Gibbs Gardens Introduces Le Jardin—Its Newest Garden

By Barbara Schneider, Gibbs Gardens
Photographs courtesy of Gibbs Gardens

Gibbs Gardens’ visitors are in for a special experience in the Valley Gardens this April. Beyond the Monet Bridge and up a gentle path, Jim Gibbs’ newest garden is a gift for the senses.

Bursting with more than 15,000 yellow, purple and orange tulip blossoms; purple, red and yellow pansies and fragrant Erysimum in shades of yellow, purple and orange, Le Jardin—the Color Garden—is true to its name. The vibrant colors are complimented by flowering cherry trees, forsythia, redbuds, quince and spirea—all framed by acres of emerald green lawn.

A Garden Of Contrasts

In late summer 2023, Jim Gibbs, the Gardens’ owner/designer/developer, began planting Le Jardin. He cleared out an acre of land, then designed the new garden to highlight contrasting colors, textures, shapes, and plant heights to create a unique garden experience. There are nine colorful flower beds, including serpentine-shaped plantings designed to carry the viewer’s eye forward to follow the color. These beds contain thousands of bold, colorful annuals and perennials. The 40,000 tulip plants throughout the Gardens include 55 varieties of early-, mid- and late-blooming tulip bulbs. The result: A riot of color in every direction.

Serpentine beds are a classical garden design, dating back to traditional Italian and French gardens. Thomas Jefferson’s garden at Monticello included an elegant serpentine flower walk.

Twice a year, fall and late spring, Gibbs removes all Le Jardin’s current seasonal plants, refreshes the beds and then plants an entirely new season of plants. In May, Gibbs will do it all over again—clearing out spring flowers and bringing in new plants to provide natural contrasts among fall plants.

Gibbs Gardens is a one-of-a-kind experience—24 garden venues set against a 376-acre backdrop with 24 ponds, 32 bridge crossings, 19 waterfalls and forested rolling hills. Gibbs Gardens venues offer an endless variety of flowers, colors, shapes and textures. The six feature gardens and 18 seasonal gardens create beautiful garden vistas from March to December. There’s always something new in bloom.

World-Class Destination Garden

Honored with the National Garden Clubs’ Award of Excellence, Gibbs Gardens has been named one of “The 10 Best Places in the ‘World to See Daffodils,” by Flower Magazine; “Georgia, swathes of splendor,” by Georgia Daffodil Association; “Thirteen Best Botanical Gardens in America” and a top garden in Georgia by the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Explore Georgia and the “100 places to visit in North Georgia before you die.” Gibbs Gardens always has something new in bloom. The six feature gardens and 18 seasonal color gardens offer unique and continuous delights for garden lovers of all interests. To learn more about Gibbs Gardens, go to gibbsgardens.com.

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