While visiting Kansas City from our home in Nebraska, we went to Powell Gardens expecting some lovely flowers--which we saw. But we had not anticipated the delicious fresh food at the Cafe Thyme, the restaurant within the gardens. We had expected the cafe to be simply a convenience. Instead, our lunch was stunningly fresh. The vegetables had been picked that morning from the garden on site. I had a delicious quiche "Caprese"---mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil in a mellow quiche base and pastry shell. The accompanying salad filled the plate with a variety of tender small greens accented with a colorful assortment of vegetable garnishes--orange sweet pepper slices, radishes, and others. My son had a vegetable casserole and my husband chose a soup. All were prepared fresh that day using garden vegetables and included the gorgeous salads. The charming proprietor added to our pleasant experience at the restaurant.The gardens are worth a visit, and so is the cafe!
I was expecting just a small botanical garden so was amazed to see the various types of eco systems from beautiful gardens to ponds, marshes, woods with hiking trails to grassfields and a barnyard.
Catch Iris Hill in full bloom...and also catch the Spring Sale (this year it was May 2-4).The iris collection includes more than 500 varieties named as winners of the American Iris Society's Award of Merit.
Long walks. Gardens fairly weedy. Over priced lunch selections, they completely ran out of food at indoor cafe. Still some interesting plants that you don't see often.
Powell Gardens, located just outside Kansas City by an easy 45 minute drive is well worth the visit if you enjoy what gardens and open spaces can bring to your day. Like major metropolitan botanical gardens, Powell boasts beautiful facilities to encourage and enjoy the designated gardens. However, the wonderful difference at Powell is a variety of open spaces, big sky and beautiful natural landscape that surrounds the designated gardens. Pathways and trolleys help you cover the larger grounds, from the developed fountains and waterways to the tree path above the more natural ponds. Getting out of the city to enjoy the Kansas landscape and gardens is well worth the trip. An incredible sculpture exhibition of large bronze animals is installed throughout the gardens this summer and fall and added wonderfully to the visit. We would love to go back and spend more time! Be ready to for a good walk (comfortable shoes!) in the beautiful outdoors.
Walked through Powell Gardens today with my grandchildren. As we left the Visitors Center. We turned right and walked along a road. Next time I would walk on the path going left. We enjoyed the path around the lake and all of the animal statues. There is still one half of the gardens which we haven't seem. Next time. ,,,There is a nice big sand area for kids and a very unique climbing area with slides. I think that this was The Big Backyard area. Nice Gift Shop and restaurant with outdoor seating available. Looking forward to returning to explore the areas not seen!
The gardens are a jewel for the Kansas City area. Well appointed and always innovating and expanding.They are located in the middle of nowhere MO. That is part of their charm and the more the reason they ought to have some decent place to eat. Their restaurant has awful hours and worse menu. Closing at 2 pm is not user friendly after a long trek there. Then it is ultimately politically correct. No beer or wine, so puritan. But yes, plenty of carbonated sugary drinks! The items for sale were very limited, and if one does not get there on time, they may be gone when one asks for them. A couple of hundred yards away, at the barn, they sell beer and wine. Why only there? In Summer time the site is hot but some shady areas are welcome, particularly in the cataracts section. On the other hand, there is a flat territory over the dam, on the way to the visitors center, where some trees would be a good thing. The buildings are comfortable and creative, particularly the chapel and the interest in improving things is evident. Yet, closing at 6 pm in Summer time is not very friendly, but given the dearth of eating places, there or in the vicinity, may be the thing to do. If management placed more interests in visitors comfort it could be the perfect place for an educational and attractive day outing
While my SO and I had an enjoyable visit on a recent sunny October afternoon, we left wanting more. The Visitor's Center takes only a few minutes to walk through before heading out to the gardens, which were decorated with deteriorating pumpkins and amateur scarecrows. Much of the gardens were green, albeit with an unimaginative collection of herbs and evergreens, most of the 'produce' having already been harvested. The restaurant was closed. The interior gardens seemed well maintained, but the perimeters were haphazard. We did not get to the 'island' or any of the ponds. Kudos to the staff who searched for and found a gardener on hand to answer a question about a variety of tree in the Conservatory. At the end of our visit, we both said, "Is that it?" I'll reserve final judgment until we revisit next summer or earlier next fall. Will watch for Holiday-season functions as well.
We ended our Fall Break trip to Kansas City by driving east of town to Powell Gardens. It was the end of the season for many of the flowers but we were not in the least disappointed. The water features are wonderful and the chapel is very peaceful and there was enough fall color, even though this is not the peak season for such, to make me happy. It was a great walk in the woods and prairie. The chapel is wonderful and very peaceful. I loved our outing to Powell Gardens and will be back if we are in the area.
This is a nice way to spend an hour or so. Nice facilities and beautiful gardens. What you see depends on time of the year but there are year-round things to see. Good areas for kids. Cafe is open only W-Sa so plan accordingly