The Gardens

The Gardens at Powell Gardens

As Kansas City’s Botanical Garden, Powell Gardens plays a vital role in the community as a space for release, rejuvenation, and the celebration of the fleeting nature of nature itself. Visitors enjoy themed display gardens, a three-mile nature trail, seasonal festivals, rotating exhibitions, exceptional architecture, and more. Established in 1988, Powell Gardens is a non-profit, public garden, maintaining 970 acres of lush, rolling hills and windswept meadows, with more than 175 acres and a large collection of plants open to the public for education, exploration, and recreation. Many of the plants in the Gardens are regionally native, and all highlight the changing seasons and Midwest spirit of place.

Children's Garden

Children of all ages are invited to learn about the outdoors through plant and play exploration in our two acre Children’s Garden.

David T. Beals III Woodland & Stream Garden

The David T. Beals III Woodland & Stream Garden is a shady respite featuring a bubbling brook, overlook decks and plenty of native perennials.

Fountain Garden

Offering beautiful stonework, sun-loving annuals, and cooling sprays, the Fountain Garden is a favorite summertime spot.

Heartland Harvest Garden

The Heartland Harvest Garden is a premier edible landscape featuring beautiful plantings with a dual function of providing food.

Marlese Lowe Gourley Island Garden

The centerpiece of the 12-acre lake, the Marlese Lowe Gourley Island Garden features a variety of aquatic plants.

The Memorial Garden

Located adjacent to the Marjorie Powell Allen Chapel, the Memorial Garden offers a peaceful space to ruminate during difficult times.

Visitor Center Landscape

The Visitor Center is the central hub for happenings in the Gardens. It is surrounded by a beautiful landscape featuring annual terrace beds, beautiful walks, and a large expanse of green space.

The Byron Shutz Trail System

Two footpath trails are available for our visitors. Take a 1-mile or 3.25-mile hike through the wild side of Powell Gardens.

Conservation

In alignment with the mission of Powell Gardens, our conservation efforts pursue the protection of the Midwest Spirit of Place as experienced within our ecological communities.

Powell Gardens’ stewardship actions are a dynamic application of restoration strategies, including engaging valuable partners, as we work to restore the living landscape which supports our botanical gardens. Actions to preserve and uphold the integrity of our ecological communities include reintroducing prescribed fire across the landscape, balancing competition from invasive species, and improving biodiversity within our habitat reconstructions through thoughtful species additions.

Powell Gardens is passionate about connecting people to the landscape of our region throughout the seasons through educational courses, citizen science projects, and conservation volunteer opportunities. We encourage our visitors to observe our restoration progress throughout the Powell Gardens landscape.

Ona’s Prairie

Ona’s Prairie, located in Southwest Pettis County, MO, is a 40-acre tallgrass prairie supporting a diversity of plant and animal species.

This natural community was given to Powell Gardens for education and research in late 2019 due to a bequest from Ona Gieschen. Today, our staff continues to care for this ecological treasure.

Click here to learn more.