October 24, 2019
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
In this age of digital overload, it seems as though a lot of people are strategizing to achieve an optimal online presence. Imagine my delight when I discovered that Untermyer Gardens was the number one attraction in Westchester County, according to TripAdvisor! I don’t pretend to understand the algorithms that determine this list or how to affect one’s position on it, but I do know that we have been fluttering around in the number two, three, and four slots for a long time. For an attraction that was relatively unknown just eight years ago, we have come a long way.
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
In this age of digital overload, it seems as though a lot of people are strategizing to achieve an optimal online presence. Imagine my delight when I discovered that Untermyer Gardens was the number one attraction in Westchester County, according to TripAdvisor! I don’t pretend to understand the algorithms that determine this list or how to affect one’s position on it, but I do know that we have been fluttering around in the number two, three, and four slots for a long time. For an attraction that was relatively unknown just eight years ago, we have come a long way.
One of the glories of Untermyer Gardens is its hardscape, which appeals to those who love architecture. Since the 1940s, a beautiful Renaissance-style wellhead encircled with dancing putti has languished in the woods near the site of the old mansion. I have been aware of it since the 1990s and prayed that it would never be discovered by thieves. Thankfully, it was quite hidden, so it was thrilling when we finally had the opportunity to move it. The wellhead now resides in the lower terrace of the Walled Garden. Isn’t it magnificent?
Yonkers is a fairly big city, and over the years it has lost many trees, leaving a harsh urban landscape. At Untermyer Gardens, we celebrate the trees we have inherited, but we know that it is just as important to plan for the future, not only for aesthetic goals but also to help combat global warming. And we believe we should plant trees that will become big specimens, not just flowering trees that look pretty for one or two weeks a year. Last week, we planted eight red oaks along North Broadway and five tupelo and red maples at our parking lot. In addition, as a gesture of good will to the City of Yonkers at large, we planted two more oaks at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site.
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Some people ask what the gardeners do when the weather is bad. Recently, they have been at the municipal greenhouse cleaning plastic pots, some 20,000 of them. That way, we don’t throw them away and can use them next year. Bit by bit, we are trying to make a difference.
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Last call! Our educational program is about to conclude for the year. Our final garden tour takes place this Sunday, October 27, at 2:00 pm. Please also note that our Think Spring Bulb Workshop, where one can learn all about bulbs, occurs this Saturday, October 26, at 10:00 am. This class requires signing up in advance; participants can take home 90 bulbs to be planted this fall.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
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