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Exciting Vendors and Silent Auction at the 2023 “Back in Bloom” Garden Tour

One of everyone’s favorite part of our annual Garden Tour is stopping by our Vendor Village on the tennis court. Plop down on a courtside sofa and sip a refreshing cocktail while soaking in the shopping experience. With new and returning favorites we aim for UNIQUE and CHIC, and this year will not disappoint. Don’t miss the Silent Auction nearby where the vendors listed below each have generously donated unique items. Quite spectacular are the dinners and lunches offered in stunning, private gardens, as well as the opportunity to have a dinner served in your home by Sean Murphy Catering & Events. Private tours of the resplendent estates of Lotusland and Bellosguardo in Santa Barbara are available to bid on as well as luxury items from Christofle and sheets from Frette

A Contest for Hat Lovers!

New this year at our “Back in Bloom” Garden Tour on May 20th at The Virginia Robinson Gardens will be a fun hat contest with prizes. Founder of the Friends Joan Selwyn said, “Virginia Robinson was inspired by her gardens, and she in turn has inspired us. Wear your favorite garden hat or create your own work of art, and wear it to ‘Back in Bloom.’ Join the fun, and let nature and your imagination inspire you!”

Meet our Floral, Designer, and Culinary Stars at the “Back in Bloom” 2023 Garden Tour!

Prepare to be dazzled at this year’s Garden Tour as top Los Angeles florists and designers use their abounding talent to inspire guests with creative interpretations of the theme “Back in Bloom” at the famed Virginia Robinson Gardens Showcase Estate on Saturday, May 20, 2023. Each Garden Tour Star is listed alphabetically along with the room/area they are decorating or located so that you will know where to find them when you visit the Showcase Estate at Robinson Gardens

Spotlight on Rodney Kemerer

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 Rodney Kemerer, an invaluable, wonderful, and dedicated Friend. His myriad contributions, generous heart, and deep love for VRG are reflected in his answers below. An extremely gifted professional writer, Rodney recently completed a new book, Tales From The Garage, which is a graphically illustrated collection of the best of his magazine essays. (Hopefully) available this summer. One chapter in the book is about the Robinsons’ Duesenbergs. Rodney has contributed articles to The Los Angeles Times, The Petersen Automotive Museum, Rolls Royce and Bentley magazines and other publications

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HALS Awarded the Prestigious California Preservation Design Award!

The Friends-sponsored HALS Project, led by Friends member and landscape architect Lisa Gimmy and the liaison for the Southern California chapter for HALS Alison Terry and their terrific team, has been awarded the 2023 California Preservation Design Award! The prestigious California Preservation Design Awards honor people deserving of special recognition for their outstanding preservation efforts. The winners are selected by a jury of top professionals in the fields of architecture, engineering, planning, and history, as well as renowned architecture critics and journalists

Photos by Dennis Hill

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Dr. Erick Haskell

.kb-image_58a19c-87.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .kb-image_58a19c-87 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{max-width:300px;width:100%;}.wp-block-kadence-column .kt-inside-inner-col .kb-image_58a19c-87.kb-image-is-ratio-size, .wp-block-kadence-column .kt-inside-inner-col .kb-image_58a19c-87 .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:unset;}.kb-image_58a19c-87 figure{max-width:300px;}.kb-image_58a19c-87 .image-is-svg, .kb-image_58a19c-87 .image-is-svg img{width:100%;}.kb-image_58a19c-87 .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;} Dr. Erick Haskell

Eric Haskell is Professor Emeritus of French Studies and Interdisciplinary Inquiry and Director Emeritus of the Clark Humanities Museum of Scripps College, Claremont University Consortium, California. His publications in English and in French cover a wide range of topics from nineteenth-century poetry to garden history. A frequent guest lecturer, Dr. Haskell has delivered over 550 public lectures and scholarly papers in twenty-nine states and twelve foreign countries. Venues range from the J. Paul Getty Museum to New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art … Read More

Don’t Miss the Garden Party of the Year: “Back in Bloom” 2023 Garden Tour and Showcase House Awaits You!

The Friends of Robinson Gardens is very pleased to present its long-anticipated Garden Tour, now open to the public on May 20, 2023, at The Virginia Robinson Gardens, co-chaired by past President Betty Goldstein, Elaine Stein, and Nicole Antoine. The romantic theme, “Back in Bloom,” along with the invitation was conceived by co-chair Elaine. It celebrates a new beginning and the return to VRG’s beloved Garden Tour after a three-year hiatus. Betty explained, “This is our premier fundraiser where funds are raised for the restoration needs of the estate and the Children’s Science program which has served more than 5,000 children throughout the pandemic years, keeping Mrs. Robinson’s legacy for the welfare of children alive. We are excited to be able to have this event again and hope you can join us. Tickets will be available on our website soon. See you there!”

In Memoriam: Suzanne Rheinstein

The immensely talented and world-renowned interior designer Suzanne Rheinstein sadly passed away on March 20, 2023. Her elegant and classic style was reflected in the exquisite interiors she created in homes, hotels, and retail spaces; in her store Hollyhock on La Cienega in Los Angeles; and in her fabric line for Lee Jofa. A passionate gardener, she was on the board of the Garden Conservancy. According to House Beautiful magazine, Suzanne said, “Having beautiful things around you is wonderful, but living beautifully is more important

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