We all have local places that we mean to visit but never do. And, you know, most of the time we really, really do want to go, right? My list of places is mostly outdoors - to visit local parks, gardens and trails and also to travel to all the beautiful waterfalls in Georgia. AN UNPLANNED VISIT The Smith-Gilbert Gardens in Kennesaw is practically around the corner and I'd known about it for years. But I never put it in the family's weekend plans. Two Saturdays ago we finally visited - on the fly. Other plans fell through and we still wanted to get outside. The Smith-Gilbert Gardens were just minutes away so we decided to go there. What a charming and playful garden it is! It is not overwhelmingly large. The well-designed grounds offer a variety of plant life for you to enjoy - and plenty of shade. The Woodland Walk is not very long, maybe a half mile, and takes you around the entire property under an umbrella of cooling trees. There are plenty of places to si