Montclair is home to historic downtown, high-end boutiques and award-winning restaurants; yet one of its greatest hidden gems lies just beyond its sidewalks. Tucked away down an unassuming narrow road behind an unassuming QuickChek and neighborhood pizza place is Avis-Campbell Gardens, lovingly cared for for nearly one hundred years by The Garden Club of Montclair.
Beginning as an educational center dedicated to conservation and horticultural excellence, The Gardens were established through the generosity of local residents who donated large portions of their property to The Garden Club of Montclair as donations in order to establish The Gardens as a public resource open from dawn to dusk, every day of the year, without charge for visitors. Today they remain an invaluable community asset!
Presby Memorial Iris Gardens were established at the Gardens in 1927 to honor Frank H. Presby, a horticulturist and founding member of the American Iris Society. These exquisite Iris Gardens house one of the world’s premier collections and provide visitors with a great attraction during early spring when thousands of irises bloom – not only as displays but also as teaching tools to increase knowledge on caring, cultivating and hybridizing iris varieties.
Over the second half of the 20th century, The Gardens developed into its impressive display as a result of efforts put forth by volunteers from Montclair community. Recognizing The Gardens as an asset to their local area and continuing the work started by Van Vlecks family.
The Gardens have transformed into a public botanical garden of mostly ericaceous plants, open from dawn to dusk for 340 days of the year and free of charges. There is something here for everyone from impressive displays of rhododendrons and azaleas to extensive plantings of native shrubs and trees, along with its main house designed to look like a Mediterranean villa back in 1916 being turned into a non-profit community resource; while its charming Chinese wisteria provides the perfect setting for wedding photographs!
Montclair has long been known as a town of gardeners, yet gardening takes on new meaning in today’s age of environmental challenges. Last year, Montclair joined the Northeast Pollinator Pathways project, encouraging all residents to plant gardens that provide food for local pollinators species. However, Montclair’s garden pioneers still live on as more people adopt pollinator-friendly practices into their yards and gardens.
