“Through her prodigious research and evocative prose, Caroline Seebohm recreates an era of New York life seen through the history and dazzling beauty of the restored Untermyer Gardens.” —Paula Deitz, author, Of Gardens
On a single day in 1939, more than 30,000 people visited the Untermyer Garden—at the time, one of the world’s grandest landscapes. Thirty years later, most of the site had been sold or abandoned. Who was the eccentric visionary behind the estate’s original glory? What triggered the garden’s decline and sparked its restoration?
In Paradise on the Hudson, Caroline Seebohm brings to light the remarkable story of a larger-than-life figure lost mostly to history, and the impact of his horticultural obsession. It is a fascinating tale about of the role of passion in both creating and rescuing one of America’s greatest gardening achievements.
In 1899, headline-grabbing New York attorney Samuel Untermyer purchased Greystone, a sizable estate on the banks of the Hudson River. By 1939, he had turned the grounds into one of the most extravagant gardens in the world. Only three decades later, the property had fallen into neglect and shrunk from 150 acres to 16—unrecognizable even as a garden, let alone a destination. Today, over a century after the amateur horticulturist’s Eden first bloomed, Untermyer’s gardens are being restored and the splendor is slowly taking shape again.
In
Paradise on the Hudson, Caroline Seebohm brings to light the remarkable story of a larger-than-life figure lost mostly to history, and the impact of his horticultural obsession. Untermyer’s life was complex, including a scandalous relationship, friendships with luminaries, and controversial stands in both the courtroom and international politics. But never was he happier than when alone in his greenhouse, hand-pollinating delphinium hybrids.
Seebohm reveals surprising details of the garden in its heyday and the twisting turns of the estate’s fate. Then, coming full circle, the book highlights the heroic efforts of the Untermyer Gardens Conservancy to beautifully restore this important garden, ensuring its lasting place in American garden history.
“A splendid book about a spectacular garden brought back to life, and the amazing man who created it.”—
Lynden B. Miller, public garden designer “Through her prodigious research and evocative prose, Caroline Seebohm recreates an era of New York life seen through the history and dazzling beauty of the restored Untermyer Gardens.”—
Paula Deitz, author, Of Gardens “The story of Untermeyer and his garden, its rise, fall, and phoenix-like rebirth…a compelling book.” —
River Journal “A fascinating biography of a nearly forgotten 20th century public figure.” —
The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries “This is a fascinating book portraying interesting seasons in American history, the building of a garden, its decline and restoration.”
—Horticulture 
