A Hidden Gem in NY ∙ The Untermyer Gardens

Just 30 minutes outside of New York City in Westchester County lies one of the most beautiful destinations you’ve never heard of – like a secret garden come to life – the historic Untermyer Park and Gardens.

Commissioned to be “the finest gardens in the world” over 100 years ago, this breathtaking site is free to the public but for a donation of $150 you can visit these grounds with your group (up to 10 people) before the doors open to the public for a private tour.

Wanting to make a trip of it, I invited my podcast co-hosts Kat and Krista of Self-Care Tuesdays. We love nature and find so much peace of mind during these outings, a true form of self-care for us that we wanted to share with you … and together we celebrated my son’s 6-month birthday with a Lakers themed smashcake and cupcakes baked by Kat.

A little history …

It was once an estate that reached over 150 acres with a mansion known as Greystone, but was recently turned into a public park. It’s right along the scenic Hudson River and across from the Palisades. Its presence is absolutely breathtaking and its history a little controversial.

It began as a mansion in 1865 for Samuel J. Untermyer. Then in 1906, Samuel commissioned a well-known architect to design the finest garden in the world. Ten years later in 1916, they brought their vision to life.

It’s one of New York’s hidden gems and it is spectacular! The architect, William Welles Bosworth, took inspiration from gardens all around the world, but there are three places it primarily took inspiration from. One, it was inspired by the ancient Indo-Persian Gardens. The stairs at the Villa d’Este in Italy’s Lake Como, and of course Greek architecture with its amphitheater and Temple of Love.

Guarding the entrance of the amphitheater, where poetry readings and musical performances sometimes occur, are two stone Griffin statues atop tall double columns. If you look at their fasces, you might recognize the similarity in style to one of artist Lee Lawrie’s famous statues, Atlas in Rockefeller Plaza.

For many decades, the property deteriorated and there is a bit of a twist in the historical storyline that fascinates some (true crime fans??). The infamous “Son of Sam” serial killer, David Berkowitz practiced with a cult that used the grounds for Satanic rituals.

How to get there …

Right now with the pandemic, they’re taking extra precautions, so you have to go on their website here every Tuesday morning to book your free tickets in advance. Under normal conditions, the park is open to the public all year round, seven days a week, and it’s a great location for some really spectacular events, like Persian cultural ones. Being Persian myself, I really want to take my family there for things like the Persian New Year and more. I heard during Christmas they go all out with lights and decorations too.

You can find hours and directions here.

Our experience and the crazy things we learned on the tour …

We got there early on a Friday morning, and we were greeted by our tour guide who was very knowledgeable about these grounds and its journey through the decades.

We approached these gates, guarded by Artemis, and once our tour guide opened the doors we were greeted by a beautiful Indo-Persian Garden. It’s called the Walled Garden and they got its inspiration by the Indo-Persian Gardens of antiquity. I mean, the sun was dancing all around and lights of rainbow and fresh air just filled my entire world at the moment. I remember being greeted by this fountain that extended long into the ends of the garden.

Every single element of this space was carefully curated and thought out to represent Islam’s paradise. I later learned that the word Paradise itself comes from the Persian words, Pairi and Diz, which means something about ‘around’ and ‘to create a wall’. I also learned that its four pillars are water, milk, honey, and wine. Four of my most favorite things in the world.

The concept of this garden is just, it’s incredible. It even has Greek inspired elements to it, which really take everything up a notch. There’s a amphitheater based off of Greek elements. There is also a mosaic Persian Pool that was fed with water from the Temple of the Sky above and in some ways, I feel like it was the first infinity pool of its time. It’s being restored right now and I just can’t wait to go back and see what it looks like. This project is likely to be completed by 2022 at an estimated cost of $2 million!

I find it so fascinating when history combines the beauties of the best of culture, the best of regions, the best of Mother Nature. And now I know that there’s something like that just 30 minutes outside of Manhattan.

Another interesting thing we learned was that Samuel Untermyer was a big advocate for what is right. He had a close relationship with significant figures of our past like Albert Einstein and encouraged them to speak out about issues like the Nazi presence before World War II from 1933-1938, but passed away in 1940.

Our tour lasted about 90 minutes and I highly recommend it. For just a donation of $150, you can have the whole park almost all to yourself. This donation helps preserve the park and keep it open for people to enjoy, learn, and celebrate in it. Even if you visit during regular hours, I expect you’ll feel compelled to donate to help bring this glorious property back to life.

As the weather changes, and the trees submit to alighting in the firey red, orange, and yellow of Autumn, the beauty of the gardens will only intensify. Make sure to plan your trip as soon as possible to take advantage of this local gem. Visit their website for more information here: www.untermyergardens.org/