Hidden Gems: Meet Powell Gardens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Powell Gardens.

Hi Powell Gardens, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, let’s briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
As Kansas City’s Botanical Garden, Powell Gardens plays a vital role in the community as a space for release, rejuvenation, and celebrating nature’s fleeting nature. Visitors enjoy eight-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.

Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
COVID-19 provided challenges for all of those in our community. Powell Gardens was and is uniquely positioned to offer safe outdoor entertainment.

We’ve been impressed with Powell Gardens, but for folks who might need to be more familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart?
As Kansas City’s Botanical Garden, Powell Gardens plays a vital role in the community as a space for release, rejuvenation, and celebrating nature’s fleeting nature. Visitors enjoy eight-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.

Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs, or other resources you think our readers should check?
Powell Gardens is a living museum with a rapidly growing collection. With more than 21,000 plants on record by the end of 2020, the Gardens has amassed important data for long-term planning and as a reference tool. Collections also provide an invaluable resource for the conservation of plants, both regionally and globally. Our staff mindfully stewards our collections as they preserve plant diversity for generations. Through a grant in 2020, the Powell Gardens’ collection moved to a platform allowing public access. Explore our living collection, features, and garden tours online with Garden Explorer (https://powellgardens.gardenexplorer.org/).

Contact Info:

• Website: www.powellgardens.org
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/powellgardens
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/powellgardens
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/powellgardens
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/powellgardens

Image Credits
Powell Gardens