Gibbs Gardens
Gibbs Gardens is a privately owned 376-acre destination botanical garden in Ball Ground, Georgia, offering day admission, annual memberships, group visits, and on-site cafe and merchandise to individual visitors, families, and organizations from the Atlanta metro area and beyond.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersBall Ground, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Gibbs Gardens does
Gibbs Gardens is a privately owned 376-acre residential estate garden located in Ball Ground, Cherokee County, Georgia, approximately one hour north of Atlanta. Founded in 1980 by Jim Gibbs — retired president and founder of Gibbs Landscape Company (40+ years, 300+ industry awards) — the property functions as a destination tourist attraction and horticultural showcase, with 300+ cultivated acres organized around 6 signature feature gardens (Daffodil, Japanese, Waterlily, Manor House, Inspiration, and 'Le Jardin' Color) and 18 seasonal color gardens. The property holds multiple national superlatives: the largest Japanese garden in the nation (40+ acres), the largest natural waterlily display (140+ varieties across 5 spring-fed ponds), the world's largest daffodil display (20M+ flowers, 100+ varieties, 50+ acres), and one of the largest ferneries (70+ acres), supported by 24 ponds, 32 bridge crossings, and 19 waterfalls.
The business monetizes primarily through direct-to-consumer channels: single-day admission tickets priced $10-$25 by age tier with military/first responder discounts; annual memberships at $60 providing 365-day unlimited access plus concert admission, gift store discounts, and summer guest benefits; and group visit pre-registration for schools, businesses, and organizations. Ancillary revenue streams include the Arbor Cafe (salads, sandwiches, bakery; 10AM-4PM), The Seasons Gift Store (merchandise, daffodil bulb collections D1-D7, hardcover book 'Reflections on a Gardening Life' at $48.95), and digital channels including online ticketing with QR codes and a dedicated Daffodil Store e-commerce site (gibbs-gardens.square.site) shipping October-December. Customer segments are general public visitors (families, retirees, garden enthusiasts, photographers) from the Atlanta metropolitan area and beyond, plus group organizations and school field trips. The company has no app, no public API, and no disclosed technology stack beyond standard e-commerce and ticketing platforms.
The garden has no external investors, parent company, or venture capital involvement. Brand positioning is anchored by USA TODAY 10Best #1 Flower Festival awards in 2025 and 2026, features in Southern Living Magazine and Flower Magazine, and the GardenSMART video series on PBS. Operational hours are Wednesday-Sunday, 9AM-4PM, with peak visitation driven by the spring daffodil bloom season (February-June). The firm is operating, privately held, headquartered at 1987 Gibbs Drive, Ball Ground, GA, with 51-100 employees.
Gibbs Gardens firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gibbs Gardens
- Legal name
- Gibbs Gardens
- Website
- https://gibbsgardens.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Gibbs Gardens is a privately owned 376-acre destination botanical garden in Ball Ground, Georgia, offering day admission, annual memberships, group visits, and on-site cafe and merchandise to individual visitors, families, and organizations from the Atlanta metro area and beyond.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gibbs Gardens industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Botanical Garden & Garden Tourism
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Seasonal Color, Planting & Horticultural Services (BPABADAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs) (HSAIAFAB)
Keywords
Where Gibbs Gardens is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ball Ground
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gibbs Gardens business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Admission Tickets: Day tickets for single-day admission to the gardens. Pricing varies by age category (adults, seniors, young adults, children). Military and first responder discounts available. Tickets can be purchased online or at the Welcome Center.
- Annual Memberships: Annual memberships provide unlimited visits for 365 days from purchase date, plus additional benefits including free concert admission, gift store discounts, guest passes, and summer half-price guest tickets. Memberships available for adults/seniors and children/young adults.
- Membership Gift Certificates: Individual annual membership gift certificates sold for $60, valid for redemption within 365 days of activation.
- Daffodil Bulb Sales: Online store selling daffodil bulb collections in two quantities: 100 bulbs for $57 (plus $15 tax/shipping) or 400 bulbs for $228 (plus $30 tax/shipping). Collections include 4 bags of 25 bulbs each, available in seven themed varieties.
- Book Sales: Sale of 'Reflections on a Gardening Life' hardcover coffee table book ($48.95 plus $10.95 shipping/handling). Also available for purchase at The Seasons Gift Store.
- Arbor Café Food & Beverage: Walk-up café offering salads, sandwiches, and bakery items at the entrance of the Valley Gardens. Hours 10AM to 4PM.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Adult day ticket (18-64) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Senior day ticket (65+) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Young Adult day ticket (13-17) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Child day ticket (3-12) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Military/First Responder discount |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership - Adults & Seniors |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership - Children & Young Adults (3-17) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Gift Certificate |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Daffodil Bulb Collection - Regular (100 bulbs) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Daffodil Bulb Collection - Bulk (400 bulbs) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Reflections on a Gardening Life book |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Arbor Café menu items |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Gibbs Gardens product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gibbs Gardens operates a 376-acre botanical garden destination in Ball Ground, Georgia, selling day admission tickets and annual memberships that grant access to 6 feature gardens and 18 seasonal color gardens. Revenue is supplemented by a daffodil bulb online store, a hardcover book, an on-site cafe, and pre-registered group visits for schools, businesses, and organizations. The core product is a physical, walkable horticultural experience with seasonal blooms, water features, and curated plant collections.
Product overview
Gibbs Gardens is a 376-acre world-class botanical garden in Ball Ground, Georgia, operated as a private destination offering multiple admission and membership products. Core offerings include day admission tickets ($10-$25) and annual memberships ($60) granting unlimited access to 350 acres of gardens. The property features 6 signature feature gardens (Daffodil Gardens with 20M+ flowers, Japanese Gardens spanning 40 acres, Waterlily Gardens with 140+ varieties, Manor House Gardens, Inspiration Gardens, and "Le Jardin" Color Garden) plus 18 seasonal color gardens. Ancillary offerings include Arbor Cafe food service, a gift store with daffodil bulb collections (D1-D7 varieties), the Gibbs Gardens Complete History book, group tour services, and PBS video content. The gardens are recognized as Voted #1 Flower Festival in America by USA TODAY 2025 & 2026.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Day Admission Tickets Single-day admission tickets granting access to all 350 acres of gardens, valid for one year from purchase date. Pricing tiers: Adults $25 (18-64), Seniors $18 (65+), Young Adults $16 (13-17), Children $10 (3-12), children under 3 free. Military and first responder discount of $20 available in-person at Welcome Center.
- Annual Membership Annual pass offering unlimited visits for 365 days, free admission to live music concerts in May and June, 10% gift store discount, summer half-price guest tickets, free guest passes on renewal and referrals, and buy-one-get-one gift certificate offers in December. $60/year for adults and seniors; $30/year for children/young adults (3-17).
- Membership Gift Certificates Annual membership gift certificates available in physical or digital formats for $60 each, valid for redemption within 365 days of activation. Digital certificates can be emailed or printed at home; physical certificates mailed or available at the Welcome Center.
- Daffodil Bulb Collections Seven curated daffodil bulb collections (D1-D7) featuring 100 bulbs each, including naturalized collections, fragrance collections, and seasonal varieties. Available in regular (100 bulbs for $57) and bulk (400 bulbs for $228) quantities. Ships October-December, online ordering only.
- Reflections on a Gardening Life Book Hardcover coffee table book titled 'Reflections on a Gardening Life' documenting the history of Gibbs Gardens. Available for $48.95 plus $10.95 shipping/handling, and also available in-store at The Seasons Gift Store.
- Group Visits Pre-registered group tours for schools (educational field trips), businesses, houses of worship, and organizations with discounted pricing, expedited check-in, and free parking for motor coaches and buses. Tours are self-guided to allow curriculum customization for schools.
- Arbor Cafe Walk-up cafe with outdoor dining located at the Valley Gardens entrance, offering salads, sandwiches, and daily specials from 10AM to 4PM. Salads priced at $9.00 each.
Quantifiable outcome
- 20 million+ daffodil flowers across 50+ acres
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Gibbs Gardens
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gibbs Gardens technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Gibbs Gardens partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators21 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Gibbs Gardens competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cheekwood Estate and Gardens: Historic estate garden in Nashville offering ticketed admission, seasonal color displays, and special events. Comparable estate-garden destination model with membership and group programming.
- Huntsville Botanical Garden: Public botanical garden in Alabama with seasonal displays, membership programs, and ticketed events. Comparable regional destination garden model.
- Callaway Gardens: Georgia-based destination garden resort featuring seasonal color displays, daffodil festivals, and a multi-day visitor experience. Highly comparable in geography, scale, and seasonal event-driven attendance model.
- Atlanta Botanical Garden: Major public botanical garden in Atlanta serving the same day-tripper and tourist base as Gibbs Gardens. Closest geographic peer with overlapping weekend visitation, group tours, and ticketed garden destination model.
- Longwood Gardens: Major U.S. botanical garden destination renowned for seasonal displays and large-scale horticulture. Comparable destination attraction model with annual memberships, ticketing, and event programming.
- Birmingham Botanical Gardens: Free-admission public garden in Birmingham, AL with extensive plant collections and educational programming. Comparable venue serving the same broader Southeast leisure market.
- Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden: Regional botanical garden destination in Belmont, NC with ticketed admission, seasonal flower festivals, and membership products. Comparable mid-sized destination garden.
- Magnolia Plantation and Gardens: Historic destination garden in Charleston, SC with seasonal bloom programming, ticketed admission, and tourist group business. Comparable Southeastern U.S. garden destination.
- Biltmore Estate: Historic estate garden destination with manicured grounds, ticketed admission, and seasonal programming. Comparable as a destination estate garden experience in the Southeast U.S.
Regional players
- Butchart Gardens: Internationally renowned garden destination in British Columbia, Canada. Comparable as a destination garden with seasonal color displays, but operates in a different geography and seasonal cycle.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gibbs Gardens social profiles
Digital presenceGibbs Gardens financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gibbs Gardens leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Gibbs Gardens funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gibbs Gardens M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gibbs Gardens
What does Gibbs Gardens do?
Gibbs Gardens operates a 376-acre botanical garden destination in Ball Ground, Georgia, selling day admission tickets and annual memberships that grant access to 6 feature gardens and 18 seasonal color gardens. Revenue is supplemented by a daffodil bulb online store, a hardcover book, an on-site cafe, and pre-registered group visits for schools, businesses, and organizations. The core product is a physical, walkable horticultural experience with seasonal blooms, water features, and curated plant collections.
Is Gibbs Gardens a public or private company?
Gibbs Gardens is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Gibbs Gardens founded?
Gibbs Gardens was founded in 1980. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Gibbs Gardens based?
Gibbs Gardens is headquartered in Ball Ground, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gibbs Gardens make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Admission Tickets are the primary driver. The others are annual Memberships, membership Gift Certificates, daffodil Bulb Sales, book Sales and arbor Café Food & Beverage.
Who are Gibbs Gardens's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, Huntsville Botanical Garden, Callaway Gardens, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Longwood Gardens, Birmingham Botanical Gardens, Daniel Stowe Botanical Garden, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens and Biltmore Estate. Butchart Gardens is listed as a regional player.
Does Gibbs Gardens have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gibbs Gardens.
What industry is Gibbs Gardens in?
Gibbs Gardens's product category is Botanical Garden & Garden Tourism. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPABADAL, Seasonal Color, Planting & Horticultural Services, with a secondary code of HSAIAFAB, Garden Bed Installation & Planting (Annuals, Perennials, Shrubs). Its NAICS code is 712130.