Garden Party

Up in the northwestern exurbs of New Jersey, and down near the Pinelands, backyard gardens have to be fortresses of fencing and repellants to survive the ravages of deer and assorted hungry critters. 

But in the older suburbs in the northeast, where backyard deer are less frequent (although not totally uncommon), gardeners are freer from the constraints and the spring bloom is always visually stunning.

In Montclair, for instance, gardening and landscaping are revered hobbies. Residents swap soil secrets like stock tips.

So it just makes sense that the largest Iris garden in the world is a crowning glory here.

The Presby Memorial Iris Gardens (which celebrated its 80th birthday last year) is in bloom on a gently sloped Upper Montclair hillside. Stop by and you’ll join visitors from as far off as California and Europe.

Organizers call it a “living museum” with thousands of irises — Miniature and Tall, Japanese and Siberian, Heirloom and Contemporary — carefully  bedded, tended, and cultivated by legions of volunteers. 

Impressionist painter Susan Marx of Orange is one of many artists who visit these  gardens with easel and brush, comparing Montclair’s finery to great gardens of the world like Monet’s in Giverny, France.  Still photographers wander the flower beds, looking for the most amazing displays of bloom and color.

Don’t wait, the bloom season only lasts to June 8. Bring your camera or your sketch pad and pack a picnic. It’s a great afternoon in the Garden State. 

Tools: Share | Ask a question