thousands of trees covering 292 acres are alight in all the spectacular colorful glory of fall. In addition to the grandchildren sculptures, Gibbs planned out and placed another piece of art in the water lily garden. Gibbs is fond of traveling, and while visiting Monet’s garden at Giverny, just outside of Paris, he pulled out his measuring tape and measured Monet’s steel bridge, then came home to build an exact replica in his garden. Besides Monet’s bridge, there are several wooden bridges, a covered bridge, a Japanese pagoda viewing deck and several benches beckoning visitors to sit and relax. My favorite garden to wander through was the Japanese garden. “Tsukiyama,” the Japanese hill and pond stroll garden, is the largest in the nation, and is decorated with Japanese lanterns and natural stones that were chosen for their specific shape and positioned in accordance to Japanese traditions. A weeping willow hangs above the pond, and even though several visitors chose to linger around the Japanese gardens, it was therapeutically quiet and serene. For good measure, the Japanese garden also features a zigzag bridge believed to ward off evil spirits, because spirits can only travel in straight lines. An Engaging Experience Gibbs Gardens’ website recommends blocking out three to four hours to spend inside the gardens, but I would tell you to plan to spend the day there. If you happen
ptsnorth.com | May 2012 | Points North
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