Summer Blossoms & Events
Festival of Butterflies
July 25 – August 9 | Daily, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Experience the world of our favorite pollinator at the annual Festival of Butterflies at Powell Gardens. The vibrant colors of over a thousand free-flying butterflies and moths will populate our glass-walled conservatory, where a mesmerizing fountain pool will be surrounded with tropical plants that are native to the natural habitats of these exotic pollinators. Witness metamorphosis from chrysalis to butterfly and cocoon to moth as each newly-winged wonder takes flight for the very first time.
Next you are invited to embark on the outdoor trail that traces the northward migratory path of the monarch butterfly. Your journey begins in our Seed to Plate greenhouse, which will be transformed into a facsimile of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Michoacán, Mexico, a World Heritage Site where monarch butterflies spend the winter months. Approximately 200 million butterflies cover the trees, creating a captivating landscape of fluttering wings. You will continue following the trail through stops that feature nectar and host plants from Texas, then Oklahoma, until you have reached the outdoor habitat where we raise native Missouri butterflies every year.
On this magical migratory trip from the southern hemisphere and through Mexico to the Midwest, you will have opportunities to get up close and personal with many different species. Explore each butterfly’s origins, preferred habitats, and life-cycles while enjoying a variety of festival events in celebration of the summer season.
Fun & Games: Play in the Gardens
Summer 2020 | Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
The transformative power of play, combined with the benefits of fresh, midwestern summer air are the focus of our summer exhibition, Fun and Games: Play in the Garden.
Spend your summer playing outside in the Gardens, where new games and activities are popping up across every inch of the Gardens throughout the season. Keep an eye on @PowellGardens on social media for surprise activations and to find out what’s new in the Gardens. You’ll want to visit throughout the summer to experience all this exhibition has to offer.
More Summer 2020 Events
Saturday, July 18 | 10:30-11:30 a.m.
Location: Powell Gardens, Byron Schutz Nature Trail and Education Pond
Free with general admission | Admission is free for members
Join a Powell Gardens docent for a hunt for berry treasure. This family-friendly hike features a short walk (.8 miles) through our forest to our lotus pond in search of blackberries and other woodland treasures. This experience is suited for families with kids ages five to twelve. Come prepared with bug spray and sunscreen. Space is limited, so please register online in advance.
Thursday, July 23 | 6-9 p.m.
Open to all Powell Gardens members
Flit and flutter with our beloved butterflies during Festival of Butterflies! Join us for our members-only preview.
Saturday, July 25 | 1-4 p.m.
Free with festival admission | Admission is free for members
Drop in to view and gently handle caterpillars and butterflies in the native butterfly house. Bring the camera for this great photo opportunity!
Friday, July 24 | 6 p.m. – Sunset
Free with festival admission | Admission is free for members
We invite you to enjoy longer hours during our Festival of Butterflies, listen to music, treat yourself to snacks and a seasonal festival cocktail, and take in the sunset views in the gardens to celebrate the peak of the summer season.
Saturday, July 25 & Sunday, July 26 | 12-4 p.m.
Free with festival admission | Admission is free for members
Enjoy the rhythm of live music inspired by the migratory path of the Monarch butterfly. Snacks and libations are available at Refresh or Perennial Lounge to enjoy as you sit, stroll, or dance with the music outside.
4 Don't Miss Spots to Stay Cool During Your Visit
Carl and Jean Chinnery Lower Deck Garden
Location: David T. Beals III Woodland & Stream Garden
After exiting the Marlese Lowe Gourley Island Garden, follow the path into the cool cover of the David T. Beals III Woodland & Stream Garden. To your right you will notice an observation deck surrounded by shade-loving perennial plants and directly adjacent to the flowing water for which the Woodland & Stream Garden was named.
The Bob and Sally West Arbor Garden
Location: The Perennial Garden
This shady spot, near the water’s edge of our 12-acre lake, is covered in twisting wisteria vines that bloom in late-spring but provide interest (and shade) all year long. Enjoy a restful seat under the arbor to enjoy the scenic view across the water.
The Fountain Garden
Location: Visitor Center Landscape
This 42-foot diameter water feature showcases a refreshing spray for cooling off. Sit on the low walls surrounding the fountain and enjoy the beauty of the display beds in this garden space.
Location: Visitor Center Landscape
This new garden invites you in for shade and bird-watching. Trees and ferns provide greenery in this quiet space.
Summer Showstoppers
Showy Spot: Marlese Lowe Gourley Island Garden
Best Time to Visit: late-July to August
The tiered pools of the Marlese Lowe Gourley Island Garden display a number of aquatic plants including nearly 40 varieties of water lilies. Watch for colorful goldfish swimming among the plants.
Showy Spot: Arvin Gottlieb Foundation Daylily Path
Best Time to Visit: mid-June to mid-July
The bulk of the Powell Gardens’ daylily collection is installed in the sunny Perennial Garden. You can experience a variety of bold summer color along the winding brick path. Additional varieties of this edible flower are available to view in the Heartland Harvest Garden.
Showy Spot: Heartland Harvest Garden Villandry
Best Time to Visit: mid-June to late-August
The design of the Villandry in the Heartland Harvest Garden was inspired by the Gardens of the Chateau Villandry in the Loire Valley in France. The geometric patterns of the beds are planted with edible material with an attention to aesthetic as well as seasonal interest. The beds reflect themes of global flavors, seed-to-plate education, the farm-to-table movement.
Showy Spot: Native Butterfly Habitat
Featured Plants: Butterfly Bush, Zinnias, Lantana, Coneflower, Milkweed
Best Time to Visit: July to August
Located on the gravel path near the Children’s Education Garden, this space was developed to foster native butterfly species during the season. Live caterpillars and butterflies are installed here to educate on their life cycle and the host and nectar plants needed to sustain them.