Garden of the Hesperides

The Garden of the Hesperides is Hera's orchard in the west, where there is a single tree on which golden apples grow.

History
The apples were planted from the fruited branches that Gaia gave to her as a wedding gift when Hera accepted Zeus. The Hesperides were given the task of tending to the grove, but occasionally plucked from it themselves. Not trusting them, Hera also placed in the garden a never-sleeping, hundred-headed dragon named Ladon as an additional safeguard.

The series
Luke Castellan is injured while attempting to pick apples from the tree by the dragon Ladon. He fails in his quest, and returns with part of one of Ladon's claws.

Zoë Nightshade, a former Hesperide, attempts to get past Ladon, and get her and her companions to safety, but Ladon realizes that Zoë is no longer a Hesperide, and attacks her. However, she and her fellow questors manage to make it by.