Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
We have seen more than our share of hot, humid, and rainy days this summer, but the weather gods have smiled on us intermittently. One such respite occurred on Sunday, August 11, when 4,420 visitors flocked to the garden—an all-time record! While parking is a challenge on such days, the garden’s scale enables it to absorb quite a crowd.
We have seen more than our share of hot, humid, and rainy days this summer, but the weather gods have smiled on us intermittently. One such respite occurred on Sunday, August 11, when 4,420 visitors flocked to the garden—an all-time record! While parking is a challenge on such days, the garden’s scale enables it to absorb quite a crowd.
Our aquatics really flourish at this time of year, adding dramatic texture and color to the Walled Garden’s central and north pools and to the Temple of Love’s lower basin. The gardeners have been donning hip-waders as they minister to their needs. Note the floating buckets for weeds and cut-backs in the picture below. This year we introduced Victoria amazonica, the second largest species in the water lily family. Don’t they remind you of floating Frisbees?
Many people are unaware that there is a jewel of a garden below the Vista near the Old Croton Aqueduct entrance. This is the Ruin Garden, and it is well worth the trip. Set inside the vestiges of a gatehouse, the space is intimate and lush with a tapestry of plants. The interior walls retain some graffiti from the bad old days when the garden was vandalized, but it works well with the colorful plants that have transformed a derelict space into an enchanting retreat.
While inside the gatehouse, note the three ruined fireplaces; below one of them is a hole in the wall that would have held a potbelly stove from a kitchen long ago. The walkway is composed of fragments from the ruined building.
While inside the gatehouse, note the three ruined fireplaces; below one of them is a hole in the wall that would have held a potbelly stove from a kitchen long ago. The walkway is composed of fragments from the ruined building.
Behind the building is a mysterious alley with exotic plants growing in the cracks in the cement pavement. Buried in the hillside is an even more curious underground chamber whose original purpose is unknown; it has now been converted to a rustic grotto.
September will bring the final three performances in our Minnie Untermyer Concert Series. We are delighted to welcome back Lori Belilove & the Isadora Duncan Dancers, who will present a mix of historical and new dances on Sunday, September 1, at 5:30 p.m. (Rain date: Monday, September 2)
This will be followed by our most exotic concert yet as we welcome the world-renowned thereminist Armen Ra. In the 1930s, shortly after the instrument was invented, Untermyer Gardens was the site of one of the first theremin concerts in America. The instrument is hauntingly beautiful, and the concert, on Saturday, September 7, at 8:00 p.m., will take place in the evening—a first for us—with special colored lighting effects. This performance is not to be missed! (Rain date: Sunday, September 8)
The season will conclude with a trio of singers performing songs by Richard Rodgers and others in his circle. Taking place on Sunday, September 15, at 5:00 p.m., it’s a perfect way to enjoy the waning days of summer while the garden is still at its peak.
This will be followed by our most exotic concert yet as we welcome the world-renowned thereminist Armen Ra. In the 1930s, shortly after the instrument was invented, Untermyer Gardens was the site of one of the first theremin concerts in America. The instrument is hauntingly beautiful, and the concert, on Saturday, September 7, at 8:00 p.m., will take place in the evening—a first for us—with special colored lighting effects. This performance is not to be missed! (Rain date: Sunday, September 8)
The season will conclude with a trio of singers performing songs by Richard Rodgers and others in his circle. Taking place on Sunday, September 15, at 5:00 p.m., it’s a perfect way to enjoy the waning days of summer while the garden is still at its peak.
Our annual Family Fun Day will take place on Sunday, September 29, for kids of all ages. It will feature old favorites like the magic show in the amphitheater, hayrides along the carriage trail, and kite flying on the lawn, plus fun new activities like a rubber ducky races, a scavenger hunt, and a once-a-year opportunity to picnic inside the Walled Garden. Experience the garden in a whole new way!
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns
President
Stephen F. Byrns
President
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