February 21, 2018
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens:
In the bleak midwinter, we can often find time to do things that are not possible during the rest of the year. One enormous task for the gardeners is to clear any precarious and threatening trees around our fancy, expensive deer fence. One fallen branch can cause a breach in the fence that will allow our cervine (deer) friends to enter the garden again. No, no, no!
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens:
In the bleak midwinter, we can often find time to do things that are not possible during the rest of the year. One enormous task for the gardeners is to clear any precarious and threatening trees around our fancy, expensive deer fence. One fallen branch can cause a breach in the fence that will allow our cervine (deer) friends to enter the garden again. No, no, no!
Imagine my surprise when Timothy and his crew strayed a bit from this goal and unveiled a new precinct in the garden, just below the massive retaining wall that originally defined the area around Greystone, the Untermyer mansion. We now have grand plans for this area, which are still evolving. But there it is, another opportunity awaiting us. (We'll tell you more later.)
While they were at it, they found some heavy chunks of colorful carved marble, perhaps a bolection molding for a mantel, as well as a cast stone wing from a mythical creature. Where is the rest of it? The mysteries of Untermyer Gardens never cease to excite us.
I love that we are healing this great landscape. Judaism has an expression, "Tikkun olam," which means "Repairing the world" in matters of social justice. What we are doing in the garden is analogous to this. Samuel Untermyer was one of the most prominent Jews in America at the time and was a leading reformer, greatly devoted to repairing our economy, protecting the rights of others, and generally bettering the world. Caroline Seebohm, who is currently writing a book about Untermyer and his garden, told me that Samuel Untermyer was mentioned in the newspaper nearly every day for 25 years. So it all seems to fit together.
Finally, my upcoming lecture on Persian Gardens of Iran on February 26 is nearly sold out. To buy one of the dozen remaining tickets, do not delay!
Finally, my upcoming lecture on Persian Gardens of Iran on February 26 is nearly sold out. To buy one of the dozen remaining tickets, do not delay!
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
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