Occasionally, fortunate travelers stumble onto great destinations while en route to another. And thanks to roadside advertising by the Georgia AgriTourism Association, that’s how we discovered Gibbs Gardens, a 220-acre beauty off the beaten path near Ball Ground, Georgia.
Our first visit to Gibbs Gardens converted us from casually curious into bona fide annual pass holders and frequent visitors.
Back in March, we were driving out for a day of hiking and discovery at Amicalola Falls State Park, which features the 729-foot falls plunging into a small stream. We were drawn there by great pictures of the falls, with groups of visitors gawking upward from a wooden bridge in the foreground while the falls cascaded over rocks in the background.
While driving a beautiful, curving, hilly Georgia back road through small towns and farms, the Georgia AgriTourism sign caught our eye. It was in sight long enough for us to read Gibbs Gardens, then our eyes went back to the snaking road ahead. After the visit to Amicalola Falls, we searched for Gibbs Gardens on Google. What we found made us plan a return trip the following week and converted us from casually curious into bona fide annual pass holders and frequent visitors to these outstanding gardens. Since then, we’ve returned numerous times throughout the summer and fall, and the constantly changing colors have shown us the reasons to visit in all seasons.
Beyond the ever-changing beauty and fragrances of nature in full bloom, here are six great reasons to visit Gibbs Gardens:
- Japanese Garden. The peace, tranquility and beauty of Japanese gardens are among my favorite human-made natural attractions. Built around a stream and pond, these Japanese Garden feature a small pagoda and several sitting areas where visitors can simply exist. In addition to the beauty, it’s huge: at 40 acres, Gibbs Gardens measures three-times the size of Portland’s Japanese Gardens, often voted the most authentic outside of Japan.
The 40-acre Japanese Garden features a large reflecting pond surrounded by statuary. There are multiple seating areas for quiet reflection. The top photo is from the spring; the bottom photo from the fall. - Walks in the Woods. Or on the trails through the flowers. And up and down hillsides. Around the Manor House and swimming pool. Aside the stream and water lily pond. On a recent visit, we clocked more than four miles in our two-plus hour visit. But if walking isn’t your thing, trams operate Tuesday through Sunday, with an all-day pass priced at $5. The trams are a great option to avoid long distance walking, though getting off and walking short distances into the gardens will heighten your experience.
Exercise your photographic creativity, and experiment with angles, framing and more. - Exercise Your Photo Creativity. We’ve captured some of our all-time favorite photos at visits to gardens and garden exhibits. Gibbs Gardens generated that same creative spirit and enjoyment. Plus, for us children of the 50s and 60s now freed of the tyranny of film and processing, it’s just plain fun to stretch, bend, stoop, climb and crawl to shoot unlimited numbers of creatively framed photo angles. And with electronic frames and slide show capabilities, we’re always enjoying these beautiful keepsakes of our visits.
Daffodils were at their peak during our March visit, providing great opportunity to practice our photography skills. We love using these pictures on the electronic frames in our home. - The Drive There and Back. Gibbs Gardens is off the beaten interstate and divided highway path, and that’s a good thing. We enjoyed the scenic, twisting, turning and hilly byways that presented an ever-changing vista of forest, fields and farms. Part of the route includes traveling the original Trail of Tears, which evokes a very different connection with a tragic history.
- The Blooms. Don’t think, “Oh, it’s a garden, so we’ll go in the spring or fall.” While many blooms are most intense during these peak seasons, Gibbs Gardens features a constantly-changing panorama of color. The garden publishes a bloom schedule on its website, along with pictures that will inspire you to visit.
Tulips were in abundance during our late March visit. This bronze statue sits amid a long bed of red and pink specimens. 
With different blooms planned on two-week cycles, the scenery is ever changing throughout Gibbs Gardens. Don’t visit once and think, “We’ve seen it.” - Landscaping Ideas and Tips. We’ve never won “Yard of the Month” in our Brookstone Homeowners Association, but now we have some new ideas about layouts, plant selection and colors to consider around our house. Neighbors, beware! Game on!
Is There a Ball Field in Ball Ground?
Another location discovered along the way, Ball Ground, GA, is one of those often-overlooked little towns worthy of a visit. And some of the restaurants are small-town treasures that offer local authenticity and some imported fusion.
Natives of Louisiana, we generally adhere to a “No Cajun Food” rule when away from our home state. But on a Friday during Lent and in search of seafood, we tried Le Bon Temp Louisiana Kitchen, and were delighted with the choice. Here’s a link to our review.
On the recommendation of a local, we’ve also stopped in at Amos’ BBQ, a roadside “joint” that includes its own wood-splitting operation to fire the smokehouse pits.
First on our list for future visits is The Ball Ground Burger Bus, a kitschy establishment that includes dining in a 1948 trolley from Atlanta. Our second future visit will be to Chef Rosario’s Italian Kitchen, which comes highly recommended by local friends.
As to a ball field in Ball Ground, there are many, including baseball, soccer and football.
More on Georgia AgriTourism
We gave credit to a Georgia AgriTourism sign for leading us to Gibbs Gardens. We checked out the Georgia AgriTourism find-a-farm locator and found lots more visitor-friendly Georgia farms now on our “to-visit” list. If you have an interest in locally-owned small farms and their offerings, it’s a great resource. This spring, Georgia AgriTourism Association voted to join forces with the state-sponsored Georgia Grown effort, and we’re not sure how long the previous pages will remain. While we haven’t explored fully the new information at Georgia Grown’s AgriTourism section, it looks promising as an alternative.
Related Links You May Like
Outstanding Japanese Gardens. A list of 12 locations from the art-focused Japan Objects website. We’re planning a visit to the No. 1-ranked Portland Japanese Garden in coming months.
Weird and Wacky Roadside Stops. BTW, if you like unusual places (like the Burger Bus!) when you’re exploring, check out the RoadsideAmerica.com site for lots ideas along your way.
Garden Photo Tips. The folks at FineGardening.Com publish a list of 12 tips for getting great garden photos. You can share your garden photos with other plant lovers using #finegardening
The Oxford Comma. I hate it, but my Microsoft Word program always suggests it. Why the debate? For me, it’s an AP style and journalism school thing.
Activity Notes
We track most of our physical activities using our Garmin VivoActive HR device. We logged 4.1 miles during our Gibbs Gardens visit and gained 354 feet in elevation along the way, the rough equivalent of 35 flights of stairs.
