Architectural Historian Steven Keylon Enchants Guests at FRG Membership Event

President of the Friends Lynn Whitaker and Archive Chair Patty Elias organized a magical and brilliant membership celebration at The Virginia Robinson Gardens on October 17, 2024. Spectacular autumnal arrangements by florist extraordinaire George Martinez of George’s Garden greeted the distinguished guests as they entered the Robinson estate in the late afternoon. The fall-themed arrangements decorated the cocktail tables and other areas on the Great Lawn, enhancing the Gardens’ beauty everywhere you looked.

The attendees happily mingled while the caterer JR Party Planning served an array of outstanding hors d’oeuvres. Elegantly and beautifully displayed on passed trays, the delectable bites featured short rib crostini with horseradish cream; garlic chicken bites with rosemary aioli; mini grilled gruyere cheese sandwiches with fig jam; crispy polenta squares with whipped feta & sun-dried tomatoes; Dungeness crab salad on an endive leaf; and coconut shrimp with orange chili plum sauce. Lemon squares, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and mini cheesecake bites made by Yanira Villeda-Ortiz and brought by Patty completed the delicious repast.

Lynn thanked everyone for coming and welcomed our new members Jacqueline Fabe, Terry Greene, Francine Pam, Cookie Potter, and Laura Wyatt, and the New Generation members Caitlin Hartigan, Olivia Meadows, and Yasi Moshtael. Lynn added, “We are very excited to have you as part of our group.”   

Lynn then introduced Kevin Regan, the Deputy Director of the LA County Department of Parks and Recreation, “a special addition to our evening. He is a strong partner to us, and we have been so appreciative of our partnership with the County here. The County was given this beautiful property by Virginia, and thanks to Joan Selwyn, the Friends were created.”

Lynn mentioned five key members who put a tremendous amount of effort into researching the Robinsons and the Gardens. Thanks to the authors Superintendent Emeritus Timothy Lindsay, Evie Carlson, Marcella Ruble, and the editors Maralee Beck and Jamie Wolf, the book, Beverly Hills’ First Estate: The House and Gardens of Virginia & Harry Robinson was published in 2011. This book is the cornerstone of the current organization of the archives. Fortunately, during the pandemic, Lynn added, “we had the time and space for Patty Elias to spearhead the Archive Project….She’s brought in hundreds of people over several years to help her, and her organizational skills are beyond belief!” To much applause, Lynn thanked Patty for her infectious enthusiasm and for this special evening.

Patty introduced our keynote speaker, architectural historian Steven Keylon. He is the past President of the California Garden & Landscape History Society (CGLHS) and has been editor of its journal Eden since 2017. He is the author of several books and recently wrote the history section for the Historic American Landscape Survey (HALS) document for The Virginia Robinson Gardens. The HALS report has been awarded the prestigious 2023 California Preservation Design Award and the ASLA Public Stewardship Award for Historic Preservation. This exceptional document is now housed at the Library of Congress and is available to the public.

The founder of the Friends Joan Selwyn observed, “The night was magical as the setting sun cast a glow over the Great Lawn, and Steven stepped up to the microphone to mesmerize us with the history and lifestyle of Virginia and Harry Robinson.”

Steven said that when he came to do the work for the HALS report, he fell in love instantly with VRG. Working closely with Patty, Steven was able to access the key archival documents to write the captivating history of the Robinsons.  “Their love built this place, and she left it to Los Angeles to be a living legacy to her husband whom she adored,” said Steven. The beautiful correspondence between Harry and Virginia sometimes brought Steven to tears. Steven questioned why he felt such a connection with the Robinsons, and then discovered that he and Virginia are cousins. They shared great-great grandparents. One was a Norwegian Dutch settler to New Amsterdam in the 1620s. His grandmother was Virginia’s eighth cousin. They were both dynamic, warm, and passionate extroverts.

The heir to the J.W. Robinson department stores, Harry was born in 1878 and Virginia in 1877. Steven explained, “Young, wealthy, and unconventional, Harry and Virginia were imbued with the pioneer spirit. Though they were born in the Belle Epoque, this forward-thinking and progressive couple had more in common with the free-spirited Jazz Age. Their extensive international travels ensured that the Robinsons embodied a sophisticated European way of life in their entertaining, and the extraordinary garden they created together had a global sensibility.”

Harry’s mother heartily approved of Virginia when they were courting, telling him in a letter, “I love Virginia dearly… I have often thought of her of late, and wished I had the little pretty thing for a daughter… She will make you the best wife possible….“Jay” [J.W. Robinson, Harry’s father] loved her as I do and says he is so happy he feels as though he is to be married himself.”

Steven then detailed the development of the house and gardens starting from 1911. He said that the Robinsons educated themselves on plants, traveling the world to study and collect them. “Virginia was fearless in her horticultural interest and experimentation in planting things.” In discussions with the well-known landscape architect Charles Gibbs Adams, Virginia explored the idea of experimenting with tropical plants, and the King Palm Forest got its start.

In 1925, the architectural firm Dodd & Richards designed the tiled Swimming Pool, the Tennis Court, and the Palladian, Mediterranean-inspired Pool Pavilion. It became the center of their lives as the Robinsons were very social and gave many pool and tennis parties.

In 1932, Harry was diagnosed with an abdominal disorder and unfortunately passed away. He was 53. The executives of the Robinson’s department store created a beautiful handmade book that they presented to Virginia. Steven read us some of the excerpts from the book about Harry. “His uprightness and intelligent idealism have been an impressive force…His steadfastness and devotion to simple justice and truth endeared him to his employees and earned for him their unlimited love and loyalty.”

In 1914, when Harry took a long business trip, he wrote many letters to Virginia. After he died, to help her with her grief, she responded to his letters as if he were still alive. Steven choked up as he read one of her letters. Nearly a year after his death, in another letter, she wrote, “You always made me carry on… Your spirit, that wonderful personality fills the house and garden still. The store throbs with it… Your gay and valiant spirit still shines here. Every flower and leaf seem to all be striving to be worthy of my husband.”

In 1934, as Virginia processed her grief, she turned her focus to the gardens. The Italian Terrace Garden was initiated, and the King Palm Forest evolved during this time.  She began entertaining again, inviting many guests to the pool, on the tennis court, and for bridge and games in the gardens. She became known as a wonderful hostess celebrating the August Moon Party and eventually began hosting the Hollywood Bowl Patroness Parties in the 50s. She also served on the board of the J.W. Robinson department store, which was rare for a woman in the 1930s. 

In 1955, Virginia hired a butler, Charles Curtis, a former interior designer.  He later became her majordomo and friend, and she trusted his taste and style. He often chose her attire for her events, designing the decor and flowers around the chosen gown.  He is also credited for inspiring the remodeling of the front and back terrazzo terraces and redesigning the Loggia. Mirrors and neoclassical detailing were added to the newly roofed terrace, thus creating the Loggia, which became her favorite place in the house.

In 1977, Virginia died just shy of her 100th birthday.

Next, Patty introduced a 12-minute film showcasing a selection of multiple home movies finely edited by Sam Hertzog and Miya Taguchi. The Friends are grateful to Elaine and Ron Stein for generously converting the old film footage into an updated, usable format. A highlight of the evening, these incredibly moving videos displayed the vivacious exuberance of Harry and Virginia.

Kerstin Royce mirrored our thoughts as she remarked, “It made me so proud to be part of this wonderful organization. We learned so much more about Harry and Virginia and their incredible life together. It was as if we got to know them all over again, and I was very moved.”

Krista Everage added, “Virginia preferred unbridled gardens, letting foliage envelop the architecture to create an Eden for her family, friends, and many pets to feel at home. We are grateful for such an uplifting evening that inspired our membership to live large and enjoy the sweetness of life, and to continue our efforts of preservation of this wonderful historical estate.”

Another not-to-be-missed bonus of the evening was an exhibit of the artist Max Hooper Schneider, curated by Del Vaz Projects, Francois Ghebaly Gallery, and Marc Selwyn Fine Art. This installation is part of Southern California’s landmark arts event, the Getty’s Pacific Standard Time initiative, which brings together more than sixty cultural institutions to stage installations throughout the region, exploring the intersection of art and science. 

Mr. Hooper Schneider’s bonsai sculptures are imaginary forms from organic materials of plant clippings, flowers, fruits and vegetables sourced from The Virginia Robinson Gardens and then “bronzed” through a process invented by the artist. His art reveals the transformative nature of landscapes and is in the permanent collections of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, the Hammer Museum, and many other institutions throughout the world.  At VRG, his pieces were placed in the Pool Pavilion, the Great Hall, the Library, the Guest Bedroom, the King Palm Forest, and the Italian Terrace Garden. Photography by Paul Salveson. Courtesy Del Vaz Projects, François Ghebaly Gallery, and Marc Selwyn Fine Art:

The Friends are so grateful to Superintendent Diane Sipos and her County staff April Walton, Branden Santos, Arthur Abramyan, Pamela Davis-Burns, Jonathan Gulley, Bobby Flores, and Charles Tyrer, and Member Relations & Administrative Manager Barbara Remedios for their dedication and wonderful assistance.

A big thank you to the extraordinary Patty and Lynn who gave us such a marvelous, inspiring, and memorable evening!

Post by Linda Meadows, Friends of Robinson Gardens Board Member, Editor of the Happenings
Photos by Linda Meadows, Elaine and Ron Stein, www.shousemedia.com, Sharon Gart, and Bernice Balsan