Happy New Year!

Dear Friends,

We are entering into the month of January, derived from the Latin noun Januarius or Janus. “Janus is often depicted with two, bearded heads that face in opposite directions, looking to both the future and the past.” (from Dictionary.com). Janus is also known as the god of doorways and beginnings.

Let us choose to look forward to new beginnings. Here at the Gardens, providing access to the public is one of the gifts we can offer our community, especially locally, as we all think twice about traveling to other countries or even other states. One of our visitors once said to me as I toured them through the Italian Terrace Garden, “We don’t have to go to Italy to see beautifully manicured gardens; we can just come here.” In the Australian King Palm Forest, a Majestic Banyan Tree and the sound of the swaying of palms all take you to another place. A hundred-year-old tree, the varying hues of the color green, the scent of the earth when it is wet, the singing of the birds, and the buzzing of the bees -- this is what the gardens bring to us.

The interesting thing about a garden is that the beautiful trees, the flowers, the blossoms, and the wildlife don’t know of the existence of a pandemic. This is what makes a garden like ours so important. It is a place of tranquility and a place of calmness even in a world that is deep in a pandemic. It is an important setting where one can reset and know that all this will pass, and the green grass, the palms, and the wildlife continue on with a consistency that helps us balance our lives.

If we are to look back to the past, as the one Janus bearded head does, let us look at the unique relics throughout the garden property. I have been to the gardens many times, as a children’s and adult docent and as a general volunteer, yet every time I visit, I see something I hadn’t noticed before. This time, it was the old black weathervane. It is a fascinating piece with its intricate design, but badly needing the expertise of a knowledgeable restorer. It is our obligation to make sure that all these precious items that carry the history of the past are restored. It is treasured pieces like the weathervane and the gardens themselves that keep us rooted to our local history, the history of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.

Let us start the new year knowing we have a place where one can mentally be nourished, a place where you can breathe deeply the fresh clean air the gardens provide, experience a sea of tranquility, an oasis of peace.

We here at the gardens are so happy to help provide such a place for all of us to enjoy.

May the New Year bring good health and contentment.

Warmly,

Betty Rodriguez Goldstein
President of the Friends of Robinson Gardens