Essex County Blooms

Overview

In 1927, the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens were established in the name of Frank Presby—a local resident known for his stewardship of the American Iris Society. These  gardens were tended by curator Barbara Walther for more than five decades and are now maintained by a volunteer society, the Presby Memorial Citizens Committee. 

Seeing the non-profit organization that maintained the gardens struggling to survive, and in danger of having to sell the Walther House, the County of Essex formed an extraordinary partnership in 2009 with the Citizens Committee's Board of Trustees and the Township of Montclair.  With $1.1 million in grants from the NJ Green Acres Program and the Essex County Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund, Essex County purchased more than seven acres of land that make up the House and Garden complex;  the adjacent 3 acres of Township land will be sold to the County for $1. 

The County now maintains the House and grounds, and the Citizens Committee, maintaining ownership of the iris bulbs, continues to preserve the Gardens and records, build an endowment and expand their educational programming. 

The property, consisting of the Walther House and Iris Gardens, is designated as a historic site by the National and State Registers of Historic Places and attracts thousands of people from around the world each year. The gardens contain approximately 10,000 irises in 3,000 varieties and produce nearly 100,000 flowers at peak season.

Location

The Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens is located at 474 Upper Mountain Avenue in Upper Montclair, New Jersey.  Street parking is available on Upper Mountain Avenue (garden side) and Highland Avenue. Handicap parking is available on the Walther House driveway. Entrance to the gardens is free and open to the public from dawn to dusk daily all year round.  

Calendar

Peak bloom season occurs from May 14 through June 5. During this time, the Bloom Room Gift Shop is open from 10am to 8pm seven days a week and an ongoing Music Series will be taking place . All 2011 events listed below are free and open to the public.

Links

Citizens Committee of the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens