Hershey Gardens Winter 2023!?!

Part of the package deal for our stay at Hershey Lodge was complimentary tickets to Hershey Gardens, which is just across Hershey Park Drive from Hershey Park. Even though it was the end of December, we decided to use the tickets anyway, though our hopes were not high.

The Gardens are up on a hill with a nice sign promising butterflies along with the gardens.

Hershey Gardens

View to the park

More of the park

Being December, the main garden building had a special exhibit of decorated Christmas trees that we enjoyed walking through. The warmth of the indoors was a definite plus.

Another sign

A row of trees

A frosty blue

My favorite decoration

White and purple

Favorite decoration tree!

Knit hats make trees warm

Not sure about this tree topper

More traditional top

A better angle on a row of trees

Penguins working on a tree

The building also has the year-round butterfly exhibit, which has many real and fake butterflies.

Let's Go Butterfly a Kite?

Some of the butterflies were clearly interested in escaping, though they probably didn't know that the weather outside is frightful, especially for them.

At the ceiling windows

Ready for the door to open

Most of the butterflies were down on the tropical plants, showing off their colors or camouflage.

A beauty

Trying to blend in (or look like an owl?)

More spotty camouflage

Black and white stained glass?

Having a snack

Since it is Hershey's garden, naturally there are cocoa plants.

Surely these will be used nearby

A display shows the various types of cocoons butterflies make.

"Cocoons and Things" would be a good name for a butterfly store

Downstairs are the bathrooms along with this two-plant planter. I don't mind the Blue Chalk Sticks growing upward but the Snake Plants creeping on out the bottom are a bit Tim Burton.

Nice and Naughty for Christmas?

We saw a Money Plant which was a little disappointing.

Money doesn't grow on trees, even in Hershey

Outside, we saw the main lake and some of the greenery.

Lake with the fancier hotel overlooking it

Probably better in the spring or summer

The best plant in the garden at the time

The Children's Garden has some interactive exhibits and some fun things to do. They have a small amphitheater for education or entertainment. 

Children's Garden

Another plant you'd expect in Hershey

Outdoor fish pond (not frozen over)

One decorated tree

A play area has a global map with the cocoa-producing countries in brown.

Shipping the most important global product

The pretzel maze was fun if not challenging.

Don't get lost!

The garden below is called the Show-Off Garden, though clearly the show-offs were on Christmas break. Also, you can see the top of the amphitheater seating just beyond.

Useless bragarts!

We had a fun, short visit to Hershey Gardens. Maybe we will go back in a better season and explore the other acres and acres of plants. I tried to convince the kids to go to the rock garden because they are always at their peak, but I had no takers.