Hershey Gardens

When Milton Hershey opened Hershey Gardens to the public in 1937, it consisted of 7,000 roses spread across 3.5 acres. Today these hilltop gardens stretch over 23 acres and feature annual autumn chrysanthemums, color-changing Japanese maples and much more. Stroll in the shade of mighty oak trees, walk among hollies and dogwoods, or peruse the onsite garden shop for tote bags, holiday ornaments, and other take-home souvenirs. 

These days, the rose garden features 3,000 roses representing 115 varieties, from fragrant hybrid teas to floribunda, a cross of hybrid Teas and polyantha roses that are known for their clustered blooms. The 23-acre space also features a variety of theme gardens, including a fully immersive Senses Garden, and an Herb Garden filled with medicinal, aromatic, household, culinary, and dye-making plants. The M.S. Hershey Tribute Garden, created in 2012 for Hershey Gardens’ 75th anniversary, features a special seating area and showcases the newly revitalized M.S. Hershey Rose, a crimson red bloom named for the gardens’ founder. The American Rose Society gave the flower its title in 1940. 

Other theme gardens range from a new garden celebrating plants that are native to northeastern North America to the Children’s Garden, a space filled with meandering pathways, whimsical characters, and interactive components like a fragrance garden, caterpillar tunnel, and pretzel maze. 

Along with hundreds of varieties of flowers and plants, Hershey Gardens is also home to a conservatory that overlooks the historic rose garden. It consists of three distinct areas: a welcome pavilion, an education and horticultural wing (which hosts a popular orchid show in late January/early February, and an indoor tropical butterfly atrium that’s only one of 25 such atriums in the country. In addition to colorful winged insects brought from as far away as Africa and Asia, the atrium also has its own zoology zone where you find frogs, tarantulas, and scorpions from around the globe.

Hershey Gardens hosts events year-round such as guided walks, winter wreath workshops, and music among the roses, as well as a walking program for visitors who want to get fit while touring the grounds. Just ask for a Walking Program punch card when you visit, then have it punched every time you explore the gardens. Every 10 walks earns you a free pass to bring a friend.