Organization Profile
The Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens is the largest public iris garden in the United States. The display beds contain nearly 14,000 irises of around 3,000 varieties and produce over 100,000 blooms each May. It is a LIVING MUSEUM of botanical preservation with some varieties dating back to the 1500’s and is lovingly referred to by locals as the Rainbow on the Hill. Adjacent to the Gardens is the historic Walther House, a circa 1865 building which acts as headquarters for Citizens Committee offices and houses the Bloom Room gift shop. The overall site is listed on both the State and National Registers of Historic Sites and is also a facility of the historic Essex County Park System. The Citizens Committee maintains the everyday operations of the gardens.
