January 10, 2023
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
As we enter a new year, we are undertaking projects anew.
The gardeners have been grubbing out the site of the future stumpery. Located near the newly restored circular fountain in the southwest quadrant, at the lower switchback of the carriage trail, it is a tangle of wild wisteria and other invasive plants. I call it our last frontier. The land forms an enchanting natural bowl where we have randomly dumped tree stumps over the past few years. Now that it is being cleaned up, we can see more clearly its potential. Where shall we find room for paths, stone cairns, giant stumps, and log tunnels? The fun begins!
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
As we enter a new year, we are undertaking projects anew.
The gardeners have been grubbing out the site of the future stumpery. Located near the newly restored circular fountain in the southwest quadrant, at the lower switchback of the carriage trail, it is a tangle of wild wisteria and other invasive plants. I call it our last frontier. The land forms an enchanting natural bowl where we have randomly dumped tree stumps over the past few years. Now that it is being cleaned up, we can see more clearly its potential. Where shall we find room for paths, stone cairns, giant stumps, and log tunnels? The fun begins!
Just uphill, heavy rains have seriously eroded many sections of the carriage trail. Numerous ruts have emerged that expose its rocky substrate, and portions of the stone walls along the trail have collapsed. It is a real mess and needs immediate attention. We are doggedly unearthing Samuel Untermyer’s long-buried gutter system. Finding a catch basin is like hitting the jackpot, and of course they are almost all clogged. Bit by bit, we will discern how best to mitigate the storm damage and restore this crucial footpath.
Our 2022 Grand Holiday Illumination was better than ever. A new feature was the dramatic East Stoa, which was densely draped with strings of bright white lights—like a swarm of jellyfish—and accented with our 2021 invention, three COVID balls. Elsewhere, we set out additional benches for people to better enjoy the music. A new Untermyer friend from the country of Georgia was thrilled to learn that we had a Georgian Christmas carol on our playlist. Sadly, the weather was contrary, and many nights were either rainy or freezing cold. Still, more than 17,000 visitors experienced one of the best holiday light shows around—and the only one that’s free. The gardeners are now removing the lights; the total effort takes at least a month of their time, or about one-twelfth of the horticulture budget, so it is a significant investment by the Conservancy.
Now that we are entering our twelfth year, it is a good time to take stock of our significant progress. I will be giving our annual Winter Lecture on this subject, and the first part will have many photos of the garden during its youthful glory, its descent into ruin, and its rebirth since 2011. The second part will present projects that are planned for the future—some of them restorations, others wholly new. It will be a systematic look at the whole garden and fifteen distinct areas. The lecture will take place virtually on Monday, February 6, at 6:00 p.m.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
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