Boston Flora

Tag: Stephen F. Byrns

  • Monday, March 11, 6:00 pm (recorded version available March 12) – William Welles Bosworth

    Stephen F. Byrns, President of the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy, will present the Untermyer Gardens Winter Lecture 2024 on Monday, March 11 at 6:00 pm at the Madison Avenue Presbyterian Church, 921 Madison Avenue, New York, with a reception following the lecture. Tickets are $35, but a recorded lecture will be available March 12 online for $25. William Welles Bosworth (1869-1966) was a significant American architect who enjoyed a close relationship to the Rockefeller family for over half a century. He was the architect of such major projects as the AT&T building at 195 Broadway (for which Paul Manship, the sculptor of our own sphinxes, created bronze reliefs of the Four Elements) and the campus of MIT in Cambridge, Mass., as well as designs for gardens such as the Rockefellers’ Kykuit. A confirmed classicist, he was noted for his restrained design, informed by a sophisticated grasp of architectural history, while introducing new ideas that were quite original. Reserve on Eventbrite HERE.

  • Tuesday, December 8, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Untermyer Gardens, America’s Greatest Forgotten Garden Webinar

    Tuesday, December 8, 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm – Untermyer Gardens, America’s Greatest Forgotten Garden Webinar

    In 1916, New York City lawyer Samuel Untermyer tasked architect William Bosworth with designing the “finest garden in the world” on his cliffside estate in Yonkers, New York — he succeeded, and for 40 years, this 150-acre formal garden became a horticultural wonder of America, and the world. Though by the 1970s, one of America’s most beautiful green spaces had regressed into one of its most neglected, littered with abandoned buildings and crumbling ruins — any hints of its former greatness could only be found in local folklore.

    While many restoration efforts throughout the years were unsuccessful, the latest initiative has finally bucked the trend, and given the once-great garden a second life — this is the story of America’s greatest forgotten garden.

    Join New York Adventure Club for a virtual exploration of Untermyer Gardens, the formal gardens designed for Samuel Untermyer’s Greystone Estate in 1916, which became one of the most celebrated gardens in America.

    Led by Stephen F. Byrns, President and Founder of the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy, which began restoring Samuel Untermyer’s gardens in 2011, our unique digital showcase of this cliffside Persian “paradise” garden will include:

    • The story of Samuel Untermyer, the prominent New York lawyer and investor who purchased the Greystone Estate in an 1899 auction and transformed the grounds into one of the finest gardens in the world
    • An overview of Untermyer Gardens, from the 1916 design by Beaux-Arts architect Welles Bosworth, to its heyday when 60 full-time gardeners were on staff, to the successful modern restoration efforts after decades of failed revival initiatives
    • A virtual exploration of the stunning grounds including the Walled Garden‘s reflecting pools, mosaic pavements, and marble sphinxes; the Temple of Love‘s round temple on top of a rocky bluff and waterfall; and the jaw-dropping Vista, which features sweeping views of the Hudson River, framed by two 23-foot-tall Roman columns (believed to be the tallest ancient columns made from single stone chunks in the Western Hemisphere)

    Afterward, we’ll have a Q&A with Steve — any and all questions about Untermyer Gardens are welcomed and encouraged!

    Can’t make it live? Don’t worry, you’ll have access to the full replay for one week!

    See you there, virtually!

    *Immediately upon registering, you will receive a separate, automated email containing the link to join this webinar. $10. Register at https://www.nyadventureclub.com/event/untermyer-gardens-americas-greatest-forgotten-garden-webinar-registration-128544509087/