5-2-17 off to granddog and grandcat sit in Knoxville by way of Gibbs Garden:

The time finally came when we were heading to Knoxville to watch Jesse and Clawdine while their parents took a trip to Nashville to see a couple of their favorite bands---Coheed and Cambria and Pathfinder (or something like that). Then they were spending a couple more days in Nashville to check out the city.  So we jumped in the car about noon and took off.  Since we had all day to get there, I suggested we take a long way around and stop at Gibbs Gardens too.  I have a membership there---time to get some use out of it!
This guy greats us every time we head down SR20.

I love driving through the country and seeing all the new growth. 

and all the wild flowers/weeds.

Last time I was here, it was daffodil season---not much else was in season then.  But the daffodils were gorgeous.  I was anxious to see what was blooming now.

the welcome waterfall.

The trees are leafed out now.  They have a really great Japanese Garden, so I headed that way.

Lots of pretty blooms in season now.

It is the season for irises and they have several kinds here.

don't know what these are, but they are pretty.

love the red trees (Japanese maple?)

just a pretty flower bed.

The children's garden---one of  the many sculptures there.

a late lone tulip

another children's sculpture

and another. 

on to the Japanese garden---I love the rock carvings there.

and the decorative pagodas

another rock (or possibly concrete) sculpture.

I thought our Japanese Garden at the Missouri Botanical gardens was the best around---but I think this one is comparable.

so colorful and serene

next to the Japanese garden is a fern garden with acres of ferns.

I believe these are Mountain Laurel.

still walking around the Japanese garden.

even a few rhodies blooming.

leaf canopy

Then I remembered there is a manor house here.  We didn't check it out in Feb., so I decided to go check out the garden by it.  This was one of the sculptures along the way.

some type of holly berry?

the arbor near the manor

I don't know if you can go in the manor house, but Ken was waiting in the car, so I figured I'd been gone long enough.  What a beautiful house in a beautiful setting!

Walking back along the lawn of the house.

Wish I had a yard like this!

another sculpture.

one of the many covered resting areas.

Wonder if this guy knows how lucky he is?!

the bridge from the other side.

another pretty iris.

There were even several water lillies in bloom.

so many pretty colors.

More flower fields as I was making my way back to the exit.

large area to stop and enjoy a snack from the snack bar (hut).

one last flower as I left.

Back on the country roads and enjoying the farmlands. 

We even took a route that took us even farther north before we hit I-75, avoiding Chattanooga totally. 

On Pillisippi Highway by Tim and Faith's house.

Our 3.5 hour drive ended up taking about 6 hours, but I did spent a couple hours at the gardens and we added a couple hours to our trip by going through the country.  It was a beautiful day for a ride.