Sunday was nothing short of fabulous! I’d visited Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground, Georgia with my sister-in-law in April 2022 on our way to Asheville, North Carolina for a girls’ trip over Spring Break. The daffodil hills and the flowering cherry trees, at that time, were in full bloom. The thing about Gibbs Gardens is that no matter when you go, there’s something different on the blooming menu. Even their website tells you what is currently in bloom and lets you scroll pictures taken the previous week or so.
So I texted my driver early Sunday morning from my side of the bed: Want to go to Gibbs Gardens and stroll through the wildflowers and poppies?
Sure, he texted back across the dogs snoozing between us.
I can be ready in 15 minutes, I replied, prompting a mad dash race to be the first one dressed.
We tied for the win. Jeans, shoes to climb the hills, sunglasses. We set out on the one hour and 45 minute drive north as I bought tickets en route online just in case they were nearing garden capacity. During peak season, I didn’t want to take any chances.
We took in the sights – the Manor House, the Japanese Gardens, the poppies and wildflowers, and the rose garden. The highlight of the day was a hummingbird’s appearance in the wildflower garden, where I was able to capture a few seconds of video before it flew off to another section. The butterflies were flitting about in rich abundance as we strolled the gardens, and the dragonflies darted around shimmering their wings faster than twinkle fairies.
After our visit to the gardens, we drove into Historic Ball Ground for a visit to Feather’s Edge Vineyard where they were having live music as we rested and cooled off with fresh mint mojito wine slushies, and then on to The Ball Ground Burger Bus, a hamburger joint made from an actual bus that ran its last route in Atlanta, Georgia in 1965. We saved room for ice cream after dinner, since our indulgences had already left no room for any more guilt.
Come stroll along with us as we show you the sights on a photo tour.
I’ll be re-living these moments jam-packed with memories for a long, long time! We’ll return in the fall when the bloom list offers a whole new lineup of sights to enjoy.
Common Threads 
What a beautiful spot!
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Thanks for taking me along on your Saturday. I especially loved the hummingbird video. You may want to get this new book just published by Leah Henderson, The Courage of the Little Hummingbird https://www.politics-prose.com/book/9781419754555
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Thank you for sharing that! I just ordered a copy and can’t wait to read it. This morning I’m planning a summer reading rollout with an independent small library in our small community, and this may be one I will read as a guest reader. We are designing nature themes, something different from the theme of All Together Now, so that students can participate in more than one SRP without overlap. I appreciate your sharing this – I may be blogging about it over the summer!
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Kim, I am so seriously jealous of this impulsive trip to Gibbs Garden. I must put this on my bucket list. I adore the photography you shared and am still pondering the cool refreshness of the mojito you describe. Yowzer, thanks for sharing such a wonderful adventure!
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Wow! What a beautiful place! I love the pictures you shared and your spontaneity. Visiting a garden is always worth the effort š Thanks for sharing your adventure!
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Kim, thank you for the photos and videos – it was a beautiful tour! I am wondering why my Georgian husband has never taken me to this glorious place. I guess we have just too much family – we’re always headed to one house or another. Time for a detour!! I adore your wording, “I texted my driver” and then your race to be the first one ready – I hear such playfulness in these lines, and a fun escape to be had. Just wonderful!
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