If you live in Atlanta, you might be happy to know that there’s a gem of a place you can visit to unwind and it is just an hour away from home. This place is called Gibbs Gardens, and it is so beautiful it’s bound to take your breath away. Travelers who are entering the vicinity between Interstate 575 and Georgia 400 will be welcomed with 120 Sunset Maple trees. This road is called the Gibbs Drive and it’s a fitting entrance to what used to be a private property that’s only open to Jim Gibbs’ guests.
When it finally opened its doors to the public in 2012, Gibbs Gardens attracted a lot of local park goers and even foreigners. This is because the few who were able to see the gardens when the property was still a private space had pictures to show how enchanting Gibbs’ work was. Jim Gibbs is the owner of a renowned landscaping company, and he and his team realized his designs to create what could possibly be the most beautiful 300 acres in Georgia.
Inside the Gibbs Gardens, guests can enjoy a total of 16 garden venues with ponds, a generous collection of azaleas and native flowers and trees, and the most intricately designed garden additions like bridges and pathways that could not have been better placed in that environment. If this is your first time to visit the Gibbs Gardens, you must not miss out on the following highlights:
Japanese Gardens
These gardens are the largest Japanese gardens in the country. The Japanese Gardens will leave you thinking you’re actually in Japan. This collection of gardens is the fruit of Gibbs’ numerous travels abroad wherein he explored a variety of gardens around the globe to see if he can transport the same sort of beauty into his own home.
Water Lily Gardens: there are 140 varieties of water lilies in these gardens. If you are studying botany, the Gibbs Gardens is an estate you must not miss out on.
Daffodil Gardens: Again, the property boasts of the largest collection of Daffodils in the country. It’s not just a gem for botanists but for those who simply love the visual pleasures these flowers can give.
Manor House Gardens
The flowering terraces are sure to leave you in awe. These gardens are very romantic, and if you’re bringing your loved ones to these gardens, they’re sure to thank you for it.
There are some things to think about, though, when you go to the Gibbs Gardens. While taking pictures using hand held devices and cameras are encouraged, staged photography sessions are not allowed. This is because heavy equipment can cause a lot of damage to the landscape, and Gibbs and his team are really trying to preserve the garden experience for each visitor. The gardens are beautiful no matter how frequently you’ve experienced it. As a guest put it once, the garden looks different every season. You might want to look into purchasing an all-year-pass as it is worth every cent.
North Georgia offers a ton of options for travelers but if you are in this corner of the world, make sure you drop by Gibbs Gardens, North Georgia’s hidden gem.