Gibbs Gardens

Its the fall season and this is a great place to catch the colorful foliage.
We had 3 agendas for making the trip. The fall foliage, the Japanese Garden and they were also hosting a Japan roadshow of sorts.
Its a drive up here but well worth it. I think the drive kinda mellow you out and preps you for the tranquility and serenity of the gardens. Upon entering the gardens, there were plenty of ushers to help you find a parking spot. Plenty more signs and flag wavers to guide you to their reception area.
Its $ 20 for adults and $ 10 for kids. They had a great deal that day, and we purchased a couples season pass for $ 100 and it came with 4 guest passes. So, if you are coming as a family, be sure to take advantage of this deal.
After clearing the tickets, we strolled over to the Japanese Garden. Passing by bronze statues, beautiful landscape and majestic trees. The path was lined with many plants of vibrant colors.
You’ll know it when you get to the Japanese gardens. Its huge and it is spectacular. Every vista and angle of the garden offer a small bench. Take time to marvel at the reflecting pool and trees reaching over the pool. They had 2 very large willows that dances to the wind. As the sunlight pierces the towering pines, the light catches on these bonsai trees and takes your breath away. Its a great place to just stop and take it all in. They did a magnificent job placing all the trees, plants, statues and making it a very zen experience for us. This is definitely a place to take your out of towners to. Absolutely, must visit if you have not already and this the best time to visit the gardens because the tons of Japanese maples are bursting with color.
The garden is all seasonal, so, we are looking forward to visiting in Spring again to catch their world class daffodil and rose garden.
And by the way, no bugs in the gardens. Path is level and easy walking.

I visited the garden back in the middle of September and my aunt and I were totally amazed. The photos I took on my iPhone 5S we simply fantastic.
This weekend, my family is coming back to enjoy the Japanese festival. So looking forward to visiting. My goal is to bring a proper camera so that I can turn some of these shots into some great canvas masterpieces!

We’ve visited Gibbs Gardens 3 times, most recently in the late Spring of this year. Our first 2 visits were during the daffodil blooms, but this year we skipped that and checked it out in early June.
There are multiple areas to visit within the gardens, involving a decent amount of walking. There is a small pond and bridge that mimics Monet’s Giverny, a formal Japanese-​style garden, and various areas of seasonal flowers. Some roses and assorted other plants were flowering in June, but overall I’d recommend the daffodils as the prime time to visit (March, IIRC).
I think prices are around $ 20 per person, but you can check their website. It is a bit of a drive even from suburban Atlanta (it takes us an hour from the western edge of Gwinnett) but it is worth it. If you like it a lot, they offer a seasonal pass for roughly 3x the price of an individual visit.
I’m fairly sure we’ll return, probably next March…

Gibbs gardens is a beautiful place. The Japanese Gardens were my very favorite. We went during the week early morning so it was not very crowded. It is just a nice place for an easy stroll through gorgeous gardens. The admission price is quite pricey, but I can’t even imagine the cost for upkeep and for a private land owner to offer his property up for public viewing, I guess the price fits. It seems that they also have activities all year long such as arts and crafts, musicians and twilight walks. We will definitely visit again in different seasons.

This place is magnificent. I have now been there 3 timess during different seasons. First in the fall the japanese maples are beautifu. In the early spring they have over 1 million daffodils blooming which is a site. just went for a summer visit and wow. whole place is in full bloom including thousands of day lilles. the grounds are well kept and just beautiful. The ponds are a thing of beauty and have beautiful water lillies in the summer. do plan ahead to fo to bathroom and plan to do a good bit of walking as well, but they do also offer a tram to get around if not able to walk the entire grounds.

Go to the restroom before you buy tickets. There are only, excluding the outhouses in the upper parking lot, 2 restrooms on the whole 300 acres!!! The lobby was very crowded and congested and it is very much a for profit business (expensive) but enjoyable.

They only have 2 gardens (Daffodil garden & a Japanese garden). You either have to go during the one month the Daffodils are blooming or the time that the Japanese garden is blooming… otherwise there are no gardens/​flowers to view. You would think that being a garden they’d have different things blooming at different times of the year. I think we spent too much for not having much of anything to look at other than pathways and a house.

Gorgeous! We loved walking around and seeing the beautiful sights as well as Mr. Gibbs’ mansion. Afterwards we had a bite in the café and I had the chicken salad sandwich. It was really great! Overall, this place is absolutely amazing and would highly recommend seeing the daffodil field as well.

I love Gibbs Gardens and have been there twice so far. Enjoyed it so much we bought season passes after our first visit. We’re fortunate it’s only 25 minutes from our home so can drop by during the week just to spend some quiet time in a peaceful, beautiful place where you can hear yourself think. Weekends are very busy in the spring so be prepared for a crowd, but even so, the trails are fine once you get away from the welcome center. This place is a gem!

The admissions fee here was a tad much — $ 20. But after walking this place, it’s like Botanical Gardens and how the grounds were huge with so many areas for beautiful pictures.
The Japanese garden was def a sight to see. There were so many Japanese trees of varying sizes. No wonder they charged a lot for this place. Imagine the grounds keeping expenses, not to mention the price tag on all the greenery here. Aside from this, the maples trees were beautiful. The willow trees and daffodils were also gorgeous. There were other varying plant species that were equally magnificent, but I don’t know what they’re called. Lol. And the grass was so lush and soft. Pretty much everywhere you turn will be a nice sight for pictures.
You can pretty much expect a couple of good hours here. Our group moseyed around and took pictures; we spent about 3 hours here. Yup. We did indeed. There won’t be any cellphone reception until you’re near the mansion so be at peace here. And the restrooms will be at the mansion as well.
Follow the signs and park your vehicle. Don’t follow the map’s directions because it will lead you to the top where the mansion is. Lol. Let’s just say our driver did this. Oops. After finding the correct place to park, head towards the welcome center and receive your wrist band.

Gibbs Gardens qualifies for the infamous Hall of Shame. They do not grant free admission to active duty military. How shameful! Every major tourist attraction in Georgia and the United States grants free admission to active duty U.S. Military personnel. This proves that Gibbs stands for one thing, and that is money.

We took a day trip here from Atlanta this past weekend and had a pretty good time. There is nice flow for the most part, especially in the terracing near the manor house. The daffodils were prolific, as promised, their perfume filling the air with the smells of Spring. I also thought the Japanese garden had some striking specimens, though it almost seemed like they tried to cram too much into the space – especially the abounding cheesy buddha statues – such that it wasn’t very Zen or whatever.
The main faults of this place are the price and the crowds. Without a doubt there were thousands of people there on Saturday. The visitor’s center was a total claustrophobic madhouse, with heel to toe lines and streams of people trying to go different directions since the entrance is also the exit. Once in the gardens it was somewhat better, but there were just a lot of people all over the place. I definitely wouldn’t call our experience «serene»; this is not the place to go if you want to enjoy some peace and quiet while recharging with nature, at least not on the weekends.
I feel like the $ 20 admission is too steep (reasonably $ 10-​$ 12 tops), especially if you’re approaching this as a day trip from Atlanta with gas, food, and the like. With the café, all the plugs for Gibb’s Landscape services, expansive gift shop, etc. – Gibbs seems «designed» as a revenue generating machine about as much as a brilliant collection of carefully cultivated landscape architecture triumphs. We saw pretty much everything in 2 hours, by which time we were worn out on the crowds anyway. We enjoyed ourselves, but perhaps came in with the wrong expectations, because we agreed that for a lot less money we would have gotten more, psychically and physically, from any of a dozen day hikes within an hour of the city.
This feeling was enhanced by the lack of impressively large or distinguished old trees on the grounds. Additionally, there is almost no labeling of species, as these gardens are really more about elevated design than plant diversity or education. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but it wasn’t what we were expecting, and I think they could bring more value to the equation by perhaps incorporating some of that in (at the very least some unobtrusive labeling would be
Anyway, I actually would like to come back and see the change of seasons, probably in the fall when all the Japanese Maples catch fire. That said, I think the way to do this place is during the week and to show up right when they open. There really is a whole lot to enjoy about Gibbs, just know that you’re heading into basically a wildly popular tourist attraction and set your expectations accordingly.

My wife and I were are visiting our friends in Georgia this week and made a trip to Gibbs Gardens. We all agreed the admission fee was rather high. With that in mind, we agreed it must be worth it. The tram took us to the top of the hill and back again to where we started. Our observations of the the the gardens was not very positive. Some of the daffodils were in bloom, however, there was nothing else to observe. The gift shop and food shack were again expensive. Please explain what is so special about this place that requires a entrance fee and tram ride far to high?

Love this place. Really cool area to see a wide variety of plants/​flowers. The Mansion House is really cool. Great place for photography. They do have a small store for drinks, sandwiches and salad and a gift shop. Been here 3 times and have never been disappointed. The only reason it didn’t get 5 stars is the admission price. $ 20/​adult. It’s not bad but think it would be 5 stars if it were $ 10-​$ 15. What a difference $ 5 can make. Lol
Worth the visit though and is a must see when in bloom.

My wife and I took our kids up to Gibbs Garden this weekend. My wife had actually wanted to go when her mother was in town but it rained the entire time while she was visiting. I couldn’t have been happier that it did or else I might have missed it – sorry Martha :)
Admittedly, I wish it were public lands so that more people could afford the visit, but it is hard to complain when Mr. Gibbs has done such a beautiful job planning and building such an incredible place. I appreciate his willingness and the willingness of his family to make available the gardens, regardless if they financially benefit from it (hard to say if they will).
The gardens are very walkable for even small children. Our daughter, 18 mo., walked all over the gardens from the Japanese Gardens into the daffodil gardens and back. Our son (almost 4) had so much fun running around and we even managed to get him to pose for a few pictures.
The $ 20 per person fee is a bit high, but given its proximity to Atlanta we opted to buy a membership. I am sure we will be back at least three more times making the membership worth it.

Gibbs Gardens is a private garden with acres and acres of garden-​y stuff. Take your girlfriend, wife, mistress, or whoever. Girls love all the pretty flowers, trees, grass, and other nature-​y stuff.
The entrance fee is pretty expensive. It’s $ 20 per person. The yearly membership is $ 50. So if you want to go more than 2 times per year, the yearly membership is worth it.
One thing about this place is that it’s not photographer friendly. It’s too popular, and they’re only open at non-​photographer optimal times from 9 AM to 5 PM. So you won’t be able to get to the «golden-​hour» time to shoot some great landscapes or portraits. They also discourage tripods.
You can walk the entire garden if you stay the whole day, maybe even 2 days. They have a tram you can ride. But for the full effect, I suggest strolling through the vast gardens and soaking in the nature.
It is a cool place if you’re into nature in it’s man made glory. They did arrange and design the garden well. They are open all 4 seasons and have several events.
They do not allow pets or outside foods. In fact, they seem pretty draconian in their rules. I guess they need to do that to keep the garden looking perfect. They do have a deli inside though. I didn’t eat there, but I’m sure it’s priced ridiculously.

Beautiful place. Love the daffodils. My fiancé proposed to me here! So, of course I’m biased. Favorite area is the Japanese Garden. Especially loved the flowing water all around, it was very calming. One minor complaint though — a group of older ladies asked me to take their photo (and they took ours) and these really inconsiderate people would not get out of the way of what would have been a fabulous picture for them and us. This doesn’t reflect on GG at all, but more like dealing with people that frequent there and the lack of consideration. Be kind. If you see someone wanting a pic, be nice and step out of the way for 2 seconds :)
We’ll be back in the summer!

How often do you view photos on
that are not as good as when you get there? How often do you visit a place that is better in person, than on the intArwebZ?
Gibbs Gardens is a great place to visit, at an out-​of-​the-​way location, so it is a rescue from the hustle of Atlanta (or anywhere else you might be from). Ball Ground is a little country stop for most folks, so keep in mind that the local gas stations are not the destination. I had lived in the area a few years ago, and Mr. Gibbs has blown away all expectations of what is possible in this area.
I liken these gardens to that of the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, but more-​so like those of European Manors/​Castles. Not a large variety of plants, but more emphasis on location, presentation, and the atmosphere of tranquility.
I am NOT a nature person by any standards, but the location and shaded areas are a nice touch to the North Georgia area. The people whom I encountered along the paths and near the ponds are those that you would expect photographing nature, birds, and even the Koi. By not being a nature-​loving person, it’s expected that I be overwhelmed by the cleanliness of the presentation. Mr. Gibbs has executed the idea in a very clean, personal manner, and I respect anyone that allows you to wander through is backyard.
The food in the café is great, the people are very courteous, and everyone near/​around the gardens had a smile on their face, which says alot. Drive up to Ball Ground and meet Mr. Gibbs (or Mrs. Young). Take a walk through their dreams, paintings, and waterfalls.

I’m not sure if this review will show up in Unilocal Atlanta, I hope it does so that more people will see it. We heard about Gibbs Gardens in Atlanta Magazine and visited on Saturday. The gardens were beautiful, well kept, and expansive.
The entrance fee is $ 20, which seems expensive but the fee is comparable to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens and other cultural attractions, and the gardens here are so spacious that you can spend more time here than you could for the same $ somewhere else.
Some of the highlights for us were the Japanese Garden, the statuary, the fern groves, and esp. the Manor House. We weren’t really following our map and just lucked into going on the trail up the hill to the house, so it was one of those serendipitous finds. Better that you know about it and make sure it is a destination for you on your visit.
You are not supposed to bring in outside food, which can be a red flag that they’re going to gouge you inside with low quality food and high prices, but that was not the case. The café had large sandwiches on interesting breads (cranberry-​walnut, jalapeño cheddar) for $ 6, great selection of sweets (we had a cream cheese pound cake).
Any negatives? Maybe a couple of minor ones. So far it doesn’t seem like they have special exhibits, except for however the flora is going to change with the seasons. In other words, unlike the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, which has rotating exhibits of sculpture, scarecrows, and the like, which entices you to come back periodically, I’m not sure that we’d go back to Gibbs Gardens that often. Maybe with out-​of-​town guests, or if they really do have something special for holidays or whatever the case may be.
The café was not as green as it should’ve been – plastic containers – nor was the bathroom at the visitor centers, which had urinals that used water and paper towel dispensers.
The visitors were not exactly a rainbow flag of diversity, but that is nothing against Gibbs Gardens. I think it’s just the case that more people need to know about this place.
This is a nice destination for walking, taking pictures, relaxing, and getting inspired to work on your landscaping. The drive to get here takes you on some back roads, not all freeway, so there is some exploring to do (antique shops, produce stands, quirky BBQ joints) on the way there and back.

My wife suggested going here for a family outing and it was a hit! If you don’t want to read a long review, then just buy your tickets online, get a season pass and go have fun. You won’t regret it. To anyone who wants more detail, read on!
The Gardens are easy to find, parking was ample and the entrance is beautiful. I highly recommend purchasing your tickets online as my only major gripe was the ticketing area. Service is slow and the lines that formed in front of the registers are blocking both the entrance and exit. Someone did not think this out very well when they designed the Welcome Center. Regardless, purchase your tickets online and I would recommend getting the season pass. We purchased tickets for the family at $ 20/​adult and $ 18/​child. Once we toured the gardens, we decided that we would definitely come back so I went back to the register and they credited my tickets towards the purchase of a season pass. (Waited in line for roughly 30 minutes the 2^nd time through. Mr. Gibbs himself was there and apologized for the wait.)
The gardens are absolutely beautiful. The daffodils are blooming now and there are acres and acres of them. There was a breeze blowing through that made the daffodils look like waves. The scents are also outstanding. There are bridges throughout and some of them have steps. I’m not sure why they didn’t make ramps everywhere, but for those with strollers or wheelchairs, some areas are not easy to get to. Once you get off the main paths, there are some real nice areas to be by yourself and enjoy the nature around you. Even with all the people that were there, we did not feel crowded or rushed.
We spent the most time at the Daffodil area and the Japanese garden. We briefly looked at the Manor House area as well. The attention to detail and the obvious care that Mr. Biggs put into this garden is very apparent. It really is something you have to see to appreciate. There is a small café there to eat at. They have drinks, chips, premade sandwiches and some coffee. It was a very pleasant experience sitting at the tables near the café and eating.
I highly recommend going and the only issues were the lack of ramps everywhere and the ticketing fiasco. Since this is a private individual who designed everything, I am sure that these issues will be addressed in the future. The grounds themselves deserve 10 stars! We will be back in 2 weeks when the rhododendrons are blooming.