The Hearst Castle Grounds

The grounds of the castle are as spectacular as the house.  The buildings are fashioned after various Mediterranean buildings, La Casa Grande being inspired by the cathedral in Ronda, Spain.  Fountains, Egyptian sculpture, and Mediterranean tile all create the illusion of a grand Italian or Spanish estate

The landscaping included orange and lemon trees, flowers, and large oak trees - some imported, some not.  The flowers were particularly amazing, since many are currently blooming.  These bleeding heart or fuchsia plants were thought were gorgeous.

There were also two pools - one a huge Neptune pool that had been enlarged three times to hold nearly 400,000 gallons of water.  He also built an indoor Roman pool.  I could swim in that one any time!

The detail and vision of this estate show that William Randolph Hearst was a man who lived in two worlds - the present and the future.  He installed electricity before it was widely available, he hadunderground  electric lines, he had a telephone in nearly every room available with a 24-hour switchboard.  He was also an egalitarian soul, hiring numerous women to lead his various divisions, including his workers in the movie nights, and ultimately providing his gorgeous estate for all to see.