November 14, 2019
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
A while back, I asked Timothy Tilghman, our head gardener, if there were any white oaks on our 43 acres. It is one of my favorite trees, with such a noble form, beautifully rounded leaves, richly figured bark, and fine fall color. Sadly, the answer was no. Then I spotted a magnificent specimen just over our property line at St. John’s Hospital. Even though it isn’t “ours,” it gives me great pleasure, reminding me that nothing is really “ours”; we are just stewards of our world, which can give us all the delight we need.
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
A while back, I asked Timothy Tilghman, our head gardener, if there were any white oaks on our 43 acres. It is one of my favorite trees, with such a noble form, beautifully rounded leaves, richly figured bark, and fine fall color. Sadly, the answer was no. Then I spotted a magnificent specimen just over our property line at St. John’s Hospital. Even though it isn’t “ours,” it gives me great pleasure, reminding me that nothing is really “ours”; we are just stewards of our world, which can give us all the delight we need.
Yonkers is an old city and in some ways is quite old-fashioned, with scattered reminders of its history. North of the Walled Garden is an old air raid siren tower, which we are told is a rare survivor. We love its scruffy look as a contrast to the splendor of our Persian garden.
Speaking of tempus fugit, our recent deep frost has pretty much killed all of our herbaceous plantings. While they are now but a memory, here is a beautiful picture of the asters that until recently made a magnificent showing along the cascades at the Temple of Love. Pollinators loved them, and so did we!
Another tidbit about Samuel Untermyer has recently come to light. In 1933, after Germany had been chosen as the site of the 1936 Olympics, Untermyer and Stephen Wise, a prominent Reform rabbi, launched a public campaign for a U.S. boycott of the games. Sadly, the boycott failed, enabling Hitler to mix sports with politics to enhance his image.
For those of you who admire the photographs on our Instagram account, there is only one more chance this year to participate in a landscape photography class led by our master photographer, Jessica Norman. Her eye is finely attuned to Untermyer Gardens, and every season has its photographic delights.
Our annual appeal will be sent shortly. More than just a request for funds, it reports on our top accomplishments of the past year and our priorities for next year, none of which can happen without the support of friends like you.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
Stephen F. Byrns
President, Untermyer Gardens Conservancy
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