January 28, 2026
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
I for one do not mind an old-time arctic winter, especially the magical transformation that snow brings. Think of it as an adventure to be savored—though for some, ideally from the inside looking out! And don’t forget that you can get a suntan from the reflected snow while outside.
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
I for one do not mind an old-time arctic winter, especially the magical transformation that snow brings. Think of it as an adventure to be savored—though for some, ideally from the inside looking out! And don’t forget that you can get a suntan from the reflected snow while outside.
But with cold weather, we need to take special measures to keep the water from freezing in the Persian Pool. It’s critical to protect its beautifully restored mosaics, which can be damaged when freezing water causes the tesserae to buckle. The water in the pool is heated to some extent, but the other solution is to install temporary sump pumps, which activate and bubble the surface of the water. Though a bit unsightly, they are low-tech, inexpensive, and do the trick.
We are mindful of the fragile state of the retaining wall that supports the lower carriage trail immediately above the Old Croton Aqueduct, a New York State park. Its poor condition threatens both the carriage trail and the aqueduct below, so we have been deliberately setting aside funds to enable a replacement, hopefully in 2027. These efforts have taken a great leap forward with two recent grants from our devoted public officials, State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins ($500,000) and State Assemblyman Nader Sayegh ($125,000). This is a critical, complex project, and their support is pivotal and deeply appreciated. Please give them your hearty thanks when you next see them.
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I confess to being a bit of a Luddite when it comes to technological bells and whistles. This newsletter may be digital, but it is written by me with the help of others. Old-fashioned low-tech suits me just fine. However, my tech-savvier readers might like to download a digital wallpaper for their mobile and desktop devices, featuring pictures taken by our peerless gardener-photographer John Jacono.
Our Winter Lecture is fast approaching on Tuesday, February 10, at 6:00 p.m. at the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. Drew Schuyler, our excellent Assistant Head Gardener, is a brilliant horticulturist and a compelling speaker. Inspired by his in-depth five-week exposure to the gardens of Japan last fall, he will offer a rare look at these beautiful landscapes from a gardener’s point of view. Tickets are available here.
Timothy Tilghman is here with a video to discuss unusual tools that aid in accuracy and also save labor.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns, President
Stephen F. Byrns, President
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