Thursday, October 18, 2012

christmas in october: roger's gardens

Christmas should be like the Olympics--held every four years. Then, like the recent 2012 Summer Olympics, when Christmas finally rolls around, we could work ourselves up into a fever pitch enjoying it. I am the last person you would expect to remind anyone, that the holidays are right around the corner.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA

Sorry to disappoint. But the holidays really are right around the corner. And, the infamous Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar, California opened their Christmas Boutique, The Magic of Christmas, on October 1st. Relax, Costco has had Christmas up since August at least.


Roger's hasn't even put away Halloween yet. The two holidays compete on opposite ends of the grounds. What can you get at Roger's for Christmas? Everything. Anything. But as I've mentioned previously, it will cost you.

The store has 25 trees, according to the Daily Pilot:
With different themes — some covered in seashell ornaments, others with crystals and silver and another with pinks and blues for babies. 
Coordinated trees where all the ornaments make sense and go together? Now there is a novel idea. I'll never achieve it but certainly can appreciate. Here is a sample. My favorite is first; it is called Crystal and Ice.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA


Mid-Century Trivia: Roger's has some secrets and unique features in the midst of all its plants, baubles and bows. There is a beautiful bandstand smack dab in the middle of the property. Few know that this historical bandstand came from Disneyland's Main Street, and was part of Disneyland on opening day July 1955. From Davelandblog:
This Bandstand/Gazebo has a very active history with Disneyland. Originally slated to be smack-dab in the middle of Town Square, Walt and his team realized shortly before opening that it would block the view of the Castle, thus ruining the perfect cinematic “long-shot” one would get looking down Main Street. So, it was quickly decided to move it to the left of the Castle, where it would be home to Vesey Walker & The Disneyland Band. 

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA
Compliments of HistoryonAir

This tree is filled with pretty sparkly things. That is the best I can do.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA


This one is called Shell Grotto.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA


This tree features ornaments from the Eric Cortina collection. Eric is Roger's in-house designer. His stuff tends to be a little bizarre and sometimes macabre. I like it.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA


Another odd Roger's fact: it was founded by Gavin Herber Sr. who also founded a multi-billion dollar pharmaceutical company, Allergan, Inc. Gavin's son, Gavin Herbert Jr. oversees and runs Roger's today. The son was the one responsible for differentiating Roger's from big box stores, by focusing on high margin, high end decorating items and unique plants. From Overpromise and Overdeliver: How to Design and Deliver Extraordinary Customer Experiences (Google eBook)
Unable--and unwilling--to compete on price, Herbert made an over promise  He decided to make his nursery...visually entrancing, filled with unique objects for sale. ... Herbert recognized that he would have to provide more than just flowers. He created an elegant environment, a place where [customers] would feel at home. He organized educational activities and fund-raisers that addressed customers' feelings of self-worth. And he sold products that would appeal to their upscale tastes.
This explains a lot.

Back to Christmas in October. This strange tree must be some sort of tribute to Vegas.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA


Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA



More elegant and expensive Christmas decor items.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA


The store is a spectacle. It is a MUST visit if you are anywhere close to the area.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA



 You got your Waterford.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA


More from the eBook:
The staff goes to great lengths to create incredible holiday displays and products at Halloween and Christmas, which attract visitors and customers from around the country--250,000 during the fourth quarter of the year. Roger's decorates 20+ Christmas trees, for example, each of which has an individual theme and up to 2,000 color-coordinated ornaments. Half of its income is now derived from that three-month period.

 Traditional Christmas items, lined up and ready to be taken home.

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA



The ornament selection is to die for! You can get anything you want. What little boy wouldn't love his very own Brontosaurus?

Roger's Gardens the Magic of Christmas 2012, Corona del Mar, CA


Next follows something that I am tempted by every single year. I adore these balls and trees made out of jewelry by Margaret Larkin.  They are SOOOO expensive. The balls are $300 or $400 or something like that. A decent sized tree is $1,000. I stare at them -- could I make this? The eBay jewelry accumulation alone would  kill me. Nah, who am I kidding?



Jewelry orb.

Margaret Larkin Jewlery Tree


The pink watch tree. Too cute or what?

Margaret Larkin Jewlery Tree


Wonderful, huh? I like the cross tree a lot. In the spirit of the season and all.

Margaret Larkin Jewlery Tree


Look at the flag tree on the right. Maybe Olympic pins? What a great idea for a pin collection.

Margaret Larkin Jewlery Tree


I should have taken a better picture of the green tree on the right. That may be the one (in my dreams).

Margaret Larkin Jewlery Tree


This bear has a sign which says "Purchase Your Very Own royal Wedding Muffy." Maybe the Aussies or Brits reading this can explain to me.



These are my mid-century modern entries. Traditional tree toppers.




Beautiful little fish ornament caught my eye.



 How cute is this? Who wouldn't say yes?



These decorations are very vintage, extremely creepy and not super Christmasy. Made from old toys and cans. You could use these on the set of American Horror Story. Asylum started last night. Why oh why do I love all things that terrify me?










Okay, last amazing Roger's fact. The founder of Roger's, Gavin Herbert Sr., owns Nixon's San Clemente Western White House. Bet the landscaping has been kept in rare form.

Nixon's San Clemente Western White House from Wikipedia

The bizarre Eric Cortina ornament collection (Roger's inhouse desinger).




Little pink faeries next to some wedding cake slices. I know a bride who may like the wedding cake ornament. Roger's is GREAT for event ornaments like weddings, anniversaries, births, etc.



Birds in my Christmas tree would bug me a little.



 Not a great picture, but Roger's has ALL the Radko's you could ever want.



The true HOT tip for the locals, is go scout out Roger's before Christmas. Then on December 26, hop out of bed, grab your Starbucks and go wait online at about 8AM. The doors will open at 9AM for 50% off. Yay!

Roger's Gardens is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The shop is located at 2301 San Joaquin Hills Road.

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9 comments:

  1. What a crazy, beautiful, weird, amazing place!

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    Replies
    1. I agree Dana. It is nutty. I get a kick out of it. I was worried during the recession it would be shut down, but it survived. Apparently there is always a market for over-priced decor items and plants. Go figure. I know they tempt me from time to time. I resisted the ornaments strongly but actually picked up a couple and walked around with them before I gained control of my senses.

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  2. Sorry Rebecca, I have no idea on the royal wedding thingy. Let me know if/when you find out please.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. (From Lisa Scaglione)
      "This Royal Wedding Muffy ornament was designed by Christopher Radko exclusively for Rogers Gardens.

      "In 2012, this is the only Muffy ornament designed by Christopher Radko. This ornament can only be purchased from Roger's Gardens.

      "The Christopher Radko Company has been designing and producing the highest quality European mouth-blown glass ornaments for more than a quarter of a century.
      As one of the largest Christopher Radko retailers in the world for over 20 years, Roger's Gardens is proud to be a Radko 'Galaxy' Store.

      "Exquisite workmanship and handcrafted details are the hallmark of all Christopher Radko creations."

      Delete
    2. Thank you Lisa for the Google search. What a bad blogger I am. But, what is a "muffy"?

      Delete
  3. Creepy doll heads! Nice segway from Halloween to Christmas...lol. Thanks for the hot tip! I'll ask the Dubliner hubby about the bear. Who am I kidding? He's probably clueless.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Loved your historical trivia--have seen the gazebo (bandstand) for years and never knew its Disney connection.

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    Replies
    1. Me neither! I guess I got my research skills from my mother. THANKS!

      Delete

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