Van Vleck House and Gardens, Spring 2023 | Montclair, New Jersey

Van Vleck House And Gardens

This historic home and garden in Montclair is a very beautiful place.

The historic site was owned by the Van Vleck family until 1993.

You can see a timeline of major events in the history of this historic house and garden.

According to the Garden Conservancy:

Three generations of Van Vlecks, a family of architects, built this beautifully proportioned suburban Italianate villa in Montclair, NJ, that features stunning collections of rhododendrons, azaleas, and other broad-leaved evergreens. We assisted the Montclair Foundation, current owners of Van Vleck House & Gardens, in the rehabilitation and management of the garden to continue the Van Vleck family’s commitment to community, education, and horticultural excellence.

In 1993 the town was gifted the house by the family:

In 1993 the heirs of Howard Van Vleck gifted the house and grounds at 21 Van Vleck Street to The Montclair Foundation – a 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to support nonprofits. The Foundation created the Van Vleck Board of Management to oversee the property.

Donations Are Always Appreciated

The Montclair Foundation runs the property now. The property is open to non-profits to use for special causes. They can also apply for grants.

According to their website:

Unlike many other local gardens and arboretums, Van Vleck House & Gardens receives no county or municipal funding.

We rely on donations and fundraising, in addition to support from The Montclair Foundation, to keep the gardens open to the public daily, as well as on generous organizations to maintain this unique property and continue to provide quality programming and educational opportunities to the community.

The Gardens Are Stunning

Every spring the place bursts with beautiful blooms. The House is draped with beautiful wisteria, and the grounds are covered with flowering bushes and beautiful trees.

Gardenvisit.com has a listing of the plants and flowers usually found here.

Architectural Digest chose it as one of the most New Jersey’s Most Beautiful Gardens.

In this video, it was selected as one of the Best 10 Magical Gardens in New Jersey you’re guaranteed to love!

In this lovely video, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra plays the first movement of Beethoven’s Adagio – Allegro con brio from Septet in E-flat Major” in the Gardens (audio recorded at NJPAC’s Prudential Hall in Newark)