Brookdale Park Rose Garden is an attraction that attracts visitors from across the nation, boasting 500 healthy rose bushes from nearly 150 varieties in 25 individual beds. Tended by dedicated volunteers from Master Gardeners of Essex County and Brookdale Park Conservancy, visitors can take pleasure from viewing this breathtaking garden year round; peak blooming times typically occur between June and September.
The rose garden at Brookdale Park can be found at its northern edge. Established by a joint effort of the New Jersey Rose Society and Essex County Parks Department in the late 1920s, construction on this project was interrupted due to The Great Depression but eventually finished by 1937.
This garden, the oldest public rose garden in New Jersey, served as an example for many others to follow. Its goal was to teach visitors about roses and how they should be grown while also showcasing different shrubs and flowering trees suited for New Jersey weather conditions.
One of the many distinctive aspects of this garden are the Grandmother’s Garden with antique roses, Mettler Garden which showcases hybrid tea and floribunda roses, and Fragrance and Sensory Rose Garden which was specifically created to serve people with mobility issues.
All year, The Garden hosts numerous events including gardening workshops and rose demonstrations as well as performances by local musicians. Additionally, Art Squared shows feature artist exhibitions where works of art are sold and exhibited for sale at this beautiful garden setting.
Garden also hosts various other events such as yoga classes and fitness programs; additionally it’s also a popular location for weddings.
The garden can be reached easily via car and public transit – the Montclair-Boonton line’s Watchung Avenue train station is nearby, while multiple bus routes stop at its grounds.
Montclair offers many dining options in its vicinity and serves as an ideal location for foodies to discover new cuisine. Furthermore, there are a few hotels within close proximity.
At this garden, there are benches where visitors can rest and take in the sights. Its beautiful flowers and intoxicating fragrance make for a peaceful environment ideal for anyone wanting a respite from urban noise.
Rutgers Master Gardeners of Essex County will hold their annual plant sale at Presby Iris Gardens (474 Valley Rd Upper Montclair) from 10am-4pm and 9am-3pm respectively on Friday May 1st (10am-4pm) and Saturday May 2nd (9am-3pm). Take this chance to find perennials, shrubs, tomato plants and much more for sale – shade-tolerant varieties as well as deer resistant ones can also be found! Additionally they also provide shade tolerant and deer resistant plants as well as native and pollinator friendly varieties too.
