My letter to a nurseryman outlining my vision to create an arboretum on 26 acres at Poly Prep in Brooklyn, NY

Thank you John

Happy to look at pictures and lists of what you suggest.  The project at Poly Prep is a 25 to 50 year plan to create one of the great arboretums of the world.  In about 10 years it will be goal to find a "naming" opportunity for a donor to make a gift in the range of $5,000,000.  During that time is it my intention and plan to spend at least $1,000,000 adding considerable value to the Poly Prep's 26 magnificent acres at the foot of the Verrazano Bridge in Brooklyn. 

This will be my seventh conifer collection that I have formed in the last 50 years.  It is my feeling that I finally do know what I am doing and that paying a landscape architect would be a waste of money and ruin the fun for me.  Your blunt advice on my "skill" would be greatly appreciated.  I am willing to back away and down but that would mark the end of my wish to be involved.   

The first way to see my ability would be to visit 235 North Broadway in Nyack, NY to see the collection that I have formed over the last 14 years.  Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

Beyond this I can say the following:

1.  My great great great grandfather was one of the founders of the Philadelphia Flower Show as the owner of the Michell's, still in business today.

2.  I was in the landscape business for 15 years from the age of 16 to 30 during which time I decided to become a full-time art dealer and gave the business to my younger brother who still runs that business today. 

3.  My first family home was called "Poplar Lane" built in 1758 with a garden laid out by John Bartram.  That was my first project to restore those grounds.  I still own the home in Gulph Mills, Pennsylvania.

4.  My second project was "Oakwell" - 10 acres with gounds laid out by Frederick Law Olmstead.  That collection is now truly magnificent having been started over 30 years ago.  It was just sold for $10 million to the township.

3.  My third project was a home in Sea Island, Georgia on one acre.

4.  My fourth was in Middleburg, VA on 70 acres. 

5.  My fifth was in Leesburg, VA on 50 acres with a quarter mile of frontage on the Potomac River on a famous property called "Rockland."  That was a collection of conifers but also Magnolias and Japanese Cutleaf Maples.  

6.  My sixth was at Nyack, NY the former home of Helen Hayes in a house called "Pretty Penny"  If you type in "Arader Nyack Pretty Penny" into google images you can get a good idea of what is there.  

For my seventh project at Poly Prep my time horizon is at least 15 years and more likely 25.  So my planning will be for an event that comes to fruition in 25 years.  But by then it will be truly elegant and spectacular - something with distinct allure along the lines of the arboretum at the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey.    The principal point of this work will be to provide all students at Poly Prep the opportunity to be inspired by the genius of Linnaeus from the Age of Enlightenment to the present day.  Hopefully, courses can be created that will USE this collection to teach and generate graded papers. 

Having been in the landscape business for 15 years and on my 7th project, you should expect that I will be deadly keen on maximizing value.   I have limited funds and will be very unhappy if I am overcharged for anything - plants, labor or advice.   My goal is to get $1,000,000 of value for my money not  $250,000.

You may decide that someone as thrifty as I am not worth your time.   I hope not because I very much like the health of your specimens growing mostly in shade.   You also have a good eye.

I am copying the following:

Matt Stelluto - Head of the Poly Prep Plant and someone I am very fond of for his experience and integrity.

Peggy Cook - Head of advancement at Poly and very skilled and supportive

Louis Iacobucci - The excellent provider of labor for my vision

Mark Bloom - the source of most of my plants for Pretty Penny.  His farm is in Oregon.  I am hoping that he can be competitive but am worried that the $5000 that it costs to ship a truckload across the country may knock him out.    I am now looking at other wholesalers now that 75% of what he recently sold me has died.

Walter Arader, my son who runs my business

Josephine Michell Arader Delille, the top salesperson for my business and a passionate gardener.  Also the mother of two. 

Lowrie Glasgow - a physician who is an admirer of you. 

I am now looking at spending $35,000 with you but I expect you to be competitive and to be aware that I will be looking for good value. 

Truly

Graham Arader

1016 Madison Avenue, NYC, NY, 10075

703 627 0275.