Learn from the experts at K-State Research and Extension’s Demonstration Gardens
Looking for gardening inspiration? Come check out public gardens in your community! K-State Research and Extension Johnson County Master Gardeners manage nine stunning demonstration gardens throughout the county, which showcase gardening techniques and concepts to home gardeners.
There's no shortage of variety in the gardens: shrubs and herbs, perennials and annuals, fruits and vegetables, trees, vines and roses, and much more. You're welcome to visit the demonstration gardens, explore the plantings, and - on volunteer workdays - meet the Extension Master Gardeners who maintain them. They are happy to answer any questions you bring.
Below, you can learn more about Extension's demonstration gardens and what they have to offer. Note that Gardens marked with * are only accessible during specific business hours and/or may require an admission fee.
Backyard Garden (K-State Horticulture Research Center)*
The Backyard Garden is located at the K-State Horticulture Center at 35230 W 135th St. in Olathe. The garden features a variety of fruits, vegetables, cutting garden flowers and herbs and demonstrates techniques and solutions that could be replicated in any home garden. It's open to the public only on Wednesday mornings during Master Gardener workdays from March through October. All other times require an appointment.
Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead*
There are 12 individual gardens nestled into Deanna Rose Children’s Farmstead, each with a different theme, some with unique plants. Visiting the gardens requires paying the Farmstead entry fee and entering during Farmstead hours. The Farmstead, located at 137th and Switzer in Overland Park, is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., April through October. Master Gardeners work in the gardens on Tuesday mornings.
Garden Gallery
The Garden Gallery, outside of the Sunset Drive Office Building, 11811 S. Sunset Drive in Olathe, is open to the public dawn to dusk every day of the year. Along with its variety of themed gardens, small trees and hardy shrubs, the Garden Gallery demonstrates environmentally friendly practices, innovative garden design, and showcases plants likely to do well in our urban spaces, both old and new varieties. This garden offers excellent visual resources and ideas when planning your local garden spaces. Master Gardeners work the gardens on Thursday mornings during growing season.
Monet Garden at the Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens*
The Monet Garden was established within Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens, 8909 W. 179th St. in Overland Park, in 2003. The one-acre garden features a blend of colors in the style of Claude Monet's gardens at Giverny. It requires the Arboretum entrance fee to view, and access is limited to open park hours which may vary. Master Gardeners work in the gardens on Wednesday and Saturday mornings during the growing season.
Shawnee Indian Mission Garden*
This demonstration garden is located at the Shawnee Indian Mission at 53rd and Mission Road in Fairway. The Shawnee Indian Mission Garden reflects the mission's farm that operated in the mid-1800s and features vegetables such as broccoli, potatoes and lettuce as well as some heirloom varieties. This garden also offers an example of an established native bioswale or rain garden. The garden is open during site hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Master Gardeners work Wednesday mornings during the growing season.
Shawnee Town Gardens*
Two demonstration gardens are located at historic Shawnee Town at 11501 W. 57th St. in Shawnee. The Shawnee Town Gardens include an herb garden, established in 1992, and a country flower garden, established in 1999. These gardens really showcase the possibility within small spaces landscaping. Shawnee Town is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. Master Gardeners work in the gardens on Friday mornings during the growing season.
Wassmer Park Garden
The Wassmer Park Garden is one of the newest demonstration gardens, located at the corner of 67th and Roe in Prairie Village. The garden, with around 2,6000 square feet of space, features perennials, shrubs, annuals and bulbs in a four-quadrant design. The park is open to the public year-round from dawn to dusk. Master Gardeners work in the garden on Monday afternoons during the growing season.
West Flanders Garden
A demonstration garden is maintained at West Flanders Park, which celebrates Shawnee's Sister City of Pittem, Belgium. The West Flanders Garden's cottage beds are influenced by Belgian cottage gardens. This has a whimsical theme for children and incorporates environmental practices in a park setting. The garden is located at 55th and Nieman Road in Shawnee and is open dawn to dusk year-round. Master Gardeners work in the gardens on Thursday mornings during the growing season.
Blue Valley School District’s Wilderness Science Center Garden*
A native garden adjacent to the Blue Valley Middle School in Overland Park, the Wilderness Science Center Garden is a partnership with the Blue Valley School District. The garden supports the District's Environmental Science Program with a diverse plant habitat and provides a living laboratory for the students who are the Environmental Stewards of the future. No visitors are allowed during school hours or summer programs. Master Gardeners work in the gardens on Monday mornings during the growing season.
