September 17, 2025
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
I am pleased to say we are making great strides in our goal to make more of the garden accessible to more people. Thanks to the generous response to the paddle raise at our Sunset Soirée in June, we have now installed a gently sloping paved path to the lower terrace entrance to the Walled Garden. For the first time, visitors who rely on wheelchairs or other assisting devices can get close to the restored Persian Pool, as well as the lower terrace’s stunning views and plantings. Soon, a steel ramp to the loggia will allow access to the spectacular view from the top of the Vista.
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
I am pleased to say we are making great strides in our goal to make more of the garden accessible to more people. Thanks to the generous response to the paddle raise at our Sunset Soirée in June, we have now installed a gently sloping paved path to the lower terrace entrance to the Walled Garden. For the first time, visitors who rely on wheelchairs or other assisting devices can get close to the restored Persian Pool, as well as the lower terrace’s stunning views and plantings. Soon, a steel ramp to the loggia will allow access to the spectacular view from the top of the Vista.
I recently learned that the gardeners are trying an experiment to eradicate a giant thicket of Japanese knotweed at the lowest stretch of the future meadow. There is no easy fix, and I have read that public parks and gardens spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to get rid of it. Or they bring in a herd of goats for many months. Our solution is regular mowing, which robs the knotweed of needed photosynthesis, thereby greatly weakening it and enabling other plants to take over. We shall see what happens …
The Conservancy has worked for 14 years to restore a ruined landscape that is now looking quite spectacular. While I believe that we are about two-thirds of the way to total restoration, what has been accomplished has seized the imagination of the public. So it is with real pride that we learned that we have won an award from the Preservation League of New York State, to be presented in November. Here is the press release.
While the garden is friendly to families every day, our special annual family event is coming up in three weeks on Sunday, October 5. Family Fun Day will take place in the Walled Garden, where picnic lunches will be permitted for one day only. Come see the magic show in the amphitheater, followed by a chance to cozy up to a variety of pettable animals from the Nature Center at Greenburgh. There will be a scavenger hunt, a creative recycled art activity, sea creature tattoos, and story time.
While the garden is friendly to families every day, our special annual family event is coming up in three weeks on Sunday, October 5. Family Fun Day will take place in the Walled Garden, where picnic lunches will be permitted for one day only. Come see the magic show in the amphitheater, followed by a chance to cozy up to a variety of pettable animals from the Nature Center at Greenburgh. There will be a scavenger hunt, a creative recycled art activity, sea creature tattoos, and story time.
The final two Minnie Untermyer concerts are just around the corner and offer a splendid opportunity to experience early fall in the garden at its peak. Returning are Tom Gold Dance on Saturday, September 20, and Marc Molomot & Friends on Saturday, September 27, performing selections from The Great American Songbook and art songs. I hope you will join us.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns, President
Stephen F. Byrns, President
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