Hopping Down the Garden Trail

The peace and tranquility of a well-maintained garden or arboretum can be renewing for your spirit. This spring, as the earth begins to awaken, check out Pennsylvania's Best Buds: A Garden Trail, highlighting the state's finest flora.

Best Buds: A Garden Trail is designed to be a self-guided road trip of the Keystone State's impressive collection of gardens and arboretums. Each stop on the trail provides an unforgettable and beautiful outdoor experience. Here in the heart of the commonwealth, there are three stops on the Best Buds trail that are less than 45 minutes from B.F. Hiestand House.

Hershey Gardens: Witness 23-acres of floral splendor at this botanical garden and arboretum. Visit the hands-on Children's Garden, tropical Butterfly Atrium, and five distinct themed gardens. The rose garden alone has 14,000 roses and some 800 varieties! Stroll around the grounds and immerse yourself in nature’s wonders.

Liberty Forge Arboretum: Located on the grounds of a picturesque golf course, you’ll find over 100 acres of breathtaking views from pristine gardens to impressive collections of trees and native plants. These professionally landscaped gardens offer splashes of color and fragrance among ponds and fountains.

Ashcombe Farm and Greenhouses: So much more than a garden center, Ashcombe's master gardeners can show you how to transform your own home into a garden oasis. Peruse the fully stocked greenhouse and nursery brimming with flowers, vegetable plants, herbs, houseplants, trees and shrubs. Oh, and don't forget to stop in for a treat at their country cafe and bakery.

We'd like to add two more gardens to your trip list that aren't officially part of the Best Buds Garden Trail, but are definitely worth a look-see on your next visit to Lancaster County.

Conestoga House and Gardens:  This historic three-story Colonial revivalist mansion is situated on 7.8 acres of impeccably maintained grounds that are open to the public. The gardens include more than 3,300 annuals, about 400 tropical plants, 160 varieties of perennials, and 160 rose bushes representing almost 20 different varieties of the flower.

The Louise Arnold Tanger Arboretum: Located on the grounds of LancasterHistory, Tanger Arboretum is a hidden gem you need to uncover for yourself! It is open for free, self-guided tours of the arboretum and the Dwarf Conifer Garden, with well over 120 trees of various dwarf and miniature species.