By Barbara Schneider, Gibbs Gardens
Spring: The season of renewal, fresh beginnings—and Gibbs Gardens’ famous Daffodil Festival. More than 20 million daffodils will bloom during the gardens’ six-week daffodil season.
Voted the #1 Flower Festival in America, Gibbs Gardens’ Daffodil Festival received more votes in the 2025 USA Today contest than 18 other competing gardens across the country.
Jim Gibbs, the gardens’ owner/developer/designer, is known for the amazing artistry of his creative garden designs. “Each fall, we plant more daffodil bulbs in unique designs to create rivers of color—flowing waves of golden-yellow blossoms covering acres and acres of hillsides,” Gibbs explained. “Each daffodil bulb will divide and double every year, adding huge numbers of blooms to the daffodil gardens each season.”
An artist with a 376-acre canvas, Gibbs has planted millions of perennial daffodil bulbs over the last 50 years to create his unique, beautiful gardens.
“Masses of ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensations’—the first daffodils to bloom each year—and ‘February Gold’ mark the coming of spring,” said Gibbs. “More than 100 varieties of early-, mid- and late-blooming daffodils will appear every two weeks for a full six weeks of flowers in every shade of yellow, orange —and from almost-white to peach and deep-gold.”
The daffodils determine when Gibbs Gardens will open for the year, Gibbs said. “Every year I watch the weather and the daffodils—checking to see if they are going to bloom early or late. When I see millions of new daffodil blossoms, I calculate when the daffodils will be at their peak for our members and visitors then set an opening date.”
Just the beginning . . .
Daffodils are spring’s spectacular first act—a glorious, unforgettable show—followed by thousands of tulips. Forty different varieties of tulips will be joined in mid-March by cherry trees, forsythia, quince, spiraea and dogwood for a spring welcome like no other.
Throughout the year, six feature gardens and 16 seasonal gardens will bloom at Gibbs Gardens. It’s a beautiful place to spend the day.
Gibbs Gardens is honored to be recognized by these organizations: National Garden Club Award of Excellence; Flower Magazine, “The 10 Best Places in the World to See Daffodils; ” WSB TV, “Georgia’s Hidden Treasures;” USA Today, “#1 Flower Festival in America.”
For more information, go to www.gibbsgardens.com or email info@gibbsgardens.com.
Gibbs Gardens, 1987 Gibbs Drive, Ball Ground, GA, 30107. Phone 770-893-1.880 or 770-893-1881.
