VRG, Author at Robinson Gardens

A Big Thank You to Our Generous Donors at the Fellows Thank You Dinner

At the Fellows Thank You Dinner on August 9, 2025, Ann Petersen acknowledged our most generous donors who have moved up to new levels on our Donor Tree. Ann Petersen explained that as an active member of the philanthropic world her entire adult life, she is extremely interested and believes that it is essential that we honor the donors who contribute to charity. Ann felt that these “angels” need to be recognized in a permanent way. In 2013, Superintendent Emeritus Timothy Lindsay suggested that Virginia Robinson’s wrought iron ornament on the Back Terrace be used to create a Donor Tree in its image. Ann generously underwrote the commission for an artist to create the tree.

Spotlight on Arthur Abramyan

Message from the Presidents

Dear Friends, As Mother Nature starts to slow, preparing for dormancy, with deciduous trees turning colors and starting to drop leaves, we here at the Gardens are bustling with activity.

Mrs. Brockhouse’s Garden

I was standing in front of a tall wood and glass cabinet looking at a display of hand-blown glass animals. At nine years old these seemed like magic, long before I knew who Tennessee Williams was or what a metaphor meant. As a child I would frequently visit these glass animals that belonged to my older next-door neighbors: Mr. and Mrs. Brockhouse. I think of those animals often and recently was describing them to my wife. The description of the animals led to a larger description of Mrs. Brockhouse’s fondness for collecting. Today we might say hoarding, but then it was “collecting.”

The Friends Dinner…and All That Jazz!

On Saturday evening, August 9, 2025, guests for our annual Fellows dinner were welcomed to our Great Lawn at The Virginia Robinson Gardens by the velvety and breezy sounds of a talented jazz quartet from the Colburn Community School in Los Angeles. Colburn, called the Julliard of the West, is considered the pre-eminent music academy on the West Coast. These young prodigies entertained us throughout the evening with their improvisational and textural melodies that were greatly appreciated by our jazz aficionados.

Spotlight on Bobby Flores

Each month, we spotlight a volunteer, staff member, docent, donor, or sponsor of The Virginia Robinson Gardens (VRG) -- those that have made an impact on the organization. We want to let you know about these wonderful people and corporations that give so much to The Virginia Robinson Gardens and to the community, and what they do that is so impactful. This month, we spotlight Bobby Flores. Bobby joined the gardens in February 2024 as a Ground Maintenance Worker. Prior to joining The Virginia Robinson Gardens, Bobby worked in construction and then transitioned to gardening. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he is the proud father of a 21-year-old son, Caesar Nicholas, who is a professional gamer and streamer! Fun fact: Bobby used to work as a DJ and loves music. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, going to car shows, and gardening.

Message from Superintendent Diane Sipos

What better way to disengage from the stresses in our environment by spending time in this garden oasis nestled in the foothills of Beverly Hills. This is especially important for children who live in dense urban areas with limited green spaces. The Virginia Robinson Gardens hosted weekly field trips for ESTEAM summer camps this summer. ESTEAM (Environment, Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) is a free program through the LA County Department of Parks and Recreation that provides an opportunity for children in low-income communities to connect with the outdoors and explore ESTEAM topics through group games, arts and culture, technology, field trips, guest speakers, and project-based learning.

The Boys and Girls Club at VRG

On June 26, 2025, at The Virginia Robinson Gardens, it was a scene on the Great Lawn for the summer Science Fair for students from the San Gabriel Valley Boys and Girls Club and Our Spot, a free after-school program for low-income teens of the LA County Department of Parks and Recreation. Beverly Hills Rotary Club members, Joanie Garratt and Wanda Presburger, planned this event with Science Committee members, Kerstin Royce and Patti Reinstein, and our wonderful group of helping hands in the office.

Eleanor Schrader Lectures on the Glamour of Old Hollywood: Architecture of the Stars

Guests arrived at the Pool Pavilion at The Virginia Robinson Gardens on June 14, 2025, buzzing to hear from award-winning educator, lecturer, and author Eleanor Schrader. An expert in her field, Eleanor wears many hats including serving as an instructor at UCLA Extension, where she teaches history of architecture, interior design, furniture and decorative arts, and Professor Emeritus of Art and Architectural History at Santa Monica College. She also did graduate work in fine and decorative arts at Sotheby's Institute in London and New York. Eleanor enjoys a large following from her years teaching and leading architectural tours; guests came as far as from the Bay Area to hear her lecture.

Ina Garten’s Memoir and the Tea, Scones & Gardens Book Club

The Tea, Scones & Gardens Book Club on Saturday was ably hosted by co-chairs Elaine Stein and Patricia Cowett on a Zoom link and with the assistance of Ron Stein as photographer on July 12, 2025, at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. Our book this quarter was Ina Garten’s book, Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir. As the title suggests, much of Garten’s success can be attributed to her willingness to be open to experiment, hard work, and careful observation to achieve simple but exceptional perfection in her cooking and real estate developments. She achieved many accolades for insisting she be herself. Her supportive partner and so very accomplished soulmate is Jeffrey, her love since her late teens. Many delightful recipes are sprinkled throughout the book. A fun discussion was had about long-distance marriages, delight in flowers and gardening and all the various stages of Ina’s career.

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TO STAY IN THE KNOW!