Thoughts From Friends: Candy Dish

Holiday Candy Dish Text and images by Rodney Kemerer, Friends of Robinson Gardens Board Member We have very few moments of enlightenment in our lives. Sometimes we do not even recognize them. For me, one of my best occurred while staring at a candy dish. Let’s put it into reverse for a moment. The last real Holiday/Christmas we enjoyed was 2019 - after that, masks killed the mistletoe. Normally during the Holidays my wife and I host various get-togethers, mostly informal with different groups we work or socialize with. The prepping for these events, which last almost the entire month of December, begin with early cleaning and excessive decorating. Part of this tradition was handed down by both sets of parents. A fully decorated house was a requirement if you wanted to participate in the season.

Our Garden Tour Star Lisa Zeder

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 garden designer Lisa Zeder. She has created exquisite gardens and spectacular public spaces in Southern California and other locations in the United States and England. Working in tandem with the Belgian firm Wirtz International, she designed a beautiful private garden on our members-only 2022 Garden Tour. We asked her these six questions

Our New Friend and Garden Tour Vendor Virginia Newman

Virginia Newman, Owner & Partner of Pennoyer Newman, LLC, creators of Distinctive Garden Pots Cast from Estate Originals, is pleased to present Virginia Robinson Gardens with the complete restoration of one of its original urns that was placed over the swimming pool pavilion area. From that restored piece, she has created a mold to cast four replicas for us to install in place of the originals that are cracking and are in disrepair. This gift from her is something that helps us celebrate the endurance of history in our garden and is something her firm has specialized in for the past 35 years. To preserve the legacy of the oldest and most distinguished garden objects of past centuries, many of Pennoyer Newman planters have been cast from the company's founder's family, J.P. Morgan, as well as those of dear family friends and neighbors, including Clay Frick and Daniel Guggenheim.

2022 Garden Tour Home for the Holidays Extravaganza

“The day was crystal clear after the rain, and the Friends and their guests on the Great Lawn reminded me of a beautiful Monet painting, but the best evidence of the success of the Garden Tour were the totally empty cookie trays in the Pool Pavilion,” remarked Joan Selwyn, the founder of the Friends. Our annual Garden Tour raises much needed funds for the preservation and restoration of our beloved Virginia Robinson Gardens. Thanks to our terrific Garden Tour co-chairs Elaine Stein and Katie Marsano, the 2022 Garden Tour, Home for the Holidays Extravaganza on November 5 was a fabulous day, filled with beauty and inspiration. It was a labor of love not only for our co-chairs, but also for our wonderful President Betty Goldstein, and our very talented and dedicated Garden Tour Committee, Superintendent Diane Sipos, volunteers, docents, curator April Walton and our County staff, and Member Relations & Administrative Manager Barbara Remedios.

Message from President Betty Goldstein

Dear Friends, May your holidays be filled with an abundance of joy and best wishes for you and your loved ones. And the New Year be filled with our hopes, dreams, inspirations, and the good health in which to carry them through. May a good and kind future await us all.

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TO STAY IN THE KNOW!

SUBSCRIBE