The Hesperides were traditionally associated with guarding the golden apples in Hercules’ eleventh labor.
The Hesperides were nymphs connected with the far western edge of the mythological world. Ancient sources vary about their number and names, but they are commonly described as daughters of Atlas or of the night goddess Nyx.
The apples belonged to Hera and were kept in a divine garden. A dragon named Ladon is also commonly said to have guarded them, so the Hesperides were not always the only guardians in the story. This is why answers that name Ladon can seem plausible but do not identify the group of nymphs.
In the best-known version, Hercules persuaded Atlas to retrieve the apples while Hercules temporarily held up the sky. After Atlas returned, Hercules used a trick to make him take the burden back.