Book Store

Jim Gibbs’ Bestselling Book

Over 200 photos! 300 pages!

After three years of writing, Jim Gibbs’ new book, Gibbs Gardens: Reflections on a Gardening Life,” is now available. The 300-page book-with more than 200 spectacular color photos of the gardens blends the beauty of a traditional coffee-table book with the author’s personal story of struggle and his passion to create a world-class garden.

Friend and fellow gardener the late Vince Dooley shares his impressions of Gibbs Gardens, his own love of gardens and his friendship with Jim in the foreword.

Ask Jim why he decided to write a book about Gibbs Gardens and his answer is always the same: “Questions.”

Over the seven years of operation since Gibbs Gardens opened March 1, 2012, Jim has spent thousands of hours in Gibbs Gardens Welcome Center greeting visitors and answering questions about what they would see in the gardens.

He did not expect all the personal questions: Did your parents own this property? Did you inherit all this? When he patiently answered no, he didn’t inherit the gardens; he designed and built them.

The next question was always: Where did you get the money to do all this? Over the years, Jim patiently explained that he worked for more than 30 years to earn the money to create the gardens—but the questions just kept coming.

With more and more visitors flocking to Gibbs Gardens the number and range of questions continued to grow until Jim decided to take the advice of one visitor: write a book. About three years ago when the gardens were closed for the winter, he started recording his memories about the events in his life that led up to his decision to design and develop the 326-acre property into a world-class estate garden.

A firm believer in gardening genes, Jim credits generations of ladies in his family, their love of gardening and the beauty they created for inspiring him.

The book traces his journey from childhood in North Carolina and weekends on his grandparents 1,000-acre farm to building sweat equity in a new landscape design business as a young man.

He shares his early days developing Gibbs Landscape Company, his decision to build a world class garden north of Atlanta, the search for just the right property and how he designed and developed each area of Gibbs Gardens.

Jim reveals the tough times too—and the dear friends who reached out to help and guide him.

But the story doesn’t stop there. Jim explains how time changes a garden. He shares his plans for the gardens and new areas he will develop.

Anyone who has ever visited—or plans to visit—Gibbs Gardens will enjoy Jim’s story and learning about the 30-year dream that drove his passion to create a gardening masterpiece.