Hi GPODers!

As an avid traveler, I’m more than happy to continue Joseph’s “On the Road” series and feature gorgeous gardens you and I have experienced while traveling or exploring new areas. I’m kicking things off today on a very sweet note.

Hershey, Pennsylvania, is known as the birthplace of the Hershey Chocolate Company, and thousands of people travel to the town every year to taste fresh chocolate from the factory and enjoy the chocolate-themed entertainment the area has to offer. (You can’t leave without taking a photo of their famous Hershey Kiss–topped street lamps.) However, did you know that Milton Hershey also had a soft spot for roses? The Hershey Company founder started a humble 3.5-acre public rose garden in 1937, which has expanded to the 23-acre botanical garden it is today. If you’re in the area, before you gorge out on all things cocoa, make sure to stop by Hershey Gardens.

When I visited the garden around this time last year, I was blown away by the rows and rows of roses in every color, size, and form. Below you’ll find just a sampling of what can be seen at this impressive botanical garden.

It was pretty early in the season for roses, but a tremendous amount were already sporting fabulous blooms. While I wish I could say that I stopped and smelled all the roses, there were far too many to even stop and admire them all. According to the garden’s website, there are 3,000 roses in the garden, representing 115 different varieties.

A color combination to go crazy for, this giant ‘Rainbow Niagara’ (Rosa ‘Rainbow Niagara’, Zones 5–9) smelled as good as it looked.

The color of ‘Lagerfeld’ (Rosa ‘Lagerfeld’, Zones 7–10) stopped me in my tracks. The mauve/lavender color looked straight out of a fairytale.

If flower color doesn’t peak your interest, the many different flower shapes and forms should pull you in. Unfortunately, I didn’t capture the name of this beauty. Rose connoisseurs, let me know in the comments if you recognize this variety!

If there wasn’t so much to see at this garden, I absolutely could have sat and enjoyed this shady bench for hours.

The history of the Hershey family adds some additional interest to the gardens. This particular section of the garden is dedicated to showing off the rose varieties named after Milton and his wife.

The Catherine Hershey roses weren’t blooming yet when I visited, but the M. S. Hershey rose blooms were in abundance. My mother was so transfixed by the flowers that she couldn’t resist bringing a shrub home for her own garden. Yes! You can actually buy your own M. S. Hershey or Catherine Hershey roses right at Hershey Gardens. My mother’s purchase is already thriving in her garden and sending out lots of buds this spring.

Roses aren’t the only plants worth seeing at Hershey Gardens! There are several themed gardens, but my highlights were the incredible trees. It’s just so hard to capture their impact in an image. This dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides, Zones 5–10) was so much larger and awe-inspiring in person.

Equally as awe-inspiring was this weeping European beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Pendula’) of absolutely amazing proportions. It was a very unseasonably hot, sunny day when I visited, so the sight of this spectacular source of shade was exciting for more than one reason!

These bearded irises (Iris germanica, Zones 3–10) had me dreaming of orange creamsicles.

Lastly, I couldn’t get enough of these gorgeous rhododendrons and how they paired so perfectly with a few different hostas.

If you’re in Pennsylvania or passing through this year, consider making a stop in Hershey. There is so much more to see than just chocolate. If you can’t wait to see more, make sure you check out GPOD tomorrow.

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Plant Covers Freeze Protection 10 ft x 30 ft Floating Row Cover 0.9oz/yd²

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Lightweight and Breathable MATERIAL Good for protecting Plant: the plant frost cover material is 0.74 oz/sq non-woven polypropylene fabric, which is lightweight, breathable, and durable. The plant blanket frost protection allows sunlight reach the plants, perfect for protecting plants from the damage of freeze or frost. Wide Application In your Garden Work. The plant row cover not only can work as a barrier against frost, but also can be a great tool for germination and good for rapid seedling growth. By using the fabric plant covers over your plant, you can start the plant earlier in the spring and extending the growing season of your plants. How to Use the Plant Covers: you can cover the plant covers for freeze over your the plants loosely directly and then secure the plant frost blanket with soil, stones or staples. You can also support the floating row covers with a hoop, make enough room for plants to breath and grow. You could also cut the plant covers into different sizes for different purposes.

Buy at Amazon

Scotts Cordless Grass-Shear/Shrub-Trimmer Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

With a built-in 7.2-volt lithium-ion battery, this little guy weighs less than 2 lb. and can zip through all your minor pruning tasks quickly and easily.
- 13.5 x 3 x 5 inches
- Uses a 7.2-Volt 2Ah high-capacity built-in lithium-ion battery; Includes a fast charger

Buy at Amazon

Spear & Jackson 4930FZ Razorsharp Telescopic Tree Pruner

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Telescopic tree pruner with SK5 carbon steel blade which stays sharper for longer. Variable length telescopic handle extends up to 92 Inch (2340mm). Lopper for cutting branches up to 1.2" (30mm). 13 inch (330mm) saw is ideal for cutting thicker branches. Supplied with a long cord and pull-action handle. Part of the Razorsharp Advantage collection, the obvious choice for gardeners who demand and expect precise, powerful performance. "Grow Your Own" Great British Growing 2020 Award Winners.

Buy at Amazon