VRG, Author at Robinson Gardens

A Glimpse of Fred Astaire

A Glimpse into the Life of Fred Astaire by Victoria Kastner

A delightful luncheon and lecture took place at the Virginia Robinson Gardens on Friday, March 10th. It was a perfect day at the Gardens. And the Friends of Robinson Gardens took advantage of the weather by hosting luncheon outside in the Display Rose Garden on thematically decorated tables celebrating St. Patrick’s Day and the subject of the lecture, Fred Astaire.

Victoria Kastner, the official historian at Hearst Castle, presented a fascinating lecture on “Fred Astaire in Beverly Hills” on March 10. She focused on The Gay Divorcée, Astaire’s … Read More

Theory Fashion Partner at Robinson Garden Tour

Theory’s Models to Walk the Runway at the Garden Tour’s Fashion Show

Friends of Robinson Gardens is thrilled to announce that New York-based fashion brand Theory will be our exclusive fashion partner for Garden Tour 2017 Legendary Beverly Hills. At approximately 1:30pm on May 20, Theory models will be strutting the runway during the luncheon program at Virginia Robinson Gardens where all ticket holders will get an up close and personal view of the latest Theory looks and hot items for the season. Be there early to grab a seat under the massive tent on the Great Lawn where … Read More

2017 Garden Tour VIP and Concierge Level Tickets

Travel in Style and Comfort with VIP and Concierge Level Tickets at the Garden Tour!

Do you want to experience the annual Virginia Robinson Garden tour on Saturday, May 20, 2017 on a more luxurious and spectacular level? Then, consider VIP and Concierge level tickets when visiting the private gardens! With the VIP van, you will enjoy the ease and convenience of door-to-door transportation. No need to drive, navigate, and look for parking! With the Concierge luxury van, you gain the additional benefit of a knowledgeable docent-led tour that will inspire and entertain you. PLUS, VIP and Concierge … Read More

Tim Lindsay Gardening Class Color in Your Garden

Tim Lindsay’s Gardening Class: Color in Your Garden

On Wednesday, February 22nd, Superintendent Tim Lindsay conducted a class on Color in Your Garden, where he discussed the physiological and emotional impact of color in the garden.

Tim began his class by recommending Victoria Finley’s book called Color. He finds value in this book because it gives a historic context of color, such as where colors developed. For example, plants, flowers or insects can be used to create colors for paint. The book then goes through the history of artists and their use of color through the ages.

Tim then … Read More

Andrey Yun: Student Horticultural Internship Recipient

Born in Uzbekistan in Central Asia, Andrey Yun traveled and worked around the world before settling down in the US. He realized early on that his passion revolved around horticulture. By way of example, one of his jobs overseas was working at an archaeological site in Jordan.

Andrey attended Andrews University in Michigan and graduated with a degree in horticulture and landscape design. He interned for a landscape construction company in the Midwest before moving to Los Angeles where he found a job working for a fashion clothing company as a designer’s assistant.

Yearning … Read More

Judy Polinsky Delicious Rose Flavored Desserts

Judy Polinsky’s Lecture: Delicious Rose Flavored Desserts

Everyone had so much fun at Judy Polinsky’s presentation on her beautiful book Delicious Rose-Flavored Desserts at Virginia Robinson Gardens. It was the perfect lecture so close to Valentine’s Day. Many guests wore red, and were perfectly charmed by our fascinating speaker. A culinary historian associated with the Huntington Library in San Marino, Judy focused on the use of rose water in Georgian baking in 18th century England.

In her book, the left hand page shows the original recipe, while the right hand page details the modern version. Because there was no leavening … Read More

The 2017 Garden Party of the Year

And after all the weather was ideal. They could not have had a more perfect day for a garden-party if they had ordered it. Windless, warm, the sky without a cloud. ~ Katherine Mansfield

March heralds the beginning of spring and is always an exciting month for garden lovers. It is also the month when we start seeing banners all around town for the annual Robinson Gardens Tour. This year’s tour is happening on May 20 and the theme is “Legendary Beverly Hills.” As always this event is one of the most eagerly anticipated by gardeners and garden lovers … Read More

Pop for the People: Fellows Tour of the Lichtenstein Exhibit at the Skirball Center

Pop for the People: Fellows Tour of the Roy Lichtenstein Exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center

Fellows of Virginia Robinson Gardens got to see first-hand what the Skirball Cultural Center has to offer during their tour on Tuesday, February 28th. The program began with Jocelyn Tetel, VP of Advancement, greeting the group of 20 before we toured the Roy Lichtenstein exhibition “Pop for the People: Roy Lichtenstein in L.A.”

21 years since its founding, Skirball Cultural Center continues to carry out effectively its philosophy to “welcome people of all communities and generations to participate in cultural experiences that celebrate discovery … Read More

BIG FLOWER Photography by David Leaser

“Wow!” “Fantastic!” “Awesome!” – exclaimed the excited attendees of an event at Virginia Robinson Gardens. Award-winning fine art photographer David Leaser gave a spectacular lecture on his highly detailed, large-scale botanical images of exotic flowers. His work is in the permanent collection of the Huntington Library in San Marino, and he is the only artist to have won the Gold and Silver medals in the same category at the International Photography Awards. His work, Tiger’s Eye, was the only photograph accepted to be exhibited at the prestigious London Art Biennale.

Accompanied by his … Read More

The Legendary Estates of Beverly Hills with Jeff Hyland

Real estate magnate and architectural historian Jeff Hyland presented a fabulous lecture on his book Legendary Estates of Beverly Hills to the Fellows at Virginia Robinson Gardens. Legendary in his own right, Jeff is co-owner of Hilton and Hyland, and is a founding member of Christie’s International Real Estate. He has been the recipient of many awards and has been incredibly generous to and supportive of Virginia Robinson Gardens. In 2013, he received Robinson Garden’s highest honor – the “Spirit of Beverly Hills Award.” Maralee Beck enthused, “He knows so much … Read More

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TO STAY IN THE KNOW!