Gibbs Garden - Japanese Maple Colorfest (Cherokee County, Georgia)

One thing I missed during the many years living at the eastern foot of the Sierra Nevada Range was the autumn colors. There aren't a lot of deciduous trees in that part of the country and so, the spectacular palates I was used to growing up in the Midwest were not something I was treated to while living there. Now that I'm back east, it's time to revisit some of those vivid memories of my childhood. Learning of a publicly accessible, but privately owned Japanese garden a few miles north of Atlanta, I thought it might be the perfect site for this tour down memory lane.

Gibbs Gardens was created by the retired owner of the largest landscaping companies in Georgia, who wanted to share his love of horticulture with the community. After finding an appropriate site, he began work on the 260 acre garden in 1980 and finally opened the garden to the public just a few years ago. It consists of his home, atop seven ridges, and two other featured gardens, the Waterlily Garden and Japanese Garden. My focus for today's stroll would be the later, to enjoy the marvelous colors of the changing leaves on the Japanese maple trees.

After a short orientation by an incredibly friendly staff-member, I began my walk through the manicured gardens. Beset by man-made ponds and a natural waterways, the entire landscape is breathtaking. A large pavilion area complete with stage and seating is home to summer concerts, while a truck-pulled tram takes those less-capable of walking through the facility for a ride. 

Upon passing through a Shinto arch, designating the beginning of the Japanese section, the colors really begin to pop. A number of Buddhist statues and other Zen artworks have been carefully placed among natural settings to give the area the right cultural feel; not gaudy, but just right. The walkway winds around a number of water features, many of which are flanked with the colorful shrubbery or trees, lending that burnt umber color scheme we are so accustomed to this time of the year. It really does bring back some memories. 

I spend an hour or so leisurely wandering the well-maintained paths of the garden before heading to a small cafe inside the grounds for a light lunch. It's been a wonderful experience and this is a place I would enjoy returning to during another season to see who the cycles of time alter the rich color schemes.