October 16, 2025
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
Fall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs, given its milder temperatures. A top priority for us is the Stumpery, where hundreds of understory plants are now going into the ground, such as bottlebrush buckeye, shadbush, chokeberry, buttonbush, redbud, dogwood, clethra, bush honeysuckle, witch hazel, holly, and more! They will complement the primary trees that were planted last year and will be followed by thousands of herbaceous and ephemeral plants in the years to come.
Dear Friends of Untermyer Gardens,
Fall is the best time to plant trees and shrubs, given its milder temperatures. A top priority for us is the Stumpery, where hundreds of understory plants are now going into the ground, such as bottlebrush buckeye, shadbush, chokeberry, buttonbush, redbud, dogwood, clethra, bush honeysuckle, witch hazel, holly, and more! They will complement the primary trees that were planted last year and will be followed by thousands of herbaceous and ephemeral plants in the years to come.
One of the outstanding features of Untermyer Gardens is its topography, which offers views that overlook the lower levels and architecturally interesting stairs to traverse, though some find them precarious. In addition to the array of accessible ramps that are being installed this year, we have added more handrails at some of the stairs. Here is one at the amphitheater, which will come in handy for many people attending our concerts.
We were excited to see the recent installation of seven larger than life bronze busts of Hudson River School painters by the internationally noted sculptor Greg Wyatt. Representing Thomas Cole, Frederic Church, Jasper Cropsey, Thomas Moran, Asher Durand, Albert Bierstadt, and Sanford Gifford, they anchor a future garden to be called the Long Garden, next to the Vegetable Garden. I love how their placement reinforces the existing geometry and complements the ancient Roman columns. The presence of the Hudson River in the background couldn’t be more appropriate. Greg Wyatt’s Peace Fountain at St. John the Divine in New York City is well known, as are his sculptures at Arlington National Cemetery and around the world. The sculptures are the generous gift of the Newington-Cropsey Foundation, located in nearby Hastings-on-Hudson.
Every year, one of my favorite autumnal activities is to lead a tour of Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, whose culmination of course is the Untermyer Memorial, where members of the family are buried. Woodlawn is one of the great cemeteries of the world, with splendid architecture, sculpture, stained glass, and towering trees. Like Untermyer Gardens, it is one of a kind! The tour will include a visit to the interior of the Collis Huntington mausoleum as well as the burial sites of Admiral David Farragut, R. H. Macy, William Earl Dodge, and Leopold Damrosch, among many others. Fall will be at its peak color, and tickets are available here.
Our annual Family Fun Day last week was our best ever, with perfect weather making it a big hit for the kids and their parents. Animals, magic, art, picnicking on the grass, and sundry games were enjoyed by all.
Kind regards,
Stephen F. Byrns, President
Stephen F. Byrns, President
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