Garden Photo of the Day

GPOD on the Road: Hershey Gardens, Part 2

A botanical garden known for its roses has a tropical bonus

close up of rattlesnake calathea

Happy Friday, GPODers!

We’re wrapping up this week with some bonus pictures from my trip last year to Hershey Gardens.

After checking out the endless rose varieties and meandering through various themed gardens, you must make one more stop before leaving: The Butterfly Atrium. Aside from the amazing butterflies that can be spotted flying around, there is a dazzling array of tropical plants. This is a tiny atrium that is so much more conducive to wandering and admiring than stopping and taking photos, but below are some of the best shots I got.

various ferns planted togetherA sensational sea of greens! Ferns are thriving in the humid atrium.

Cordyline fruticosa FloridaWhether in warmer locales or tropical greenhouses, seeing plants we might typically see as houseplants in their full, natural form is always a treat. I’ve spotted countless Cordyline fruticosa ‘Florida’ in the plant shop, but nothing quite like this one.

various snake plants and bromeliads planted togetherThis is the kind of snake plant planting I dream of! There are so many different colors and variegations on display here, and they are paired beautifully with bromeliads. Bonus points to anyone who can spot the butterfly in this picture!

close up of rattlesnake calatheaIf you’ve taken a stab at growing calathea, you might be drooling at your screen right now. These rattlesnake calathea (Goeppertia insignis) were mind-boggling.

red orchid growing around plumeria foliageIf it wasn’t clear yet, I’m a sucker for a funky foliage plant. With that being said, I was delighted by these delicate little orchid blooms (potentially Odontoglossum Chayenne) growing around from frangipani (Plumeria rubra) foliage.

close up of Fireworks begoniaCOME ON! When foliage plants like this stunningly white ‘Fireworks’ begonia (Begonia ‘Fireworks’, Zones 10–11) are in the room, how do you have eyes for anything else?

wall of tropical plants in containersFinally, what every gardener with limited space dreams of—a wall of plants!

Are you planning to visit some botanical gardens this summer? I would love to see some photos of your travels! You can send photos to [email protected] or send me your Instagram posts @agirlherdogandtheroad

 

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.

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Comments

  1. nwphilagardener 05/17/2024

    great focus on foliage!

  2. User avater
    simplesue 05/17/2024

    I've never been to Hershey Gardens, so thanks for the tour!

  3. btucker9675 05/17/2024

    Beautiful!!!

  4. gardenpdx 05/17/2024

    I could not find the location of the garden in this article. Yes, I could look it up, but a reader should not have to do that.

    1. btucker9675 05/20/2024

      Hershey Gardens
      170 Hotel Road
      Hershey, PA 17033
      717-534-3492

  5. btucker9675 05/20/2024

    That begonia is spectacular, especially paired with the beautiful ferns.

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