Hershey Gardens is 23 acres of gardens situated at hotel Road in Hershey, Pennsylvania and overlooking Hershey Park. The gardens have been part of the not for profit organization, The M.S Hershey Foundation since 1989. Its features include various rose gardens, a butterfly house, an arboretum and a conifer collection.
Milton S Hershey was initially approached to sponsor a national rosarium in Washington D.C. However, he decided to go further and created a garden in Hershey for the whole community to enjoy, which opened in June 1937 as a three and a half acre rose garden. Due to its huge popularity Hershey continued to add more gardens so that by 1941 it had grown to its current size of 23 acres.
After the Second World War tourism began to increase and to cater for the masses more plants were added at the gardens such as dwarf conifers, Japanese Maples, daylilies, chrysanthemums and other herbaceous plants. Further improvements have been made since then with the most significant being the creation of the themed gardens. In the 1990s the Butterfly house was added and in 2003 the Children's Garden opened.
There are a number of themed gardens with the highlight being the Rose Garden with 7,000 roses consisting of 275 varieties, some of which are from the original garden of the 1930s. The seasonal display garden as the name might suggest changes throughout the year with collections of bulbs including 30,000 tulips in spring, various annuals in the summer and chrysanthemums in the fall. Displays of spring daffodils, rhododendrons, summer coneflowers, black-eyed susans and joe-pye weed can be enjoyed in the Perennial Garden.
In total there are more than a dozen themed gardens here displaying many different varieties of plants and trees. There are gardens that reflect tranquility such as the Japanese Garden and the Ornamental Grasses. Others are dedicated to individuals such as Mrs. Hershey's Rose Garden and the Bill Bowman Garden, whilst there is also a tribute to America's armed forces in the Memorial Garden.
The Butterfly House is home to 3,000 butterflies representing 25 varieties. The stages of the butterfly's transformation and its life cycle are explained to visitors by staff at the site. Hideaways, creatures, surprises and whimsical characters help children gain a better understanding of plants in the Children's Garden.
The site can be hired for special events such as wedding receptions, parties and meetings with guests able to enjoy the surroundings and special features. Outdoor tents can be hired for receptions and parties at weekends between April and October, and situated in various locations at the gardens. The Education Center can be hired for meetings, lectures, presentations or luncheons and is available all year round, with rental equipment available at an additional fee.
The Shaded Classroom is situated in the Children's Garden and can seat up to 23 guests for a small party or luncheon, with standing room for 40. This is available only from April to October for a minimum of two hours. Catering can be arranged through Bell Tower Catering.
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