This tour includes steady inclines, dirt paths, and stairs. Please wear sturdy shoes, protect yourself from the sun or weather, and remember to be mindful of your surroundings. Enjoy your self-guided tour!

ENTRANCE

Welcome to Untermyer Gardens! This historic site boats 46 acres of restored public gardens, managed by our team of incredible gardeners and staff. We hope you enjoy your time with us! As such, we'd like to remind you of some rules for the site. 

​1. Dogs are not permitted in the garden unless they are service dogs, as the ADA defines. This does not include emotional support animals. 
2. No food is permitted past the Walled Garden. There are picnicking tables by the entrance for your use. 
3. Leave the gardens as you found them- please don't take any of our flowers or leave any trash when you go. 

 If you enjoy your tour, please feel free to donate any amount in one of the collection receptacles you will find along the way, or through Venmo.  This guide is meant to be a companion to the map and brochure that is available at the entrances. The numbers in this guide refer to the numbers on the map.  Please take time to read the informational signs throughout the garden as you wander throughout the gardens.  Most of our plants and trees are not labeled, but you can download two apps ‘PictureThis’ and ‘iNaturalist’ that will help you identify some of them. ​
​



​

The Walled Garden (1)

Enter the Walled Garden (1) by following the gravel path to the entrance. 

​ Just before you go through the gates, take note of the relief of the goddess Artemis above the entrance. As you enter, you will see the two monumental European weeping beech trees that frame the canal and side walkways.  Stroll along the paths and make sure to look for the goldfish in the canals.  Continue walking north towards the columns topped by sphinxes and visit the pool with beautiful aquatic plants and amphitheater with its intricate mosaic work.

Finally, head back to the Temple of the Sky (the large rotunda in the middle of the west wall) and view another mosaic which features the goddess Medusa gazing up towards the sky.

The Vista (2)

You’ve reached the top of the Vista! This area boasts an incredible view of the Vista itself, the Hudson River and the Palisades. The staircase down the vista leads to the Vista Overlook.  The two columns framing the view of the Hudson River and the Palisades are ancient Roman monolithic cipollino marble columns from the estate of Stanford White.  

​The Vista was modeled on a similar series of descending stairs at the Villa D'Este in Italy.  At the Villa D'Este, the stairs descend gracefully toward Lake Como while at Untermyer, they cascade toward the Hudson River. Bosworth's original design flanked the stairs with Japanese cedars mimicking the dark cypress of the original.  This feature was restored after the removal of invasive trees; the inner bands are planted with Japanese forest grass.

The Vegetable Gardens (4)

The site of the former Rose and Dahlia Gardens has been repurposed with an emphasis on edible plants. The fenced area south of the restored pergola was planted for the first time in 2023 with a succession of vegetables through the seasons with an eye to aesthetic beauty.

North of the pergola, young fruit trees have been planted within the interesting geometric layout of the original garden. “Sculptures” consisting of an ornamental stone from the original Vista lookout balustrade and a whimsical nod to Richard Serra composed of old rusted garden edging anchor the orchard. We hope to share the produce with various groups in the community.

Rhododendron Walk (5)

A densely planted Rhododendron Walk recalls the famous rhododendron collection that formed part of the original gardens and leads visitors from the Ruin Garden to the historic gardens above.

In the Summer of 2019, the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy's first group of high school summer interns, led by gardener Liz Dreeben, were responsible for clearing the land, preparing the soil, creating pathways and planting almost 100 rhododendrons, azaleas and other woody perennials.

In the spring of 2022, almost 2000 understory perennials were planted by our gardeners, interns and volunteers, to create a longer season of interest.
 

The Ruin Garden (6)

The Ruin Garden, completed in 2019, is located in the former gatehouse by the Old Croton Aqueduct entrance to the gardens. The Untermyer Gardens Conservancy had its masonry restored and cleaned, the lion and unicorn sculptures restored including commissioning a new head for the unicorn. An old root cellar has been converted to a grotto with a fountain. Inside and around the former gatehouse are plantings that evoke a feeling of being in a ruined and abandoned house. 

Once you've explored these colorful gardens​, head back up to the Vista Overlook, but don't go up the stairs. There's another trail on the opposite side of the Vegetable Gardens that will take you to the Temple of Love through the Carriage Trail!

Carriage Trail & Future Stumpery (8)

Continue slowly uphill on the carriage trail, noting the massive rock outcroppings and view of the Old Croton Aqueduct and Hudson River. Soon you will arrive at the site of the future Stumpery, where there is a restored circular fountain and many upturned tree stumps along the carriage trail.

​Take the wood chip path uphill heading east where it rejoins the carriage trail. Follow along a stone wall and turn right at the tree trunk steps which will lead you to the bottom of the Temple of Love.

Temple of Love (9)

The Temple of Love overlooks a magnificent view south along the Hudson River and the Palisades.  Best viewed from below, it is a stupendous rocky fantasy capped with a round temple. It was the centerpiece of an extended rock garden and was flanked by terraced beds. The outcropping was an elaborate water feature, with water coursing all around it in various waterfalls and ponds.  The Temple of Love was created by Carlo Davite, a Genoese stone mason who did work in the Paris Exposition, the St. Louis Exposition and at the Frick Museum.

Many of the rocks are hollowed out to form planters, and in Samuel Untermyer's time, the entire creation was elaborately planted. There are three bridges in the rough stone and a small seating area with a rough hewn stone bench that can be reached through a rocky tunnel in the folly.  An additional monolithic bridge crosses the pool at the base of the Temple of Love.

Rock & Stream Garden (10)

In Untermyer's era, the Rock Garden was a naturalistic tumble of stones flanking a tiny stream running through it.  Buried under soil and vegetation for years, it was uncovered due to the work of gardener Timothy Tilghman and the Yonkers Parks Department crew.  Stone paths wind uphill, crossing the stream several times on rock bridges.  A small seating area with a curved stone bench sits partway up the hill.  There are many views of it from the 1930s in the Smithsonian archives.

This garden has been rebuilt as the Rock and Stream Garden, incorporating elements from Samuel Untermyer’s garden in the 1930’s, and extending it to the lower basin of the Temple of Love. Its source is a vernal pool at the top, followed by a stone throne, an island for sitting based on similar features in Mughal gardens. Various other stone bridges, waterfalls and seating enrich a lively and rustic garden feature which complements the nearby Temple of Love. ​

Thank you for coming!

We hope you have enjoyed your walk through this hidden gem of architecture and horticulture.  If you would like a more detailed experience, please sign up for one of our tours.  And finally, sign up for our informative newsletter to keep informed about all upcoming events. 

Thanks for visiting and we hope to see you again very soon.  Tell your friends about us! The garden is always free. Operating days and hours can be found here. ​