I've wanted to visit Gibbs Gardens for as long as I can remember. Thanks to the pandemic, "As Long as I can Remember" is only about a month. I think I probably discovered Gibbs as a part of making plans to visit P. Allen Smith's Moss Mountain Farm, and that was sometime in 2019-2020. Both locations have huge displays of daffodils, but that's about where the comparisons end.
Gibbs Gardens is the magnum opus of landscape architect Jim Gibbs. According to the history written on their website, work on the first gardens started more than 40 years ago, and it continues today with the newest additions in the Inspiration Garden.
Our visit to Gibbs was planned for mid-May which is past the peak of spring blooms, but with the plant choices and design, there was still more than enough to see. Fresh foliage on all the Japanese Maples was my primary interest, but the rhododendrons, oakleaf hydrangeas, foxgloves, and water lilies were all in bloom. The roses were also starting to come on which made for a special show up by the Manor House.
Overall, the gardens fit so well with the surrounding natural landscape that much of the effect is refined nature. If I were to visit in a different time period, I'd choose October when the Japanese Maples fire up their fall color. Really, words don't do it justice. It takes pictures, video, and/or seeing it in person to get the full effect.
If you go, Gibbs Gardens is "near Atlanta", but by that measure, it's also near the state line with Tennessee and the tip of North Carolina. We stayed in suburban Atlanta as a matter of convenience for the others in our party, but for our second visit, I will definitely look at an Airbnb in the north Georgia mountains.
It's truly a world-class garden. Hope you enjoy the pictures and make plans to take your own trip!
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