W e l c o m e  t o  v I r g I n I a  R o b I n s o n  G a r d e n s

 

                 VIRGINIA ROBINSON was known as the “First Lady of Beverly Hills.”  She was renowned for her grand parties which were attended by the elite of the world and the film industry.  Her regular bridge games attracted guests such as Fred Astaire and Charles Boyer.

 

                 Born in Missouri, VIRGINIA CATHERINE DRYDEN was brought to live in Los Angeles in 1880, at the age of three.  Virginia lived with her family on the corner of Harvard and Washington.  Their close neighbor was Joseph Winchester Robinson, the proprietor of the Boston Dry Goods Store which, in 1891, became the Joseph Winchester Robinson Company and then the chain of J.W. Robinson retail stores.

 

                 In 1903, Virginia married J.W. Robinson’s heir, HARRY WINCHESTER ROBINSON, and they embarked on a three-year honeymoon to Europe, India and Kashmir.  Upon their return, the Robinson’s commissioned Virginia’s father, the architect NATHANIEL DRYDEN, to design their dream home on fifteen acres of land, purchased from the founder of Beverly Hills, Mr. Burton Green.  This was the beginning of the legendary estate.

 

                

 

The fifteen hilly acres were later reduced to 6.2 acres but with an avid interest, vision and green thumb, Virginia Robinson transformed them into a lushly landscaped, sub-tropical oasis in the midst of Beverly Hills.  The rather English-style walled central MALL area is surrounded by a perennial border with paths leading to the Italian-style POOL HOUSE and swimming pool.  The ROSE GARDEN, bird and monkey cages, tennis court, the ITALIAN GARDEN with its fountains, and the world renowned AUSTRALIAN PALM GARDEN, along with a practical KITCHEN GARDEN, were all created and enjoyed by Virginia Robinson.

 

                 The dream house is filled with French furniture and treasures Virginia collected in her many trips abroad.  The interiors can be viewed today as they have been retained just as they were when she passed away in 1977, just forty-eight days shy of her 100^th birthday.

 

                 VIRGINIA ROBINSON became Board Member of the J.W. Robinson chain after the passing of her husband in 1932 and eventually became Chairman, a position she held for thirty years and which she resigned at the age of eighty-five.

 

                 On the passing of VIRGINIA ROBINSON, the estate was bequeathed to the County of Los Angeles and today is part of the Department of Parks and Recreation.  The County, along with Friends of Robinson Gardens, a non-profit organization, maintains the estate in the elegant and tranquil manner that are in keeping with the living traditions of the early twentieth century.