March 27, 2017
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens:
A number of years ago, I had lunch with one of the most prominent philanthropists in New York City. He jokingly referred to an interesting critique of the nonprofit world: OPM.
OPM means Other People's Money. Not a few organizations spend precious resources on swanky offices, generous expense accounts, elaborate year-end reports, etc. They can afford it because they are spending Other People's Money.
No one could call the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy's digs plush. Charles Birnbaum wrote in the Huffington Post that the "Conservancy, operating out of a one-room office...has engineered a Lazarus-like resurrection of this great site." Our "conference room" is a small round table surrounded by three desks, all donated. We are lean and mean, without even a closet, leading to some creative storage solutions.
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens:
A number of years ago, I had lunch with one of the most prominent philanthropists in New York City. He jokingly referred to an interesting critique of the nonprofit world: OPM.
OPM means Other People's Money. Not a few organizations spend precious resources on swanky offices, generous expense accounts, elaborate year-end reports, etc. They can afford it because they are spending Other People's Money.
No one could call the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy's digs plush. Charles Birnbaum wrote in the Huffington Post that the "Conservancy, operating out of a one-room office...has engineered a Lazarus-like resurrection of this great site." Our "conference room" is a small round table surrounded by three desks, all donated. We are lean and mean, without even a closet, leading to some creative storage solutions.
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Our Head Gardener, Timothy Tilghman, eschews a fancier job description. He is a gardener's gardener, which is no more powerfully visualized than by his hands. His hard work sets an inspiring example to the other gardeners. Hands on, indeed!
While we are short of many of the normal accoutrements of a nonprofit, what we have in abundance is love for our work. We are restoring the great patrimony of Samuel Untermyer, which drives our progress and is truly resonating with the outside world. What a great project we have!
We just took possession of 5,000 annual seedlings, which are now being nurtured in the municipal greenhouse. They will form the basis of the ever-changing plantings along the canals in the Walled Garden each year. The selection is a deeply held secret, which will be revealed to all in May, when the tulips are removed.
We just took possession of 5,000 annual seedlings, which are now being nurtured in the municipal greenhouse. They will form the basis of the ever-changing plantings along the canals in the Walled Garden each year. The selection is a deeply held secret, which will be revealed to all in May, when the tulips are removed.
My lecture on March 30 is now 91% sold out. This is the last chance to buy tickets.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
P.S. As this goes to press, the world has just learned of the death of David Rockefeller at age 101. I met him a year ago at Untermyer Gardens, which he was interested to tour. As you may recall, Welles Bosworth designed the house and garden at Kykuit and was very close to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Samuel Untermyer hired Bosworth in 1916 to "outdo" the Rockefellers, something that gave Mr. Rockefeller a chuckle on our tour! Here is a picture of us that day.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
P.S. As this goes to press, the world has just learned of the death of David Rockefeller at age 101. I met him a year ago at Untermyer Gardens, which he was interested to tour. As you may recall, Welles Bosworth designed the house and garden at Kykuit and was very close to John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Samuel Untermyer hired Bosworth in 1916 to "outdo" the Rockefellers, something that gave Mr. Rockefeller a chuckle on our tour! Here is a picture of us that day.
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