Paradise on the Hudson

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.