Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens
474 Upper Mountain Avenue, Upper Montclair | Gateway Region
Known as the “rainbow on the hill,” this public garden is renowned for its 3,000 varieties of irises producing more than 100,000 flowers (peak bloom season typically falls between mid-May and early June). But you can visit this winter to get a gander at the garden’s less famous flora, including violets, speedwell, winter jasmine and holly.
Frelinghuysen Arboretum
353 E. Hanover Avenue, Morristown | Skylands Region
From the Frelinghuysen family’s summer home in 1895 to a public arboretum listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1977, this property has seen some blooming history. Resplendent in every season, winter brings blossoms of witch hazel, hellebore, winter jasmine, snowdrops and holly trees and shrubs.
New Jersey Botanical Garden at Ringwood State Park
5 Morris Road, Ringwood | Gateway Region
This 96-acre property was named the state’s official botanical garden in 1984. Additional accolades include its placement on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. When the weather outside is frightful, its Winter Garden is so delightful. Make sure to spot this trio of standouts: a densely conical Japanese umbrella pine (Sciadopitys verticillata) that was planted sometime between 1891 and 1920, an Algerian fir (Abies numidica) that bears showy seven-inch purple cones and an Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) that has been thriving here since 1928.
Rutgers Gardens
30 Log Cabin Road, New Brunswick | Central Jersey Region
Boasting 14 distinctive collections, this is another garden that wows visitors all year through. Take a winter walk through the Holly Collection to admire one of the country’s most expansive aggregations of American Hollies (Ilex opaca) – not to mention their Madeira (I. perado), English (I. aquifolium), Japanese (I. crenata), Chinese (I. cornuta) and Inkberry (I. glabra) Hollies. Then make your way to the Roy H. DeBoer Evergreen Garden to get whisked away by Weeping White Pines, Cedars, Spruces and Firs. And make sure to swing through the Shrub Garden to see the Vernal Witchhazel (Hamamelis vernalis) when it blossoms with fragrant yellow flowers in February and March.
Sayen House & Gardens
155 Hughes Drive, Hamilton | Central Jersey Region
This former property of avid gardener Frederick Sayen is famous for its heirloom azaleas and rhododendrons. Every spring, the garden bursts forth with 250,000 flowering bulbs. No wonder it’s home to an Azalea Festival and weddings in its picturesque gazebo. For your wintertime visit, keep an eye out for hellebores and witch hazels. Birders can encounter great blue herons, red-tailed hawks, mourning doves, downy woodpeckers, northern mockingbirds and more fine-feathered friends.
Willowwood Arboretum
300 Longview Road, Chester | Skylands Region
Visitors exploring the grounds of our state’s most comprehensive and enduring arboretum in December and January will take in the season’s unique offerings. Wander the Winter Garden for a captivating collection of conifers. Hop along Holly Lawn to admire these berry-yielding stunners. In February, skunk cabbage, snowdrops, winter aconite and winter jasmine are all abloom.
Because we’re the Garden State, there’s so much to see and do in every season. 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 an efflorescence of trip inspiration.
