Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
I am pleased to announce that this year, we will reimagine the Sundial, a long-lost feature of the garden that Samuel Untermyer added in 1937, late in his life. We believe that it was the centerpiece of a circular garden with concentric paths and beds, now all gone. As it was uncomfortably jammed against the Rock and Stream Garden, we plan to shift it to the north, where it will command more interest. Abutting a half-buried rock ledge, it will offer glimpses up the Hudson River and help connect the dots between the Rock and Stream Garden and the future Meadow.
I am pleased to announce that this year, we will reimagine the Sundial, a long-lost feature of the garden that Samuel Untermyer added in 1937, late in his life. We believe that it was the centerpiece of a circular garden with concentric paths and beds, now all gone. As it was uncomfortably jammed against the Rock and Stream Garden, we plan to shift it to the north, where it will command more interest. Abutting a half-buried rock ledge, it will offer glimpses up the Hudson River and help connect the dots between the Rock and Stream Garden and the future Meadow.
We intend to construct it from architectural salvage found elsewhere on the property. The dial will be formed from the marble coping stones that originally defined the pool where the famous sculpture Dancing Maidens, now in the Conservatory Garden in Central Park, was situated. The gnomon and time hour markers will be granite slabs that were salvaged from a demolished terrace next to the mansion, Greystone. While chronographic accuracy is a goal, we can’t guarantee that you will be able to set your watch by our sundial, as Untermyer was reputed to do with his. It should be interesting!
Every day I look out of my office window at the magnificent façade of the Walled Garden – it’s unlike anything in America. The section on the left is quite deteriorated, with flaking stucco and popped terra cotta tiles revealing the raw brick underneath. Bits of wild overgrowth are taking root. I keep reminding myself that it follows the model of Italy, where ancient patina is expected. I say, live with it (at least for now)!
Please join our gardener Liz Dreeben as she demonstrates how to build your own birdhouse, which might entice our feathered friends to find a home in your own backyard.
This is the last call for those interested in hearing my virtual lecture about Samuel Untermyer on March 29. With all the tumult in the world currently and in the recent past, what he faced and what he did about it have a real resonance. How prescient he was, and how valiantly he fought to turn the Nazi tide and remedy various kinds of injustice in the United States. The lecture will be recorded, so you can view it at your leisure for a month after the event.
Witnessing the courageous resilience of Ukraine’s people as they defend their sovereignty and fight against the threats to their very existence, I am reminded of Untermyer’s early and heroic battles. He used diverse means to get his message out, including music, recognizing its emotional potency.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
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