Our Wonderful Floral, Designer, and Culinary Stars at the “Spring Rhapsody” 2024 Garden Tour!

The Friends of Robinson Gardens is so grateful to the extremely talented floral designers who will enchant your senses by transforming the rooms of Virginia Robinson’s home into settings of dazzling beauty for the 35th Annual Garden Tour and Showcase Estate on May 18, 2024. Don’t miss this breathtaking event where the florists will interpret the theme: “Spring Rhapsody.”

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.

Hilary Bein shares, “As an artist, I’ve worked in many mediums, and flowers became another. I see my arrangements as sculptures using the color, the texture, and the form of the flowers. My inspiration comes from the flowers themselves. Whether it’s Jamie Wolf’s garden or the flower market, there’s always something amazing that catches my eye, and I build a palette around that. After that, it’s just like painting: I put something down and everything that comes after is in response – it’s a conversation. I listen to the rhythm of my eyes moving through and keep going until it feels right.”  [email protected]. Hilary Bein will be located in the Guest Room and Bath of the VRG home.

The Bel Air Garden Club is filled with wonderful women who love their gardens. We share tips on techniques for better roses, when to plant our bulbs, and how to feed organically. Trips are planned to visit some of the most beautiful gardens all over the world, with sojourns to Seattle and Victoria. The Bel Air Garden Club will be located in the Galleria Bar of the VRG home.

Matthew Drewry is an intuitive Tarot reader and artist, constantly seeking a greater understanding of nature and its sublime mysteries. He sees tarot as an empowering tool, helpful in perceiving one’s truest nature and the most resonant paths in life. In his Practice, Matthew aims to assist others on their personal journeys of self-discovery, healing and achieving of life goals. It has been his pleasure to serve the Bay Area over the past 10 years. Matthew Drewry will be located in the Library of the VRG home.

Since 1860, Frette has endeavored to produce linens and home furnishings of unparalleled quality. From its bases in Monza and Milan, Frette employs only the finest fibers and most skilled artisans to craft a range of products that have come to embody luxury, comfort, and creativity across the globe. Known for its chic, original design, and inimitable finish and feel, Frette bed linens can be found in many of the world’s most prestigious hotels, from Claridge’s to The Peninsula, as well as in the most discerning private homes, yachts and aircraft. (310) 273-8540. www.frette.com. Frette will be located in the Guest Bedroom and Bath of the VRG home.

George’s Garden | Los Angeles, is a full-service Event & Floral Design company. George serves as the current in-house florist for the luxury high rise LandMark LA in Brentwood, various Douglas Emmett offices in Beverly Hills, All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Beverly Hills, United Talent Agency, Cushman Wakefield, StarPoint Properties, St. James Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, St. Paul the Apostle in Westwood, and is a preferred florist for the Los Angeles Country Club. George draws inspiration from old-world and new-world styles of floral arranging. He picks unique, fun, and “romantic” flowers for each of his clients, making sure that each time they’re not just satisfied, but in complete awe of what they’re presented with. (310) 384-0409. www.georgesgardenla.com. George’s Garden will be located in the Dining Room of the VRG home.

Amanda from House of A Gray states, “I’m not a professional florist, but flower arranging has become a real passion of mine lately. I love to walk around the flower market to draw inspiration from the flowers that are in season to create beautiful arrangements for friends and family.” House of A Gray will be located on the Silent Auction table near the Marketplace on the Tennis Court of the VRG estate. 

At Ivory Floral Events, we pair stunning creations with exceptional service from our hearts, by putting your needs and your special event first. We proudly serve corporate clients, private event planners, and couples across California, Arizona, and Nevada. At Ivory Floral Events, you can experience heartfelt customer service and celebrate elegance in full bloom. (310) 321-2222. www.ivoryflorist.com. Ivory Floral Events will be located in the Yellow Salon of the VRG home.

The 1,200-square-foot Kitchen Vegetable Garden at the Virginia Robinson Gardens is 100% organic. We plant many herbs and seasonally appropriate vegetables. We provide plenty of flowers that attract pollinators, and grow fruits like blueberries, strawberries, grapes, raspberries, and Kumquats as well. There is an orchid greenhouse and a chicken coop with hens that provide fresh eggs daily.

Josh Johnston works alongside Lucia Burke in the Kitchen Garden and tends to the chickens & parakeets at the Virginia Robinson Gardens. He has worked for over 20 years in landscaping and provides gardening and property care services in Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and Brentwood. Josh Johnston. (424) 202-4271. [email protected].

Lucia Burke is a UC-certified Master Gardener who has been designing, installing, and maintaining organic vegetable gardens in private homes for over 10 years. She served as the School Garden Coordinator for SMMUSD from 2010 to 2020. Lucia was delighted to be invited in 2022 to revive the Kitchen Garden at VRG. With the help of Josh Johnston, they keep the garden welcoming, fun, and special for the kids in the Children’s Program. Lucia Burke Garden Design & Maintenance. (310) 922-0644. [email protected].

The Kitchen for Exploring Foods was founded in 1984 by Peggy Dark, an icon within the Southern California culinary world. A celebrated author and storyteller, she built The Kitchen into one of the most esteemed catering firms in Southern California with a passionate and devoted following. Local produce is sourced from beloved area purveyors, along with an emphasis on exclusive and hard to find specialty items. The Kitchen has catered superb lunches and dinners for VRG, including past Garden Tours, Patron Galas, and Education lectures. (626) 793-7218. www.thekitchen.net. The Kitchen for Exploring Foods will be located on the Great Lawn of the VRG estate.

Superintendent Emeritus of the VRG and exterior designer Timothy Lindsay designs to serve the space and provide function, while embracing the client’s aesthetic taste. (626) 808-6670. [email protected]. Timothy Lindsay will be located in the Kitchen of the VRG home.

At Mosaic Floral Event Design Inc., we believe that flowers have the power to inspire, uplift, and create unforgettable memories. Whether you’re looking for a stunning centerpiece for a special event or seeking weekly flower deliveries to brighten up your home or office, we are here to bring nature’s beauty into your life. Discover the artistry of floral design and let us curate an enchanting experience tailored just for you. (323) 309-9223. www.Mosaicfloraldesign.com. Mosaic Floral Event Design will be located in the Pool Pavilion of the VRG home.

Pigsty.co is a boutique floral design studio with an emphasis on locally foraged and California grown ingredients. (609) 529-2182. www.pigsy.co. Pigsty will be located in the Loggia of the VRG home.

Louesa Roebuck – Reprinted with permission from Foraged Flora by Louesa Roebuck and Sarah Lonsdale, copyright (c) 2016. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Penguin Random House, Inc. Image (c) 2016 by Laurie Frankel

Louesa Roebuck considers all of California her home, and happily divides her time between the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Currently living in Ojai, she has created floral installations for Vivienne Westwood, John Baldesarri, Todd Selby, Michael Pollan, Alice Waters, Rintaro, and Carolyn Murphy for Vogue and House Beautiful. Her floral work has been featured in a number of national and international magazines and media, including Vogue, C Magazine, Edible Selby, Remodelista, Bare Journal, Sunset, Martha Stewart Living, and the Los Angeles Times. [email protected]. Louesa Roebuck will be located in the Great Hall of the VRG home.

In her new book Punk Ikebana: Reimagining the Art of Floral Design, Louesa demonstrates how to compose exuberant eco-luxe arrangements and installations using seasonal flora foraged from the West Coast.  She unites the cultural traditions and elegance of Japanese perspective with exhilarating freedom from convention by “bending the rules.” She reveals how cinematic, stunning floral sculptures can be created by embracing the abundance right outside your door and by establishing a harmonious dialogue with flora, space, color, vessels, and textiles readily available.

Louesa’s previous book Foraged Flora is a gorgeously photographed new take on flower arranging using local and foraged plants and flowers to create beautiful arrangements, with ideas and inspiration for the whole year. Whether picking a small tendril of fragrant jasmine, collecting oversized branches of flowering quince, or making a garland of bay laurel, Foraged Flora is an invitation to seek out the beauty of the natural world.  Click here for book links.

Lynne Vinkovic of Rose Lane Farms says, “My business is unique because I am a farmer/florist.  I grow my own product and have done so since 1995.  I have always believed that using local seasonal products is always the best, even before it was trendy.  I like to think of myself as the Julia Child of garden roses, I like to go into my fields to see what looks good each day.  ‘Know what is in season and know what to do with it’ — Julia Child.” (323) 791-1367. www.roselanefarms.org.  Rose Lane Farms will be located in the Great Hall of the VRG Home.

The founder of the Friends of Robinson Gardens Joan Selwyn shares, “My interest in flower arranging comes from my deep love of nature. I design my flower arrangements with the same approach. I used to do graphic design and paint. I have taken very few flower arranging classes.” Joan Selwyn will be located in the Dressing Room of the Master Bedroom of the VRG home.

Hal of Valentine Inc. shares, “All of my floral arrangements are original. I do not copy from a book or online. I go to the Flower Mart a lot and select what I like and bring it home and gather up my containers and just do what I feel at the moment. Also, it depends on the setting. We do a lot of dinner parties, and of course the container makes a big difference.” (310) 279-3221. www.valentinehairstudios.com. Valentine Inc. will be located on the Back Patio of the VRG home.

At Vespera Floral Studio, we are on a mission to harmonize the brilliant hues of nature with the imaginative strokes of art, crafting unforgettable moments that linger in the mind long after the petals have wilted. Come embark on our adventure and uncover the bewitching charm of blooms.

We take pride in creating custom arrangements that are not just beautiful but also tell a story, reflecting the recipient’s zodiac sign, favorite colors, hobbies, and interests. Whether you’re looking for a unique gift for a loved one or seeking to enhance your business or event space, we’re here to help. (818) 458-0604. www.vesperafloralstudio.com. Vespera Floral Studio will be located in the Morning Room of the VRG home.

VRG Curator April Walton will be located in the Pantry of the VRG home. (310) 550-2040. [email protected].

XOXO Patti Sue is a successful 20+ year floral industry freelance floral designer. She has worked with the greatest and has been the lead design florist for many well-known flower shops in the Los Angeles area. Patti’s work has graced multiple red carpets from The Oscars to the B.E.T Awards. Patti is no stranger to The Virginia Robinson Gardens as she has helped adorn the Dining Room with our beloved George Martinez from George’s Garden for multiple years at Garden Tour. She specializes in lush, oversized garden style arrangements. (626) 214-6715. [email protected]. XOXO Patti Sue will be located in the Master Bedroom of the VRG home.

Dan Zelen sources and creates items that are the fine details to a home. Vintage or new, found or created in his studio, these are items that add a sense of life and living in a space, a home. (415) 583-0461. www.DanZelen.com. Dan Zelen will be located by the Front Door of the VRG home.

Garden Tour is sponsored by:

Post by Linda Meadows
Friends of Robinson Gardens Board Member
Editor of the Happenings