Magnificent Rose Display at Hershey Gardens

In the 1930s, Milton S. Hershey, philanthropist and founder of the Hershey chocolate company, was asked to sponsor a national rosarium in Washington, D.C. In keeping with his philosophy of supporting the local community, Hershey instead decided to “create a nice garden of roses” in his own town. What began as a 3.5-acre rose garden in 1937 grew to a beautiful botanical garden on 23 acres in five short years.

Postcard of hershey gardens from the 1940s

The Historic Hershey Rose Garden is still the focal point at Hershey Gardens, with 3,500 rose bushes representing 275 varieties of hybrid teas, floribundas, miniatures, shrub roses, and old garden roses. Stepping out of the Visitor Center, the view of Swan Lake flanked by thousands of colorful rose blossoms is spectacular.

A central path leads from the rose garden gazebo to the Seasonal Display Garden, where you will find a dazzling 20,000 tulips in spring, followed by colorful annuals and tropicals in summer and chrysanthemums in the fall. It continues to the M. S. Hershey Tribute Garden, which commemorated Hershey Gardens’ 75th anniversary in 2010. It features the red ‘M. S. Hershey’ rose, named by the American Rose Society in 1940 and dedicated on Hershey’s 83rd birthday.

Other themed gardens include a Japanese Garden, Herb Garden, Rock Garden, Ornamental Garden, and Perennial Garden. The themed gardens are framed by groupings and specimens of Japanese maple, dawn redwood, seven-son flower, and weeping cedar. Other unusual trees are featured in the arboretum and the newly planted nut grove.

Hershey Gardens is an excellent destination for small children. Entered through a caterpillar-shaped living tunnel draped in chocolate vine, the 1.5-acre Children’s Garden is whimsical, interactive, and educational. A butterfly-shaped pollinator garden, fountains shaped like Hershey’s Kisses, the Pretzel Maze, the ABC garden, and 21 other themed gardens offer hands-on fun.

The Butterfly Atrium in the conservatory is a year-round attraction, with hundreds of North American and tropical butterflies fluttering through a tropical oasis. Palm trees, ti plants, hibiscus, and even the cacao tree that is used to make chocolate create a beautiful setting for leopard lacewings, Great Mormons, blue morphos, and many other butterflies and moths. A large Chrysalis Cabinet illustrates the butterfly lifecycle from egg to caterpillar, pupa, and adult.

Hershey Gardens, 170 Hotel Rd., Hershey, PA 17033, 717-534-3492, hersheygardens.org