York County has prime turf for beautiful gardens

From its earliest days, York County has been a major agricultural center, enjoying well-watered and fertile limestone soil and access to major markets in Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Those same attributes make the county prime turf for gardens that do not produce vegetable and fruit, but something very valuable - pleasure and aesthetics. Of course, there's more to these green spaces than beauty, as the buzzing bees and the chirping birds will attest.

These gardens are often the beaten track, but when you discover them, they'll score your repeat visit.

Two of the most scenic gardens are pictured in this post. And check out the photo gallery above of six green spaces that will cheer you up, providing coolness in summer and greenery in winter. In fact, many of these gardens are well tended even in the winter cold.

Grange Hall represented past way of Red Lion, York County life - 16/31 iconic images