Powell Gardens

To visit the 1948 Powell Gardens spread across 3.70 square kilometers, during your travel in Kansas City, you will need to take a short drive of about 30 miles east from Kansas City. The gardens feature over 6,000 plant varieties and an amazing 225,000 plants across seasons. The gardens open to the public during day time, for a fee.

From its inception, the Power Gardens went through a series of transitions initially as a diary farm, then scout camp, a natural and agricultural resource center and finally became a botanical garden in 1988.

The story of how the property became the Powell Gardens itself is quite interesting. George E.Powell, himself a prominent a business man in Kansas City acquired the land. Though Mr. Powell had a long and successful stint with transport business in Kansas, he had acquired first hand experience of farming during his early childhood itself at the family farm. He had learned through the harsh way that farming experience at times tended to be harsh. Yet, all through his successful career, he had never lost focus on farming and would spend several week ends in the company of his friends/family at his Missouri farm.

Official website of the Powell Gardens

http://www.powellgardens.org/

Visitor information for the gardens

http://www.powellgardens.org/default.asp?page=VisitUs

In 1969, Mr. Powell donated his 640 acre farm to the Boy Scouts of America's Kansas City Area Council. For the next 15 years, the farm was used as a regional camp for the Boy scouts. In 1984, the Powell Family foundation, in association with the University of Missouri started developing the Powell Center which represented a facility for natural resources and horticulture. This leads to professional consultants in the area of botanical gardens being appointed.

In the result, 1988 saw the Powell Gardens being incorporated as a not-for-profit organization. The 19 member board which includes several members of the Powell family today govern the gardens.

Due to its location outside the city of Kansas, it is unlikely that the gardens find mention in regular Kansas City travel deals. To help you understand the gardens better and draw up your itinerary, we have provided some useful web links on this page.

Facility rental at the gardens

http://www.powellgardens.org/default.asp?page=Rent

Garden tour

http://www.powellgardens.org/default.asp?page=GardenTour

Powell Gardens Address:
1609 N.W. U.S. Highway 50
Kingsville, MO 64061

Contact:
Tel: (816) 697-2600
Fax: (816) 697-2619
Email: czind@powellgardens.org

Powell Gardens Hours:
May - September: 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
October - April: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day: Closed

Ticket Information for the Powell Gardens:
Adults: $9.50(April - October), $7(November - March), $10(Festivals)
Senior Citizens: $8.50(April - October), $6(November - March), $9(Festivals)
Children (5-12): $4(April - October), $3(November - March), $5(Festivals)
Children (under 5) and Members of Friends of Powell Gardens and Society of Perennial Partners: Free

Website: http://www.powellgardens.org/default.asp