Painted Garden

April 29-May 31, 2023

Fortopia

May 25-September 4, 2023

Spring Programs

Visit powellgardens.org/calendar for upcoming classes.

Purchase a Membership

Free festival admission and parking all year long!

Calendar

There are a variety of events, classes, tours and talks throughout the year. We can't wait for you to join us!

Hours & Admission

Hours and admission pricing vary based on the time of year and events in the Gardens. Please check admission pricing and hours for the day of your visit.

The Gardens

With seven themed gardens all featuring a variety of plant landscapes, there is a reason in every season to visit the Gardens!

Know Before You Go

The best resource to plan your visit. All of your questions about the gardens, answered!

VISIT US

Powell Gardens is located approximately 15 minutes east of Lee’s Summit on U.S. Highway 50. The front entrance can be seen on the north side of 50 Highway, just past the Z Highway exit. Look for the banners!

Explore The Gardens

PHOTO STREAM – #POWELLGARDENS

Powell Gardens is open today (May 29) from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Purchase admission in advance (link in bio) or at the door.
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📸: Irises in the Fountain Garden. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #fortopiakc #botanicalgarden #iris #irises #irisesofinstagram

Don’t miss two ways to make the most out of your Powell Gardens visit! (General admission is available online at bit.ly/powellga.)
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🎨 Painted Garden, a celebration of art and nature, runs through May 31.
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💙 Fortopia, a summer exhibit comprised of life-sized forts, runs through September 4.
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#powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #fortopiakc .

Making plans for Memorial Day? Kansas City’s botanical garden will be open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Monday, as well as Tuesday-Sunday (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.).
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Enjoy Painted Garden AND Fortopia with one ticket! Admission linked in bio. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #fortopiakc

Powell Gardens’ #MidwestForaging exhibition is back in 2023! Focused on the forageable plants found along the Family Discovery Loop and Heartland Harvest Garden, look for new blue plant tags, a self-guide digital tour, and more in the coming year. Embrace your Midwest spirit while appreciating the natural landscape throughout Powell Gardens.
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#powellgardens #midwestforaging #botanicalgarden #forage #foraging #nativeedibles #nativeplants #monatives #misosurinatives

Bearded irises in the Fountain Garden. 💜
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#powellgardens #beardediris #iris #irisesofinstagram #botanicalgarden #garden #iriscollection

OPENING DAY 💙🌱⚪️🟥
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Fortopia is open on the East Lawn through September 4, 2023. Come play at Powell Gardens!

Fortopia (May 25-Sept. 4), a playful outdoor exhibition comprised of life-sized forts, invites explorers of all ages to uncover Powell Gardens. This vibrant edition to summer in Kansas City encourages outdoor discovery and taps into the nostalgia of childhood fort building.
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Fortopia opens May 25 and runs through September 4. Visit the Gardens many times to experience the forts in a different light throughout the changing seasons! Nestled on the East Lawn, visitors are encouraged to enjoy the Gardens in a new and playful way.
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Admission linked in bio. #powellgardens #fortopiakc #botanicalgarden

Uncover an enchanted forest at Powell Gardens! We’ve spotted 12 forest dwellings along the secret trail in the David T. Beals III Woodland and Stream Garden. How many can you find?
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#powellgardens #trails #botanicalgarden #takeahike #takeahikekc #kansascityhiking #secrettrail #enchantedforest #fairyhouse

Art and nature collide during Painted Garden (April 29-May 31). Purchase admission online (link in bio) or at the door.
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#powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #botanicalgarden

Check out the herbal tea garden in the Heartland Harvest Garden! The stacked planter in the middle of the garden is planted with a Kumquat bush with variegated Nasturtiums trailing down the sides.
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Other plants in this garden are allspice tree, basil, bay leaf tree, bladder campion, curry tree, Eucalyptus tree, hibiscus, lemon tree, lemongrass, passionflower vine, peppermint, rosemary, sage, thyme, spearmint, and yellow oregano.
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#powellgardens #botanicalgarden #kansascitybotanicalgarden #kcgarden #garden #teagarden #herbaltea #tea #herbalgarden #herbgarden #gardening #ourgardenyourhome #heartlandharvestgarden

🐕 Don’t miss the first Dog Day of 2023 at Powell Gardens! Bring your dog for a stroll through Powell Gardens TODAY (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.). Purchase admission online; link in bio.
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Our friends from Bordner Home Improvement have pup cups to share. 💚
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Dogs must have current vaccinations and remain on a leash at all times. (Retractable leashes are not allowed.) Owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pooch. Please note that marked areas of the Heartland Harvest Garden are inaccessible during Dog Days because they are dedicated to food production. Otherwise, dogs and their humans are free to explore our 175 acres.

👟 GUIDED TOUR 👟
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Guided tours of the Dennis and Annette Young Magnolia Walk and the Dogwood Walk will be offered on Saturdays and Sundays at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., noon, and 1 p.m. Tours are included with admission.
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Purchase admission online; link in bio. #powellgardens #botanicalgarden #guidedtour #garden #gardentour #paintedgardenkc

Painted Garden (April 29-May 31) would not be possible without the generous support of our partners and sponsors. We offer our sincere appreciation to Summit Art, Blue Scope, Bordner Home Improvement, and T-Mobile. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc

There are three special events at Powell Gardens this weekend!
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🍾 Rosé & Croquet Garden Party (Saturday, May 20, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
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🥃 Garden to Glass: Bronson’s Punch Edition (Saturday, May 20, 3-4 p.m.)
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🐶 Dog Days (Sunday, May 21, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
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Purchase admission and learn more by clicking the link in bio. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #dogdays #croquet #gardentoglass #botanicalgarden #gardenparty #garden

Powell Garden’s iris collection began in the 1990s by Dr. Norlan Henderson. Dr. Henderson was a botany professor at University of Missouri – Kansas City for 24 years and was one of Powell Gardens’ original board members. He spent numerous years hybridizing irises and brought his passion to Powell Gardens by donating over 20 years' worth of his American Iris Society (AIS) Award of Merit collection along with historic and species irises. Dr. Henderson was a frequent volunteer at Powell Gardens and worked with the collection until he was 95 years old.
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The bearded iris collection was originally displayed on Iris Hill (located along the drive to the Marjorie Powell Allen Chapel) but because of its inaccessibility, Powell Gardens’ iris collection was moved to a more visible location at the Fountain and Millstone Gardens in 2020.
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There are four beds of irises at Powell Gardens. The two largest beds at the Fountain Garden feature the AIS Award of Merit irises with around 100 named cultivars. There are five cultivars selected each year between the years 1994-2014. The two smaller Millstone Plaza beds display irises of local and historical significance, along with cultivars named after Dr. Henderson’s family and friends.

Looking for the perfect place to snap a selfie? Try the Door to Spring in the Stumpery or hanging frames along the Dogwood Walk!
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Painted Garden is open Wednesday-Sunday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., through May 31. Purchase admission online (link in bio) or at the door. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #springselfie #botanicalgarden #garden

Summit Art (Powell Gardens’ Painted Garden partner) continues to lead local communities in visual arts engagement, networking and professional development, with an independent self-perpetuating board of directors and a voting membership of more than 140, including juried artists, students, art educators, general members and corporate/gallery members.
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During Painted Garden, members of Summit Art have works of art on display in the Visitor Center. Purchase in The Marketplace.

🎨🖼️ About Painted Garden’s featured artist, @rachelbhayes:
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Rachel Hayes received her BFA from the Kansas City Art Institute in Fiber, and her MFA in Painting from Virginia Commonwealth University. She is a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Award in Painting and Sculpture, Augustus Saint-Gaudens Memorial Fellowship in Sculpture, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts Professional Fellowship in Sculpture, Virginia Commission for the Arts Fellowship in Sculpture, and a Charlotte Street Fund Award.
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Hayes' work is on display during Painted Garden (April 29-May 31). Link in bio. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #rachelhayes #kindredspirits

Garden friends, it’s a great day to visit Kansas City’s botanical garden! ☀️
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Powell Gardens is open 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. today for Second Saturday. Since it’s Mother’s Day weekend, moms receive free admission. Painted Garden Art Walk & Sale is on the East Lawn from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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Admission linked in bio. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #mothersday #botanicalgarden #garden #artwalk #artsale #freeadmission

We love weekends in the Garden. Join us for Second Saturday (9 a.m. - 9 p.m.) and Painted Garden Art Walk & Sale (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) on Saturday!
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Purchase admission online (link in bio) or at the door. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #mothersdayweekend #botanicalgarden #garden

Powell Gardens has named Cody Jolliff its new chief executive officer. 🎉
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The Board of Directors’ selection committee led the search initiative through a national executive search firm specializing in non-profit leadership. Jolliff’s appointment is effective immediately.
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Jolliff joined Powell Gardens as manager of Public Programs in 2022. He has over 17 years of experience leading non-profit cultural institutions and developing visitor experiences at sites ranging from museums to living history farms, tourist railroads, and more. Jolliff is an alum of Oklahoma State University and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, capital of the Cherokee Nation. He previously worked for the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Oklahoma Historical Society, where he was responsible for the management of multiple heritage museums and historic sites. Jolliff and his wife, Tara, along with their son, Theodore, enjoy traveling and visiting cultural sites around the country and world.
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“Powell Gardens is an amazing place to explore, enjoy and take in plants and nature with friends and family,” Jolliff said. “I’m looking forward to leading Powell Gardens to the next level, pursuing new partnerships and opportunities, engaging new audiences, and ensuring that the Gardens remains a top cultural attraction for the Kansas City region to love.”
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Read more at powellgardens.org/about/news. #powellgardens #ceo #chiefexecutiveofficer #codyjolliff #botanicalgarden #kcmo #gardennews

On Monday, staff members visited Ona's Prairie, a 40-acre tallgrass prairie managed by Powell Gardens. Look at the beautiful spring color!🌱🌼🌤️
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If you're interested in learning more about or visiting a prairie this year, join us for a Native Prairie Series class! Next up: Powell Gardens’ Remnant Prairies on Saturday, July 8 (9:30-11:30 a.m.). Link in bio.
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#powellgardens #onasprairie #prairie #conservation #visitmo #conservemo #missourinativeplants #nativeplants #plants #prairieplants

There’s still time to delight mom this weekend! Register for a champagne tea service including sparkling wine, floral tea, and a selection of sweet and savory bites at Powell Gardens.
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As a special treat, a staff horticulturist will give a short presentation about Painted Garden and Powell Gardens’ botanic collections.
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Reserve your spot today (link in bio)! #powellgardens #mothersday #tea #teaparty #champagnetea #teaservice #mom #mothers #botanicalgarden #garden #gardentea

Kindred Spirits by Rachel Hayes is on view in the conservatory during Painted Garden (April 29-May 31). 🎨🪡📍
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#powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #rachelhayes #spring #botanicalgarden #artinstallation

Take a May class at #powellgardens to engage more deeply with plants! Link to register in bio.
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🖼️ Artful Gardens: Painted Garden (Saturday, May 13; 3-5 p.m.)
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📚Book Club: The Language of Flowers (Saturday, May 20; 10-11 a.m.)
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🍹Garden to Glass: Bronson’s Punch Edition (Saturday, May 20; 3-4 p.m.)

Tulips are members of the lily family (Liliaceae). This genus of plants has been hybridized by people since ancient times beginning in Persia. In fact, hybrid tulips are more commonly seen and grown than other tulips.
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Tulips are planted in the fall. At Powell Gardens, we protect tulips with deer repellent and landscape netting so that they can be enjoyed in spring. Look for two varieties, ‘Menton’ (pink) and ‘Big Smile’ (yellow) in the Fountain Garden.
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#powellgardens #tulips #tulip #paintedgardenkc #botanicalgarden

Perennial Lounge Display: Prayer Plants 🙏💚
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Also known as Arrowroot, the Marantaceae family consists of over 30 genera of flowering plants in tropical forests from South America, Africa, and Asia. Many varieties have leaves that fold upwards at night which gives this family its popular common name of Prayer Plant.
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Coming from the forest floor and warm tropical environments, prayer plants make excellent houseplants that are adapted to lower light levels typical in the home. Many varieties have very decorative leaves that add color and pattern to home décor.
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#powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #botanicalgarden #prayerplant #arrowroot #marantaceae #houseplant

Look for newly installed sculptures on view along the Dennis & Annette Young Magnolia Walk and Dogwood Walk. Powell Gardens’ permanent sculpture collection is also on display during Painted Garden (April 29-May 31).
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Purchase admission online (link in bio) or at the door. #powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #sculpturewalk

Rachel Hayes’ “Kindred Spirits” is on display now at Powell Gardens during Painted Garden (April 29-May 31). Learn more about the artist and purchase admission by clicking the link in bio.
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#powellgardens #paintedgardenkc #rachelhayes #kindredspirits #installation #sculpture #botanicalgarden #fiberart #artwalk

Impress mom by making Mother’s Day plans today! At Powell Gardens, moms receive free admission on May 13 and 14. To make the day extra special, purchase tickets to Mother’s Day tea or snag a picnic brunch for your family (link in bio).