Discover the dazzling story of Untermyer Gardens—designed in 1917 by architect Welles Bosworth for Samuel Untermyer and once envisioned as “the finest garden in America.” Spanning 150 acres above the Hudson River in Yonkers, the estate featured a staff of 60 gardeners, 60 greenhouses, and showstopping set pieces: the Walled Garden, considered the most significant Persian garden in the Western Hemisphere; the grand, column-flanked Vista; and the romantic Temple of Love with its waterfalls and cascades. The lecture traces the garden’s Edenic symbolism across faith traditions, its decline, and its remarkable revival—complete with then-and-now photographs and the story of how a modern conservancy brought this sleeping giant back to life for nearly 300,000 visitors in 2024.
We are honored to learn this storied history from Stephen F. Byrns, President & Founder of Untermyer Gardens Conservancy. A Princeton and Columbia graduate and founding partner of BKSK Architects, Stephen served on New York City’s Landmarks Preservation Commission (2004–2010) and on Wave Hill’s board (2000–2010). He established the Conservancy in 2011, recruited leading horticultural talent, and has guided a nationally recognized restoration celebrated by outlets including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
Generously Underwritten by Hederick Brothers Construction.
