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GIBBS GARDENS, a 376-acre private garden open to the public, is located about an hour north of Atlanta, near Ball Ground in Cherokee County, Georgia.

The Garden is open from March through November, days vary by month; there is a charge for admission. The entrance to Gibbs Gardens—1987 Gibbs Drive—is off Yellow Creek Road, which runs north from Hwy. 369 in Cherokee County to Hwy. 53 in Pickens County.

History

Gibbs Gardens started on 200 acres of farmland and woodland along Yellow Creek Road in Cherokee County. The land, owned by Broughton Bannister, a 70-year-old farmer, included a three-acre lake and hundreds of natural springs.

Jim Gibbs purchased the 200 acres from Bannister in September 1980. Over the next four years, adjacent parcels of land were added to reach the current 376 acres, including 40 acres in Pickens County.

The property was transformed between 1981 and 2011.  Trees were removed for more sunlight, ponds were dug, and bridge crossings and waterfalls were built for different gardens venues. Gibbs Gardens opened to the public on March 1, 2012 with 4 feature gardens and 12 seasonal color gardens. Today it includes 6 feature gardens and 18 seasonal color gardens.

The six feature gardens are the Japanese Garden, the Daffodil Gardens, The Manor House Gardens, The Inspiration Gardens, Waterlily Gardens and the recently added Le Jardin, The Color Garden.

FEATURE GARDENS

DAFFODILGARDENS

Daffodils

Fifty acres are dedicated to daffodils. Each year more than 20 million daffodil blooms of many varieties of early, mid, and late-season blooms cover the hillsides for six weeks.

Starting in 1985, hundreds of thousands of perennial daffodil bulbs were planted annually. Perennial bulbs divide every season, so the number of blooms increased from year to year. In November 2022, more than 577,000 bulbs were added. Daffodils are planted along each hillside to create “streams” of daffodils from 5 to 10 feet wide. Each hillside stream is vertically divided into separate, narrower streams based on the color and bloom time of each daffodil variety. Using four daffodil bulbs per square foot, every group—early-, early/mid-, mid-, mid/late- and late—is planted in its own separate stream based on bloom time.

MANOR HOUSE GARDENS  

Planting the grounds around the Manor House began in 1982. Large Japanese maples, American hollies and willow oaks were planted closer to the house with vines accenting corners. The home site is one of the highest crests in northeast Cherokee County, with views of the North Georgia mountains.

Seven terraces were planted with 150 feet of elevation variance from the Manor House down to the Valley Gardens. Surrounded by hydrangeas, rhododendrons and a 100-foot-long rose arbor, the Manor House Gardens has views of terraces, lawns, pools, waterfalls, undisturbed woodland, and the North Georgia mountains.

WATERLILY GARDENS

Monet Bridge

The Waterlily Gardens have 5 ponds and 140 varieties of unique hardy and tropical waterlilies.  The ponds, fed by natural springs, create reflections of the waterlily blooms.

The Monet Bridge is modeled after the Japanese bridge in Monet’s Waterlily Gardens.  In tribute, the bridge is painted the same color as Monet’s and planted wisteria of the same variety and color on top. Wooden bridges, a covered bridge, a natural rock bridge, islands, waterfalls and a Japanese pagoda viewing deck add to the Waterlily Gardens.

JAPANESE GARDENS

The Japanese Gardens cover more than 40 acres with seven spring-fed ponds with islands, bridges, massive boulders and rocks. There are more than 1,000 Japanese maples representing many varieties. Visitors enter the Hill and Pond Stroll Garden, “Tsukiyama,” though the Torii Gate and stroll along wide paths, past pagodas, Japanese lanterns and decades old shrubs. Shrubs and trees are pruned in the tradition of Japanese bonsai. According to Japanese folklore, walking across a traditional Zigzag Bridge chases away evil spirits.

Tori Gate

In spring, weeping willows and cobalt-blue variegated water irises are reflected in the ponds. Ferns and the blossoms of Kurume, Satsuki, Indica and native azaleas; dogwoods; mountain laurels; Yoshino and Kwanzan cherry trees; trilliums and wildflowers are in bloom. In fall, the Japanese Gardens feature vivid foliage colors in shades of red, gold and crimson.

INSPIRATION GARDENS

Added in 2021, the Inspiration Gardens includes an assortment of flowering trees and shrubs well suited to average-sized home gardens. During years of providing landscape design for homes in the Atlanta area, Gibbs heard homeowners’ concerns about planting trees and shrubs that quickly outgrew their yards. The Inspiration Gardens provide ideas for these homeowners.

Pathways wind through 15 acres of conifers, encore and native azaleas. The Encore Azalea Collection includes 1,200 azaleas in all 33 varieties. The Dwarf Conifer Collection features hundreds of conifers representing more than 200 named varieties. The Native Azalea Collection contains more than 1,500 azaleas of more than 100 varieties. The Dwarf Japanese Dissectum Maple Collection represents 100-plus varieties. The Japanese Maples Collection—Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum—represent more than 100 hundred varieties. Drift® Groundcover Rose series and Knockout Roses add color.

LE JARDIN, The Color Garden

In late summer of 2023,  a new garden was created to highlight contrasts of colors, textures, shapes and plant heights. There are nine flower beds containing thousands of colorful annuals and perennials.

Web Site: https://www.gibbsgardens.com/

References