There are a slew of garden events around our towns this weekend and in the coming weeks.
On Saturday, May 19, the Cornucopia Network of New Jersey presents a tour of Seven Open Organic Vegetable Gardens in Montclair, Nutley and West Orange. The tour, which runs from 2 p.m.-5 p.m., is free and open to the public, and it features Pat Kenschaft’s garden (which is only open until 4 p.m.) For more details, visit the website.
On Sunday, May 20, Glen Ridge High School (GRHS), the Ridgewood Avenue School (RAS),
local gardeners and local vendors are coming together for Glen Ridge Grows, a new community event. Described as part garden tour and part
student arts showcase, Glen Ridge Grows offers tours of public and private gardens accompanied by student musical performances and
works of art and literature. (BaristaKids also wrote about it here.)
Participants can tour the gardens at their own pace. There is also a complimentary jitney service. The event begins at RAS at 1 p.m. and ends at GRHS at 5 p.m. The cost is $5 per person, $15 per family, or $2.50 for senior citizens. At the high school, there will be music, artisanal tacos by Taqueria Autentica, and a market to buy herbs grown by the students or shop other local vendors.
In conjunction with the Shade Tree Commission, five shade trees donated by the Glen Ridge Athletic Association, Glen
Ridge Congregational Church, The Purple Dragon Co-op, RAS Home &
School Association and the GRHS Home & School Association will be raffled off. After the event, Fitzgerald’s 1928 will contribute
$1 to the Shade Tree Commission for each patron who turns in a
ticket that evening. To reserve tickets, click here.
Over at Van Vleck House & Gardens you can join the 13th Annual “Roses to Rock Gardens” tour on Friday, June 1 and Saturday, June 2. This is a rare opportunity to stroll through seven spectacular private gardens in Montclair. The tour begins at 9:30 am with a coffee reception at Van Vleck House. Then stroll the Van Vleck grounds with a cell phone audio tour, or head directly to the featured gardens and tour at your own pace, enjoying an audio narrative at each location. The gardens are open until 2:30 p.m. Advance tickets are $30; $25 for members, and at the door is $35 or $30 for members. You can purchase tickets here.
The tour will officially kick off with an outdoor luncheon on Thursday, May 31 at noon in the formal garden, featuring special guest speaker Emmy-award winning TV personality, George Oliphant, host of NBC’s “George to the Rescue.” Tickets are $75. Seating is limited to 200 people, so click here to reserve.
By the way, Van Vleck House & Gardens just broke ground on a huge capital improvement project that will make the garden even more spectacular and provide more ways for the community to use it.