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Our Garden Tour Star Lynne Vinkovic of Rose Lane Farms

From time to time, we highlight “Our Garden Tour Stars” -- landscape architects, florists, and interior designers who have participated at our annual Garden Tour and Showcase Estate at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. We want to let you know about these very talented designers, their inspirations, and their creations. This month, we are featuring Lynne Vinkovic of Rose Lane Farms. John Schoustra of Greenwood Gardens recommended Lynne to Jeanne Anderson for Garden Tour. Lynne has now been participating in our annual Garden Tour and Showcase Estate fundraiser for several years. Her breathtaking and gorgeous flower bouquets always captivate our attendees!

The FRG Fellows Trip to Santa Barbara

On April 8, 9 and 10, 2025, the Fellows of the Friends of Robinson Gardens visited Santa Barbara, the American Riviera. On our first day, member Mary Hampson hosted us for coffee and pastries at her gorgeous home and garden with ocean views and a rose garden in full bloom. We then visited Ganna Walska’s Lotusland for a docent-led tour by Jill Taylor, followed by lunch under the Chinese elm with some of our garden hosts and CEO of Lotusland Rebecca Anderson. Ganna wanted the best, the biggest, and the most unusual plants available. In the 1970’s, she auctioned off some of her Cartier jewelry to help fund her vision of the garden.

Spotlight on Diane Sipos

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 our wonderful Diane Sipos, the Superintendent of The Virgina Robinson Gardens, whom we are so lucky to have! The founder of the Friends Joan Selwyn said, “With her warm smile and gentle but super-efficient manner, Diane is a master at keeping the Robinson Gardens running efficiently. We have benefited greatly from her extensive background running educational programs in architecture and the allied arts. Her programs on architecture are very popular and often sold out.”

In Memoriam: Jane Rascoff

Co-Presidents of the Friends of Robinson Gardens Lynn Whitaker and Betty Goldstein wrote to the Friends, “It is with heavy hearts and much sadness that we inform you of the passing of our dear member Jane Rascoff on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. Jane was a member of our board, and this year organized one of our best Children’s Science Fairs, bringing 100 young children to our gardens for this special day. Jane’s friendship and dedication are a great loss to all of us. We will miss her greatly.”

The Spectacular 2025 “Floral Fantasia” Garden Tour & Showcase Extravaganza

On May 17, 2025, the 36th annual fundraiser Floral Fantasia Garden Tour and Showcase Estate thrilled and delighted the attendees, many of whom were already excited about attending next year’s Garden Tour. Founder of the Friends Joan Selwyn said, “Not even the light rain could dampen the spirit and beauty of Garden Tour. There was laughter and fun at the hat contest so professionally run by master of ceremonies Marcella Ruble while the florists outdid themselves with their lush and elegant floral displays, eliciting oohs and aahs from our guests.” Our premier fundraiser and signature event raises much-needed funds for the restoration and preservation of our beloved Robinson Gardens and the Children’s Science Program, keeping Mrs. Robinson’s legacy for the welfare of children alive.

The need for a dynamic display of color seemed to be ringing in my head, so what could have been a better plant for that in a Mediterranean garden than Bougainvillea? Its presence is there throughout Italy in the warmer regions. The challenge presented was how to get some of it at a large enough scale to make an impact. Cut sprays from real plants would not have lived long enough. We are finding that many times environmental conditions limit our ability for live plants, as this was the case there at the house. I opted for the wonderful silk sprays … Read More

Garden Tour 2025 “Floral Fantasia”

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Our Garden Tour Star Jeffery Smith of JMS Design Associates

From time to time, we highlight “Our Garden Tour Stars” -- landscape architects, florists, and interior designers who have participated at our annual Garden Tour and Showcase Estate fundraiser at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. We want to let you know about these very talented designers, their inspirations, and their creations. This month, we are honored to feature landscape designer Jeffery Smith of JMS Design Associates. Jeffery designed the Front Entry of the VRG home in our Floral Fantasia Garden Tour and Showcase Estate on May 17, 2025. We asked him these five questions:

Meet this Tree: Hymenosporum Flavum Commonly Known as Sweetshade

The Sweetshade is an evergreen tree in the Pittosporaceae family and comes to us from Eastern Australia, New Guinea, the Rainforest of Queensland, and New South Wales. It is a very slender and upright evergreen tree but can be pruned to any shape you like. It grows between 20 and 40 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide. The tree prefers full sun but can take partial shade. It does well in any type of soil and benefits from infrequent but deep watering. It is considered drought tolerant, requires little maintenance and has no known insect or disease problems at the moment.

Timothy Corrigan and His Enthralling Lecture on His Book, “At Home in France: Inspiration and Style in Town and Country”

“Fantastic!” “Spectacular!” “One of the best lectures I have ever heard!” were some of the excited comments after the superlative lecture by famed interior designer Timothy Corrigan on April 29, 2025, at The Virginia Robinson Gardens. Timothy mesmerized his audience with his exuberance, humor, warmth, and fascinating tales (and travails) based on his book At Home in France: Inspiration and Style in Town and Country. Supremely talented and knowledgeable, Timothy showed how he repurposed and decorated rooms in the Chateau de La Chevallerie, the beauty of which took one’s breath away.

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