Optimism in a Day Trip

By Wendy Greenberg

“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.”

—Lady Bird Johnson, former first lady of the U.S. and founder of the National Wildflower Research Center in Austin, Texas

The days are noticeably longer, and the sun is deliciously warmer. Most of us think a little more hopefully in spring, and we often turn to nature for inspiration. It’s a season to spend more time outdoors and feast on the exquisite color palette offered by lush landscapes of flowers that cover acres in the Garden State.

Long considered symbols of optimism in literature and song, flowers have represented “resilience, optimism, and the ability to overcome adversity. (A flower) symbolizes growth and renewal, reminding us there is always the potential for growth and change, even amid hardship” notes Southside Blooms, a nonprofit “farm to vase florist” outside of Chicago.

English librettist W.S. Gilbert wrote with composer Arthur Sullivan in The Mikado, that “the flowers that bloom in the spring (tra la), breathe promise of merry sunshine — As we merrily dance and we sing (tra la), we welcome the hope that they bring (tra la).”

Here in New Jersey, we can stop and smell the roses and be surrounded by the floral richness of a park or botanical garden.

If you follow this month-to-month guide of places to view beautiful spring blooms, your senses will be rewarded.

Orchid at Duke Farms. (Shutterstock.com)

March

Orchids
Duke Farms
1112 Dukes Parkway West, Hillsborough
908.722.3700; dukefarms.org

The estate where tobacco heiress Doris Duke grew up is now a nature preserve with more than 1,000 acres of land and abundant wildlife and is known for its sustainability efforts and natural beauty. It is said that when Duke’s father died when she was 12, she was comforted by an orchid arrangement, and this sparked her interest in cultivating orchids. Today, the Tropical Orchid Garden, in a striking domed conservatory, is filled with a wide variety of orchid species from tropical regions as well as orchids that have been cultivated at Duke Farms, including Phalaenopsis Doris, registered in 1940, “of unprecedented importance in the hybrid Phalaenopsis breeding,” according to Duke Farms.

Support greenhouses hold orchid plants in various stages of growth and bloom in preparation for orchid programs, demonstrations, and presentations in the Tropical Orchid Display.

Two buildings, one for a tropical display, one for sub-tropical, were designed by Boston architects Kendall Taylor & Stevens in 1899, and in 2012 the buildings earned LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum-level certification. Less than a mile from the Orientation Center, located in the “core,” the Orchid Range focuses on plants native to the United States. The subtropical display is filled with orchids that have evolved in cooler subtropical locations where winter nights dip to 40 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the website. Naturally-occurring orchid species are highlighted to demonstrate their growing habits — among trees, on branches, and upon rocks.

Tulips at Holland Ridge Farms. (Shutterstock.com)

APRIL

Tulips
Holland Ridge Farms
108 Rues Road,
Cream Ridge
info@hollandridgefarms.com; hollandridgefarms.com

Billing itself as a “floral paradise in the heart of New Jersey” is no exaggeration for Holland Ridge Farms, considering that eight million tulips in full bloom can be breathtaking.

The Tulip Festival is late April to early May, set every year depending on the weather according to the team at Holland Ridge. “We will not know our opening date until about 10 days before,” they said, but the opening is usually mid-April.

There will always be tulips for picking and photos no matter when you visit the farm’s Spring Spectacular. The best time to come really depends on what you want to get out of the experience — shorter closed buds for picking and taking home to enjoy, or longer open blooms for photoshoots. At the beginning of the season there are shorter stems with mostly closed buds, according to the farm. Picked stems will last up to a week (or more) in a vase. In the middle of the season, the farm experiences peak bloom, when most of the tulips have opened up and the farm is in full color. At the end of the season there are longer stems with mostly open blooms that will last less time in a vase.

For the Tulip Festival, there is timed admission and ticket prices of $15 per person on weekdays; $17 per person weekends; and a discount for groups. Visit the website for tickets and details. There is no limit to how many flowers to pick — they are $1 per stem. When you get home, says the farm team, cut the bottoms of your stems to fit the vase and strip the leaves off the stems. Change out the water every couple of days and recut the stems if necessary. Tulips continue growing in the vase even after they have been picked!

The festival has a pop-up vendor market on weekends, and food trucks seven days a week.

May

Azaleas
Sayen House and Gardens
155 Hughes Drive, Hamilton
609.890.3874; Hamiltonnj.com/sayengardens

Hamilton Township’s municipal park and botanical garden, Sayen House and Gardens is a 30-acre oasis where more than 1,000 azaleas, 500 rhododendrons, and flowering bulbs bloom with color. Admission is free daily from dawn to dusk.

The Annual Azalea Festival is held Mother’s Day weekend at Sayen Botanical Gardens on Saturday May 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., where 250,000 flowering bulbs can be seen. it is a free event.

In addition to the flowers, Sayen Gardens is home to birds and wildlife that enjoy the park’s tree-filled, wooded lands surrounding the many walking trails, rolling fields, streams, and fish ponds.

According to its website. Sayen House and Gardens was created by avid gardener Frederick Sayen in 1912, with his wife, Anne Mellon of Pittsburgh’s Mellon family. He purchased a 30-acre parcel of land nearby the family rubber mill in Hamilton Square, and there he built a bungalow-style home and surrounded it with plants and flowers he brought from his world travels. The collection included species from China, Japan, and England, many of which are still flourishing today. Throughout the year, annual and perennial displays fill the gardens with splendor, highlighting the trails, ponds, and gazebos that permeate the grounds. Hamilton Township purchased the site in 1988, and the park was opened to the public in 1991.

Irises at Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. (Courtesy of Presby Memorial Iris Gardens)

Irises
Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Upper Montclair
973.783.5974; presbyirisgardens.org

For almost a century, the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens have delighted visitors with the breathtaking palette of colors that bloom every spring and fall,” says Anthony Puglisi, the public information director for Essex County, where the gardens are located. The gardens, he continues, “boast over 14,000 irises of about 3,000 varieties that produce over 100,000 blooms during the season, proudly owning its beautiful nickname, ‘The Rainbow on the Hill.’”

Moreover, adds Amy DiPalma, garden coordinator at Presby, “We have irises that date back as far as the 1500s and as new as the 2020s. Each iris is unique. The color patterns and petal structures of each variety of flower vary greatly. Take time to appreciate their delicate beauty. It will be hard to choose a favorite.”

Presby was founded in 1927 as a memorial to Frank H. Presby, one of the founders of the American Iris Society and a leading citizen of Montclair. An iris hybridizer known for his stewardship of the American Iris Society, Presby wanted to give his iris collection to Montclair’s Mountainside Park.

“It began,” says Di Palma of the gardens, “with irises from Presby’s own collection as well as donations from the American Iris Society and hybridizers around the world. The irises that we have at Presby are predominantly bearded irises that were developed and donated by hybridizers. While these irises are not native to the U.S., or anywhere for that matter, they are not an invasive species. There are 28 varieties of irises that are native to America, including dwarf crested irises and blue flag irises. Some of these native irises can be found along our dry creek bed.”

The maintenance and preservation of the gardens is accomplished by staff and volunteers. “Our gardeners and volunteers spend many hours hand weeding each of the garden beds,” says DiPalma. “We do not use weed killer in the garden — we do not want to damage our irises. In addition to weeding, we deadhead, stalk, and thin as needed. During bloom season we keep track of the dates that each flower has bloomed and record that information in our database. Our garden is run on donations from our visitors, and we have a suggested donation of $10 a person. It is not enforced as we would like everyone to enjoy the garden, but every donation is very much appreciated.”

The best time to visit the gardens is in May and June when the irises are in peak bloom, says Puglisi. The annual spring bloom season is typically mid-May through the first week of June, although certain beds will bloom in October. A recent addition is the PresBee Sanctuary which currently supports 10 active hives with well over 100,000 Italian honeybees.

On May 18 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., a free Family Garden Party at the Presby Memorial Iris Gardens offers a walk through a garden blooming with more than 100,000 iris flowers, and booths from local organizations such as the Essex County Environmental Center and Turtle Back Zoo, along with various food trucks. The Bloom Room will be open for shopping. For more information, call 973.433.7469.

“Definitely visit us in spring,” says DiPalma. “The irises begin to bloom towards the end of April and last until approximately mid-June. The best time to visit is late May, during what we call Peak Week, typically the week before Memorial Day. During Bloom Season, there is music in the garden on select dates and our lovely gift shop, The Bloom Room, is open for you to pick up a special memento from your visit.

“It truly is a breathtaking view to see the rows and rows of iris beds pop with color during the height of the blooming season. No other public garden in the area specializes in the iris and pays tribute to its many varieties as the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens.”

The 98th Bloom Season will begin soon: Opening Day is May 15.

Mertensia virginica (Virginia Bluebells), a native North American springtime woodland wildflower. (Shutterstock.com)

Wildflowers
Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve
1635 River Road, New Hope, Pa.
215.862.2924; bhwp.org

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve is a 134-acre nature preserve and botanical garden located in New Hope, Pa. The Preserve is known for its ecologically diverse landscapes, and it features more
than 700 native plant species and 4.5 miles of trails.

In spring, wander the woodland trails to see ephemerals cover the forest floor, especially vivid from mid-April through May. As spring unfolds, flowering shrubs, trees, and vines join the display. In May, according to the website, flowers such as the purple wild geranium, the golden-colored Virginia goldenstar, and common blue violet lend their colors to the landscape.

Summer wildflowers begin to appear in June, especially in the meadow, where richly colored flowers are constantly changing. In June, see the yellow prickly pear cactus, blue Virginia spiderwort and other colorful flowers.

See the website for a detailed look at what you can find.

Bowman’s Hill is open daily, except for major holidays, April–June, and closed on Tuesdays July–March; an admission fee is charged to nonmembers.

Roses at the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden. (Courtesy of the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden)

June

Roses

Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden
Colonial Park Gardens
156 Mettlers Road; Somerset
908.722.1200 ext. 5721
somersetcountyparks.org/colonial-park-gardens/pages/rudolf-w-van-der-goot-rose-garden

Iliana Okum, West Jersey Rose Society consulting rosarian, calls the Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden a beautiful oasis. “Van der Goot has them all, hybrid teas, floribundas, climbing roses, and modern shrubs — which have been hybridized. Some are appreciated for bloom, some for size, for fragrance, and color.”

“Its so much fun to go there” she continues. “To see multiple specimens of the same color. Take a walk on a beautiful day when the sun is shining — it’s a pleasant afternoon!”

The Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden is a unique garden, says Amy Tranter, horticulture supervisor at Colonial Park Gardens, where the rose garden is located. “It is an encyclopedic collection, a living encyclopedia of roses.”

Agrees Rodrigo Jordy, horticulture manager for the park commission, adding that van der Goot Rose Garden is the largest rose collection in New Jersey. “The collection is diverse — nowhere else does one see the variety in New Jersey.”

The annual Rose Festival is on June 7, but the rose garden is open April through October, sunrise to sunset.

The formal one-acre Rudolf W. van der Goot Rose Garden contains more than 3,000 roses of 345 labeled varieties. The collection includes popular modern hybrid roses, species roses, and various classes of heirloom or “old garden roses” (types grown before 1867). From late spring through fall, the roses unfurl a changing landscape of color, form, and fragrance.

The rose garden, established in 1971, and surrounding arboretum, were part of the original Mettler Estate, a working farm dating back to the mid-1800s. In 1981, the garden was named in honor of Rudolf W. van der Goot, the first horticulturist with the Somerset County Park Commission, to honor his work in developing the garden.

Mettler’s formal garden provided the inspiration for the front garden, which features modern hybrid roses, urns with tree roses, a fountain, and The Grandmother’s Garden, a bed planted with roses popular through World War II.

A rope trellis frames the middle garden, and supports climbing roses and clematis, and beds with the modern hybrid rose collection. Fragrant heirloom roses line the garden’s perimeter. The central walk is named in honor of Millicent Fenwick, a four-term New Jersey congresswoman and U.S. representative to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture. These beds, according to the website, are planted with a “special collection of polyantha and miniature roses and provide seating under a pergola covered with native wisteria and climbing roses.”

A garden in the formal Dutch style, with raised beds framed by low-growing flowering plants, continues the collection of modern hybrid roses, more heirloom roses, native and species roses, and pergolas covered in climbing roses.

The Fragrance and Sensory Garden is housed in the Rose Garden. This sunken garden showcases collections of plants that engage one or more senses, including medicinal and culinary herbs, tropical plants, fragrant shrubs, tender perennials, vines, and unusual annuals. Its interactive nature features herbs such as holy basil, chocolate mint, lemon-scented geranium, and textured plants such as sedum and lamb’s ear.

The Rose Garden at Colonial Park Gardens attracts thousands of visitors each week in the summer and often inspires a home garden. It is free to visit and open April through October, with a suggested donation of $6 per adult and $3 per senior or child. Pets, picnics, and wedding ceremonies are not permitted. Guided tours can be arranged for a small fee.

Why visit? “It’s intoxicating,” says Jordy. “Every color a rose can come in — we have here,” adds Tranter.

Water lotus. (Courtesy of Grounds For Sculpture)

Lotus and Water Lilies
Grounds For Sculpture
80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton
609.586.0616; roundsforsculpture.org

June is the start of the blooming season for lotus and water lilies. The lotuses and water lilies are usually in full bloom by late June and stay in bloom for six weeks, says Colleen Molnar of Grounds For Sculpture. The lotus can be found by the gazebo and the water lilies are in the pond by Rat’s Restaurant. “We also have roses and perennials in bloom earlier in June, which can be found all around the grounds, including the rose arbor by Rat’s Restaurant, scalloped berms, Olympia Hill by the Welcome Center, and behind the Museum Building,” she notes.

Beautiful in any season, Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) is a continually evolving landscape. Every season brings new ways to look, see, and explore, according to its website. Across 42 acres, one can find “a meadow rich with wildflowers, butterflies, and a pond teeming with natural life. Or wander through manicured fairways and paths, past elegant and architectural reflecting pools, to admire the living library of native and exotic trees and flowers.” GFS is home to a wide variety of native and exotic trees and plants.

(Photo courtesy of Grounds For Sculpture)

In 1984, J. Seward Johnson, sculptor and philanthropist, envisioned a public sculpture garden and museum in Hamilton, where contemporary sculpture was accessible to all.

In 1986, Brian Carey of AC/BC Associates in New York City was selected through a competition to design a sculpture park at the old New Jersey State Fair. Landscape construction began in 1989. Since then, more than 2,000 trees representing more than 100 species and cultivars have been planted. In addition to typical nursery stock, many plants were collected from estates and abandoned nurseries or were salvaged from construction sites. GFS opened to the public in 1992.

GFS is a Level II Accredited

Arboretum recognized by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, Ill., for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens.

Enjoy the blooms!