Fencestreestoursbulbs

April 7, 2015

Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens:

The Walled Garden has finally reopened after the snow and ice have melted. No sooner did the garden open than squirrels began to attack the thousands of buried tulip bulbs! Timothy and Jessica went on the offensive with some hastily installed recyclable netting.

The big news is the removal of various trees along the Vista. Most were diseased, rotten, maimed, or invasive. The area looks quite open now, but rest assured that a robust planting of evergreens will soon take place. We will restore the appearance of the Vista in Samuel Untermyer's day, with two long rows of Cryptomeria that recall the cypresses at the Villa d'Este on Lake Como, the model for this impressive area of the garden. This planting will eventually block the view of the hospital year-round.

Clearing the trees has also opened up a magnificent view from the lowest Color Garden, which we now know was the Blue Garden.

The installation of the deer fence is more than half done. Much of the chain link fencing is in place, with the wrought iron in progress. This critical investment will allow the Conservancy to expand its horticultural efforts beyond the Walled Garden.

Finally, we have published our 2015 public tour schedule, beginning on April 19. There are several changes. First, we will alternate our popular historically oriented tours with horticulturally focused tours. Second, I am going to reduce the number of tours that I have been giving personally. My remaining tours will be marked as Chairman's tours and will carry a higher ticket price, reflecting the deep immersion in the history of the garden which I have absorbed over the years.
Let's raise a toast to Spring at last!
Kind regards,  
Stephen F. Byrns

Chairman, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy