Gibbs gardens - botanical masterpiece in Georgia

Gibbs Gardens set on 300 acres of rolling woodlands is owned, 
designed and developed by Jim Gibbs. 

Mr Gibbs has created 16 unforgettable gardens with 24 ponds, 32 bridge crossing and 19 waterfalls.

The Daffodil Gardens present the largest display of these flowers in the country. The flower season in Gibbs Gardens begin with the 50-acre display of millions of daffodil blooming.

The Manor House 

Tulips blooming in a Japanese gardens

40-acre Japanese Gardens are the largest in the nation with 7 spring-fed ponds, islands, bridges, boulders and rocks. There are nice pagodas, 40 hand-crafted Japanese lanterns and many old shrubs nicely sculpted according to the Japanese art of bonsai.

The Waterlily Gardens feature 140 varieties of lilies. It is one of the largest display of waterlilies in the country. The waterlilies bloom from May to November. Mr Gibbs has created a replica of Claude Monet's Japanese Bridge in Monet's Garden at Giverny.

Madison - the most beautiful antebellum town in Georgia

Georgia's Antebellum Trail leads through seven historical towns which were not burned by Union General William Tecumseh Sherman. This 100 mile trail goes through Athens, Watkinsville, Madison, Eatonton, Milledgeville, Gray/Old Clinton and Macon.

General Sherman burned and destroyed everything on his way -  the crops, plantations, railroads, farms... But the towns on this trail were mostly not damaged. 

So today we can still see the picture of the Old South, how it look before the War between the States and we can admire its beautiful architecture of white-columned houses.

Madison

 The lady in a visitor center in Madison told us why Sherman and his troops destroying everything around didn’t burn Madison - a town considered to be the most beautiful in Georgia. 

Probably he had a a friend who lived or once have lived in Madison.

Antebellum - from Latin: ante - before, vellum - war;  

"occurring or existing before a particular war, especially the American Civil War" - from dictionary 

Szlak Antebellum w Georgii prowadzi przez siedem historycznych miast, które nie zostały spalone przez generała Unii Williama Tecumseha Shermana. Ten 100 milowy szlak biegnie przez Athens, Watkinsville, Madison, Eatonton, Milledgeville, Gray/ Old Clinton i Macon. 

Generał Sherman palił i niszczył wszystko na swojej drodze - uprawy, plantacje, linie kolejowe, farmy ... Ale miasta na tym szlaku w większości nie zostały zniszczone. Tak więc dzisiaj możemy zobaczyć Stare Południe, jak wyglądało przed wojną między stanami, i możemy podziwiać jego piękną architekturę, domy z białymi kolumnami.

Madison 

Pani w centrum turystycznym w Madison powiedziała nam, dlaczego Sherman i jego wojska niszczące wszystko wokół nie spalili Madison - miasta uważanego za najpiękniejsze w Georgii. 

Podobno miał zaprzyjaźnioną osobę, która mieszkała w tym czasie lub mieszkała kiedyś w Madison.

In Madison many of almost 100 antebellum houses have been beautifully restored. In our walk we have noticed only one house which would require a restoration. 

It is The Foster-Thomason-Miller House from 1883 at 498 South Main Street.

From the local newspaper we have learned that this house will be sold to the Madison-Morgan Conservancy, a local nonprofit organization which has a program to rehabilitate this property.