Virginia Robinson Gardens - Botanical garden in Beverly Hills - 1008 Elden Way, USA

This 6 acre estate in the midst of Beverly Hills is a hidden gem! Built in 1911 by the Robinson family (owners of Robinson’s Department Stores) it was the first luxury estate built in the Beverly Hills area. It was gifted to LA County by Virginia Robinson in 1977, just before her death. The house was built in a “Beaux” style, and the pool house was modeled after the Villa Pisani in Tuscany. Since then, the 6 gardens surrounding the home have been meticulously maintained. Plants from all over the world are featured, and there is a large rose garden, as well as a King Palm forest that is the largest in the world outside of Australia. At one time, it was a Mecca of celebrity parties and tennis matches. The pool house and main house are also part of your tour, but access in the main house is somewhat limited as this home is in it’s totally original condition with all of the furnishings and decor that Virginia left behind. You will have to book a private tour through their website. Be prepared to walk a lot of steps on the walking paths through the terraced gardens with your guide and docent. The gardens can also be booked for photo shoots, and it’s a popular place for wedding or engagement photos.

Beautiful, beautiful place. Make reservations in advance. A lot of walking with stairs throughout. It's a BIG place.

Beautiful and serene. Such a unique place.

Today was my first time visiting and it was a wonderful experience, I would go back again. Elyse was a terrific guide and really knew a lot about the property and was able to answer all of the group’s questions. Due to Covid we were unable to go into the interiors but the tour takes you around the entire property through five different types of gardens. The palm tree forest was my personal favorite, I believe it’s the largest collection anywhere in California. This is also the oldest estate in Beverly Hills and for that alone it’s worth a visit. Parking can be a little tight in the parking guest lot which is towards the back of the property and the driveway leading up to it is very narrow so if you have an especially wide or tall car (especially a large truck or suburban size SUV) you may want to park on the street. It’s incredibly beautiful inside and funded mainly by the neighboring residents of Beverly Hills. It would be nice if they let you free roam so you could sit and enjoy the property solo but I understand how that would be hard logistically wise. Overall I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of botanical gardens, history, or Beverly Hills.

This is a beautiful mansion and garden located in the heart of Beverly Hills. It was the family property of the Robinson's Department Store owner, who donated it to the LA County. It's open for guided tour on select days for $15 per person. The volunteer guide was very knowledgeable and friendly and you can learn a lot about the history, the flora, and landscape of the property during the tour. No photos are allowed inside the mansion, but you can take pictures outside.

It’s been almost a decade since I’ve been here and I can’t stop thinking about it. One of the most beautiful hidden gems in L.A. wear comfortable shoes and really get into every corner of the estate if you can!

You have to have reservation to visit this place. After paying for visit (as I remembered it was less than $40 for 4) volunteer will give you a tour through the Villa and also two big Gardens. Everything was beautiful and well maintained. We had amazing time. Highly recommend to visit this place.

Absolutely GORGEOUS estate and gardens in Beverly Hills… one of the original houses… absolutely fantastic 💚