For the gardens, the Bourns turned to a master of many trades, Bruce Porter. Along with landscape design, his talents extended to painting, stained glass work, and art critique. His ambitious plans for Filoli, which included many elements found in classic English estates, evolved from 1917 to 1929 and continued to flourish through both the Bourns’ residency and that of its subsequent owners, the William Roth family. Mrs. Roth donated the house and a portion of the property to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1975; the Filoli Center later purchased the remaining acreage.
