Draft:Gibbs Gardens

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.

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 Garden was created between 1981 and 2011. Trees were removed for more sunlight, ponds were dug, and bridge crossings and waterfalls were built. Gibbs Gardens opened to the public on March 1, 2012 with 4 feature gardens and 12 seasonal color gardens. As of June 2024, 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 Le Jardin, The Color Garden.

Daffodil Gardens
Fifty acres are dedicated to daffodils, containing more than 20 million bulbs.

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 on hillsides in vertical “streams” from 5 to 10 feet wide with varying varieties of color and bloom time varieties.

Manor House Gardens
Planting the grounds around the Manor House began in 1982. 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 Mount Ogelthorpe.

Waterlily Gardens
The Waterlily Gardens have 5 ponds and 147 varieties of unique hardy and tropical waterlilies. The ponds are fed by natural springs. The Monet Bridge is modeled after the Japanese bridge in Monet's Waterlily Gardens.

Japanese Gardens
The Japanese Gardens is 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. Shrubs and trees are pruned in the tradition of Japanese bonsai. There is a zig zag bridge. According to Japanese folklore, walking across a traditional Zigzag Bridge chases away evil spirits.

Inspiration Gardens
Added in 2021, the Inspiration Gardens includes flowering trees and shrubs 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. The 15 acres have dwarf conifers, Encore and native azaleas. The Dwarf Japanese Dissectum Maple Collection represents 100-plus varieties. The Japanese Maples Collection—Acer palmatum and Acer japonicum—represent more than 100 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 annuals and perennials.