelling, and diverse perspectives to create a transportive, inclusive experience that reaches listeners wherever they are.
Each 30–45 minute episode is structured as a sensory journey. Listeners don’t just hear about plants; they are placed inside the landscape through live field recordings — the crunch of gravel, the calls of migrating birds, or the hush of a redwood grove. Host and producer Willa Brock, Filoli’s Director of Interpretation, narrates with a journalist’s eye and a gardener’s heart, asking questions that stand in for the listener and painting vivid descriptions of what she sees. Episodes often end with “Garden Guides,” where horticulturalists answer audience questions, offering both practical tips and a personal connection.
The third season builds on the podcast’s foundation with the “Garden Hopping” series, taking listeners to Muir Woods, Lotusland, the Huntington, and beyond. These episodes expand the podcast’s scope while keeping the intimacy of a morning walk. This creative framing makes the podcast both a virtual field trip and a cultural exchange, linking Filoli’s historic estate to California’s broader network of public gardens and landscapes.
The podcast’s true innovation lies in its diversity of voices. Garden professionals, artists, authors, and cultural leaders share not just horticultural expertise but deeply personal connections to the landscapes they tend. Audiences hear from tulip growers in Holland, bonsai artists shaping miniature worlds, Indigenous leaders like Gregg Castro reflecting on ancestral stewardship, and artists like Thomas Dambo whose giant trolls carry urgent messages about sustainability.
By foregrounding these voices, the podcast expands the definition of interpretation — shifting from one authoritative narrator to a chorus of perspectives that reflect California’s cultural and ecological richness.
Morning in the Garden also pushes interpretive practice by framing gardens as cultural spaces that embody history and identity. Episodes explore themes of immigration, cultural heritage, food systems, and politics, revealing how gardens are shaped by — and shape — human stories. Listeners reflect on how drought, climate change, and sustainability affect California’s landscapes and the innovative ways gardeners adapt. These themes situate horticulture not only as an aesthetic pursuit, but as a lens to examine resilience, heritage, and humanity itself.
The podcast democratizes access to California gardens. For listeners unable to visit — due to distance, mobility, or cost — it offers an inclusive entry point. For regular visitors, it deepens and extends the experience beyond the garden gates. By releasing episodes in sync with nature’s calendar, the podcast encourages mindfulness of seasonal change and inspires listeners to notice cycles in their own environments.
The innovation is measurable: across its first two seasons, the podcast garnered 11,000 downloads and over 80 five-star ratings, establishing proof of concept and a loyal following. Growth continues through strategic partnerships, cross-promotion with featured gardens, and Filoli’s robust membership and social media networks.
What sets Morning in the Garden apart is its single creative force. Willa Brock serves as host, interviewer, and producer, weaving together her expertise in journalism and museum interpretation to create episodes that are professional yet approachable. Her trusted relationships with garden professionals ensure authentic storytelling, while her creative vision expands the podcast into new landscapes and new audiences.
In just two years, Morning in the Garden has evolved from a local experiment to a statewide storytelling platform. Its innovation lies not in one element, but in the weaving together of many: immersive sound design, diverse and authentic voices, cultural and ecological themes, and seasonal rhythm. It models a new way of interpreting gardens — not as static collections, but as living cultural landscapes intertwined with human experience.
Through Morning in the Garden, Filoli is redefining what a garden podcast can be. It is not just about what grows, but about cultivating wonder, empathy, and connection. In an era of environmental stress and cultural fragmentation, this podcast demonstrates how interpretation can innovate by bridging landscapes, histories, and communities — one morning walk at a time.
Partners
- Host: Willa Brock, Interim Director of Collections & Interpretation
- Editor: Meghan Hockridge, Show Services Coordinator
