It seems, every U day in the Blogging from A to Z Challenge, that I return to a public park in Yonkers, New York that contains one of the most beautiful gardens I've ever been in.
Here's a brief history (I know, it's Wordless Wednesday, but I think we need some background) of what is now called Untermyer Park and Gardens. You can, of course, skip to the photos first.
In 1865, John Meyer, who owned the largest hat factory in the world at the time, purchased 33 acres of land in Yonkers, New York. He had a 99 room mansion called Greystone built for him. But his fortunes reversed and Meyer had to move and offer the property for rent.
Greystone was rented, in 1879, to a man by the name of Samuel J. Tilden (if you study United States history, you will know the name of Samuel J. Tilden).Tilden built 13 greenhouses in the property but died in 1886. Much of his estate went to fund public libraries in Yonkers and in nearby New York City.
In 1899, at the auction of the Greystone property, it was purchased by Samuel Untermyer, a lawyer and civic leader born in Lynchburg, Virginia. As a teenager, he and his family moved to New York City, where he rose in the legal ranks and became wealthy. In 1916, Untermyer started the construction of a massive garden complex at Greystone.
Untermyer was a strong opponent of the Nazi rise to power in Germany in 1933 and spent the next few years doing what he could to sound the alarm to the American public. At the same time, he built a garden renowned in the world. But, his health declined, and he died in 1940. The city of Yonkers agreed to take on about 43 acres of what had become a 150 acre complex.
After 1940, the gardens declined and eventually fell into ruin. But, in 2011, restoration began. When I first visited them in 2015 with my spouse and his cousin who lived in Yonkers all her life, they were still mainly in ruins. Unfortunately, I can not find the photos I took back then.
I've visited several times since. The last time was a brief visit in June of 2023, on the way home from a wedding in New York City. Restoration work has blocked several of my favorite views, but there was still plenty to photograph.
Tall trees. My iPhone plant ID built in app says these are pedunculate oaks.
Part of the garden wall.
Gardens.
Fountains.
I believe this is called the Temple of the Sky.
Mosaics.
One of the blooming shrubs - common ninebark.
Joining Sandee at Comedy Plus for #WordlessWednesday.
"U" day for the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My theme: Gardens, History, Art, and the Unexpected. Only five more days to go!
