A few weeks ago, I went with my friend to Gibbs Garden to see the famous daffodils bloom. It was toward the end of the daffodil season, so unfortunately, we weren't able to see as many as there were in all. But that wasn't important considering there were thousands of flowers throughout the garden, with a Monet bridge replica and the largest Japanese garden in the country.
Georgians usually like to run immediately to places like Callaway Gardens, but Gibbs Garden is a more peaceful location that has beautiful pathways created specifically to tour throughout the entire location. Plus, there's a cat that walks around near the cafe, and you can get the chance to see it if you're ordering something to eat!
Manor House
My favorite part of the entire trip was going to the Manor House at the top of the garden, where Mr. Gibbs, the owner of the garden, actually lives. When we went, there were people sitting everywhere near the pool, walking up the steps, and just resting on the benches. There were small hanging pots filled to-the-brim with tiny blooms of a variety of colors, from purple to baby blue, to yellow and white. I hadn't even seen those colors in petals before, so I had to take numerous close-ups of the plants.
Hanging Flower Pots at the Manor House
When you first enter the entire area, the tour guides will point out the two main locations that people will visit: the Manor House and the Japanese Garden. I was so excited to go to the Japanese Garden that I didn't even realize the Manor House would be so magical.
There are a few flights of stairs to take that continuously go higher and higher, but the journey is nothing short of breathtaking. There are various arches to walk under and flowers spread about that you can't help but take longer to walk because you don't want to miss a second of the view. The orange and yellow tulips (with a few red ones here and there) were my favorite part of the walk to the house.
The house itself was only open in the pool area, but people still took advantage of any seat they could find. The weather was perfect that day, but after a walk up the stairs, the only thing people needed was to sit down and be surrounded by nature on all sides.
Japanese Garden
The Japanese Garden was amazing because of the pond in the middle of the tree-heavy area. The trees were honestly my favorite part by themselves because they cam in a variety of shapes and colors, and they were placed strategically next to each other.
The region was neither too crammed nor too vacant, especially impressive considering the time of year we visited — when flowers were either just starting to bloom or were finishing up for the year. There was a region next to the Japanese Garden with fields of red tulips, and it was impossible not to take pictures next to them.
Red Tulips in the Background
Overall, though, the trees next to the pond were the highlight of the Japanese Garden because they appeared ethereal in the videos and photos taken. Compared to the light grass and flowers in the rest of the garden, the darker leaves on the trees were definitely a nice sight for the eyes.
So if you ever find yourself looking for a cute place to go in Georgia that captures spring, Gibbs Gardens has your back!
