Alstede Farms
1 Alstede Farms Lane, Chester | Skylands Region
Green up your plate right here! From late May to June, you can pick your own Jersey fresh strawberries, sugar snap and snow peas, Swiss chard, radishes, spinach, beets, turnips, kohlrabi and cilantro. Be sure to watch the farm’s events calendar for their Springtime and Easter Festival and Fun on the Farm activities.
Battleview Orchards
91 Wemrock Road, Freehold | Shore Region
You can count on this orchard for u-pick strawberries – their website even shares tasty recipes (think: fresh strawberry pie, strawberry ice cream and more) to make great use of your plucked ruby treasures! If you’d rather leave the harvesting and baking to the experts, you can stop in the orchard’s Country Store – open daily (except Tuesdays) for farm-fresh produce and goodies.
Branch Brook Park
115 Clifton Avenue, Newark |Gateway Region
It’s a matter of Garden State pride that New Jersey boasts more cherry blossom trees than Washington, DC. And this county park that spans Belleville and Newark is home to 5,000 of them that bloom in every shade from pure white to saturated pink. No wonder its annual Essex County Cherry Blossom Festival (held every April) draws crowds of thousands to take in the sight!
David C. Shaw Arboretum
44 Longstreet Road, Holmdel | Shore Region
Walk through a canopy of flowering trees – including cherry blossoms – at this 22-acre public arboretum. Wondering about the name? David C. Shaw served as the Monmouth County Shade Tree Commission superintendent from 1963 to 2002, and this was one of his first projects. Thanks, David!
Donaldson Farms
358 Allen Road, Hackettstown | Skylands Region
In addition to pick-your-own strawberry season from the end of May to June, you can pop into the farm market for freshly harvested asparagus and spinach. Seasonal fun-on-the-farm activities for families include duck races and pony rides.
Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Upper Montclair | Gateway Region
Why is this public garden called the “Rainbow on the Hill?” That’s easy! More than 100,000 irises representing 3,000 varieties burst into a profusion of vivid hues, painting the landscape between mid-May and early June. I wish, you wish, we all wish to witness these irises!
Frelinghuysen Arboretum
353 E. Hanover Avenue, Morristown | Skylands Region
This public arboretum more than earned its spot on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977. Take a stroll across the grounds this spring and you’ll be surprised just how many blossoms and blooms will be there to greet you. In March, spy daffodils, Japanese apricots, March jewels and hyacinths. Then April bursts forth with a profusion of spring bulbs including tulips and narcissus. Return in May to spy irises, bishop’s hat, dogwoods, columbine, geums, rhododendrons, peonies, dianthus, geraniums – plus you can buy a bounty of beauty for yourself at the arboretum’s hugely popular spring plant sale.
Holland Ridge Farms
108 Rues Road, Cream Ridge | Shore Region
Although this “tulip paradise” only opened to the public in 2018, it’s rooted in a long legacy of Jansen family flora care and cultivation. Peak time to visit is during their U-Pick Tulips: Spring Spectacular, hosted from April to May. That’s when you can pluck-and-pay-per-stem for tulips, feast from over 30 food trucks, add some vibrancy to your social media feed with more photo opportunities than you can count, hop aboard a free tractor-pulled hayride, meet and feed farm animals, catch some live music and more.
Johnson’s Corner Farm
133 Church Road, Medford | Delaware River Region
Spring into the fun at this gorgeous Garden State farm. Hop aboard a hayride to tour the grounds or take part in an Egg Hunt for Easter. This season also brings some pick-your-own goodness with strawberries and cherries ready to harvest mid-May to mid-June and sugar snap peas for the plucking in early to mid-June.
New Jersey Botanical Garden at Ringwood State Park
5 Morris Road, Ringwood | Gateway Region
The official state gardens are so stunning, it’s one of the places we recommend popping the question! An inspirational spot to visit any time of the year, this destination really shines in spring. Be sure to include its Crab Apple Allée, Perennial Garden, Peony Garden, Lilac Garden, Azalea Garden, Wildflower Garden and Annual Garden on your seasonal bucket list.
Ort Farms
25 Bartley Road, Long Valley | Skylands Region
With a long and proud legacy of natural and sustainable growing practices at the root of every plant, you can feel good about buying your fresh-picked produce here. Stop in the farm market to introduce a burst of spring color into your home and garden and onto your plate with Easter flowers, spring annuals and perennials, fresh veggie plants and local asparagus and strawberries.
Reeves-Reed Arboretum
165 Hobart Avenue, Summit | Gateway Region
Yet another entry on the National and State Registers of Historical Places, this arboretum dazzles in year-round. Springtime brings a bounty of blooms to its Welcome Walk, Perennial Border, Primrose Path, Azalea Garden, Irene Reich Wildflower Trail and Daffodil Bowl. Love these sunny yellow blossoms? Plan to come for Daffodil Day, held at the arboretum every April.
Rutgers Gardens
30 Log Cabin Road, New Brunswick | Central Jersey Region
Spring right into the color shown in this destination’s Rhododendron Garden, Helyar Woods and Ornamental Tree Collection, where the dogwoods, magnolias and cherry trees are in flower. Visiting on a Friday? Be sure to stop by Cook’s Market (located right at the entrance to the Gardens) for farm-fresh produce, baked goods, live plants, cut flowers and floral arrangements and even more homegrown and handcrafted treats from local vendors.
Sayen House & Gardens
155 Hughes Drive, Hamilton | Central Jersey Region
Every year, this public garden dazzles with 250,000 flowering plants, including its famed heirloom azaleas, rhododendrons and dogwoods. Don’t be surprised if you witness a couple exchanging nuptials in the picture-perfect gazebo on spring weekends. And make sure you say “I do” to attending the garden’s annual Azalea Festival in May.
Terhune Orchards Vineyard & Winery
330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton | Central Jersey Region
Orchards might be in the name, but this destination goes – and grows! – well beyond apples. Head to the fields to pick your own asparagus (mid-May to early June) and strawberries (late May to early June). Pop in the farm store for freshly harvested asparagus (May – June), herbs (April – November), kale (April – November), lettuce (May – December), peas (May – June), radishes (May – October) and Swiss chard (May – September). Then, stick around to taste some of the orchard’s celebrated wines.
Willowwood Arboretum
300 Longview Road, Chester | Skylands Region
As long as Mother Nature cooperates, we mapped out exactly when and where you can find your favorite spring blooms at this arboretum:
March: crocus in the Entrance Drive, Parking Lot and Private Drive, hellebores in the Cornus mas Bed, Rockery and Stone Barn, scilla in the Cornus mas Bed and Rockery, winter jasmine at the Stone Cottage and witch hazel in the Parking Lot.
April: cherry trees in the Orchard, daffodils in the Entrance Drive and Winter Garden, early perennials in the Rockery and Cottage Garden, magnolias everywhere, pansies at the Stone Barn, Pan’s Garden and Cottage Garden and shadbush in the hedgerows
May: azaleas, crabapples and dogwoods everywhere, ferns and Japanese primroses in the Woodwalk, lilacs in the Lilac Collection, Overflow Parking and Highland Park, pansies at the Stone Barn, Pan’s Garden and Cottage Garden, peonies at the Cottage Garden and Rosarie, redbud in the hedgerows and woods, perennials at the Cottage Garden and Rockery, tulips at the Stone Barn and Pan’s Garden, viburnum in the Orchard and Virginia bluebells at the Cottage Garden.
New Jersey also boasts acres upon acres of farms dedicated to growing lavender and selling gotta-have-it lavender-based home goods, personal care products and culinary items. Follow the intoxicating scent to these four fragrant farms:
Field & Flock Lavender Farm | 264 Williams Road, Woodstown (Delaware River Region)
Hidden Spring Lavender & Alpaca Farm | 890 Route 601, Skillman (Central Jersey Region)
Orchard View Lavender Farm | 101 Karrsville Road, Port Murray (Skylands Region)
Pleasant Valley Lavender | 298 Pleasant Valley Road, Morganville (Shore Region)
Of course, the Garden State isn’t just a spring flora fling! Check out our comprehensive lists of gardens and arboretums, farms and orchards and wineries and vineyards. Then download our free travel guide and subscribe to our e-newsletter for inspiration to plan your someday vacay any time of year.
