Your BEST mountain vacation starts right here... FAR LEFT: Gibbs Botanical Garden is one of the wonders of the North Georgia Garden Trail. ABOVE: Long Creek flows across Georgia's Fannin County. LEFT: North Georgia's Toccoa Swinging Bridge lends its name to the back country driving tour of the same name. EscapetoBlueRidge.com | 855-885-4894 *Mention this Ad and receive a special promo discount off your next reservation. and one the country's biggest naturalized ferneries. See 21 unique garden venues including 20 million daffodils; 140 varieties of waterlilies (complete with a replica of Monet's bridge!); a 40-acre Japanese garden with 1,000 maples and many handcrafted lanterns. There are also 24 ponds, 19 waterfalls and 32 bridge crossings on the property. (gibbsgardens.com) Poetry Trail Garden at Reece Heritage Farm (Blairsville). Combine a love for the written word, Appalachian history and the uniquely constructed Poetry Trail Garden at this site. Poet Byron Herbert Reece's homestead is the centerpiece. On the property are 13 exhibits, his writing studio and historic structures. The garden walk highlights his works via poems carved into stone surrounded by his favorite plants. There's a visitor center and self-guided as well as docent-led tours. (unioncountyga. gov/reecefarm) * Find a complete list of stops here: https: exploregeorgia.org/things-to-do/itinerary/ north-georgia-garden-trail JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 53 1-877-347-8307 * VisitWytheville.comhttp://www.EscapetoBlueRidge.com http://www.VisitWytheville.com http://www.gibbsgardens.com http://www.exploregeorgia.org/things-to-do/itinerary/north-georgia-garden-trail