Whether you live in the city or the suburbs, Kansas City is full of beautiful gardens, scenic trails and colorful blooms to explore. From botanical gardens and rose gardens to family-friendly farmsteads, here are some of our favorite gardens in Kansas City.
Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens — Overland Park, KS
As you stroll through the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, you’ll encounter multiple themed gardens. History buffs will love the Legacy Garden, which displays plants commonly found on Kansas homesteads. The International Sculpture Garden will delight your inner artist with thought-provoking statues. And whether you’re a child or a child at heart, you’ll love the Train Garden, which features a real caboose, model trains and a miniature display of Overland Park.
Other must-sees include the Water Garden, Monet Garden, Iris Garden and Children’s Garden.
Ten miles of trails wind through the area, offering views of a variety of ecosystems, including woodlands, a native grass meadow, a prairie, a pond, limestone bluffs and a sycamore grove. If you need some AC, head indoors to enjoy the cafe, gift shop and free art gallery.
Admission: Entry prices range from $3 to $7, and children under 6 receive free admission. Walking tours and golf cart tours are available, but tours must be booked two weeks in advance. On the first Tuesday of each month, you can visit the gardens for free.
Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead — Overland Park, KS
Whether you have toddlers or teenagers, your kids will have a blast at Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead—and so will you!
Multiple gardens are on display here. The 50th Anniversary Garden celebrates Overland Park’s history, the apple orchard showcases different apple species, and the Friends of the Farmstead Plaza features farm equipment nestled in planter beds. A wooded trail leads to Beverly’s Butterfly Garden.
One favorite area is the Master Gardens, which contains various flowers and vegetables, a monarch butterfly tagging station and a koi pond.
As you travel between gardens, you’ll spot an array of animals, including bison, cattle, horses, pigs, sheep and prairie dogs. Other popular sites at the farmstead include the playgrounds, historic building replicas and the recreated Kanza encampment.
Admission: Entry costs $5, and children under 3 are free. Admission is free after 2:00 Monday through Thursday, except during select holidays. During the summer months, early admission is offered for sensory-sensitive guests and their families.
Powell Gardens — Kingsville, MO
For nearly 40 years, Powell Gardens has enchanted visitors with its sweeping expanse of lush blooms. One favorite area is the Island Garden. Centered in a 12-acre lake, this garden offers views of aquatic plants, waterfalls and wildlife.
Opposite the Island Garden, you’ll find a meadow filled with wildflowers and native prairie grasses. Nearby, the Woodland and Stream Garden provides a shaded, flower-dappled walking path. You’ll also love the Perennial Garden, Children’s Garden and Fountain Garden.
Powell Gardens has several indoor areas of interest. At the visitor center, you can purchase a snack, browse the gift shop and admire the indoor garden. The Marjorie Powell Allen Chapel is also worth a visit for its quiet beauty. And if you’d like a bird’s-eye view of the landscape, head over to the silo by the Children’s Garden. Just remember, the silo does not have windows—so don’t try to lean against the nonexistent glass!
Admission: General admission prices range from $8 to $15, and children under 5 are free.
Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden — Kansas City, MO
The Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden is a peaceful place to enjoy carefully designed plant displays in the heart of Kansas City. This tranquil area serves as the final resting place for the Kauffmans, who were prominent Kansas City entrepreneurs and philanthropists.
The stone walls, bubbling fountains and elegant bronze sculptures give the garden a distinctly European feel, while the meticulously trimmed shrubs and trees reveal the care that goes into its upkeep.
The plant displays are changed at least four times a year, so there is always something new to see. Volunteers and staff arrange the flowers to create colorful patterns, and their creative flair extends to the garden’s greenhouse, which features unique seasonal displays.
Admission: The garden is free to visit. Tours are available, but they must be arranged in advance. Contact the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Family Foundation for more information.
Loose Park — Kansas City, MO
Loose Park is home to the Laura Conyers Smith Municipal Rose Garden, one of Kansas City’s most beautiful spots for rose lovers. The garden contains nearly 130 varieties of roses—almost 3,000 blooms in all.
Rose bushes and flower-covered arches grace the garden’s paths, which encircle a stone fountain. The high quality of the roses has garnered attention outside of Kansas City, with the garden receiving both national and international awards.
Plan a Garden Day in Kansas City
Kansas City families have no shortage of beautiful places to explore, from peaceful memorial gardens and award-winning rose displays to kid-friendly farmsteads and sprawling botanical gardens. Whether you’re looking for a quiet afternoon outdoors, a scenic walk or a new place to take the kids, these Kansas City gardens offer plenty of ways to enjoy the beauty of the season.den, which celebrates our Japanese sister city, Kurashiki. The shrubs, stones, boulders and ornamental fountain pay homage to the features of a traditional Japanese garden.
For even more floral beauty, stop by the Garden Center to admire the vibrant flower bed.
Admission: Loose Park and its gardens are free to visit, but the rose garden closes for maintenance on weekdays from 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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