The Gardens

Thanks to the support of the Richard C. von Hess Foundation and interested Pennsylvania Citizens, the gardens surrounding the Governor's Residence were renovated during the fall of 2000. The design of the gardens accommodates the governor's official life, welcomes over 15,000 visitors annually and provides privacy for the First Family.

The Richard C. von Hess Gardens include three of the Residence's landscaped areas: the Susquehanna Gardens, Penn's Woods and the West Lawn. One of these landscaped spaces, Penn's Woods, is an educational showpiece featuring the finest and most historically significant plants, shrubs and flowers native to Pennsylvania, where visitors are invited to walk through a living museum of oaks, maples and flowering dogwoods, as well as our state tree, the hemlock, and our state flower, the mountain laurel.

The Jane Shafer Rose Garden also has seen many improvements including the installation of two brick pavilions and connecting arbor, which compliment the architectural style of the Governor's Residence.   

Penn's Woods is an educational garden featuring native plants of Pennsylvania, including trees, shrubs, wildflowers, perennials, and ferns.  This area showcases the state tree (hemlock), the state flower (mountain laurel), and many historically significant plants that provide connections between people, communities and landscapes of Pennsylvania.

Mountain Laurel amid native plants in Penn's Woods

The Rose Garden was dedicated by former First Lady Jane Shafer in 1979.  With over 250 roses of thirteen different cultivars, it provides a spectacular show of color from mid-May through September.  It was originally designed by Mr. James Bob of Hershey Estates.   

Peak bloom in the Jane Shafer Rose Garden, early June

The Susquehanna Garden was designed as a private garden and outdoor living space for the First Family to enjoy.  It features a fountain and iron wall sculpture highlighting the Susquehanna River and its wildlife.

Siberian Irises in the Susquehanna Garden

The West Lawn

Sugar Maples light up the West Lawn in Autumn