Presby Memorial Iris Garden

Presby Memorial Iris Gardens in Montclair, New Jersey, has been called, "The Rainbow on the Hill." And for good reason. The myriad of color stretching over 6.5 acres of hilly property is from an expansive collection of beautiful irises–over 10,000 of them, It is said that there are approximately 1,500 varieties. Each iris plot has a marker, telling visitors exactly what kind of iris it is, and what awards it may have received.  The garden was started in 1922. Today, volunteer gardeners take care of the plants.

The best time to see this beautiful place is mid-May to early June, when the irises are in full bloom.

Also on the property, is the Walther House (open 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM during peak iris-blooming season) and a Bloom Room Gift Shop which sells delicious iris honey.

The gardens are open daily from dusk to dawn. There is no cost of admission to view the gardens, but a donation of $8.00 is suggested.


Before I go, I want to let you know of the release of my new picture book, Don't Feed the Elephant!

Blurb:  People say you're not supposed to play with your food. But the adventurous little elephant in Don't Feed the Elephant never got the message! This charming children's story won't just entertain kids with its hilarious descriptions and zany main character. It will also educate them about the alphabet and help them learn the order of letters. As the elephant works his way through food stuffs, each new dish features a new letter of the alphabet. From animal crackers to zebra cakes, the elephant is enthusiastic to gobble everything up, even when it lands him in hot water.

Here are some sample illustrations:

It's available on Amazon as a Paperback book. For my international friends, it will be available in the UK, Canada, India, and anywhere else Amazon sells in about a week.