The Kansas City area has some really impressive architecture, parks, and landscaping. Those of us in Kansas City know how good we have it, but sometimes it’s difficult to convince people from outside the area that Kansas City landscaping is actually quite lovely.

We wanted to take some time in this blog post to talk about some of our favorite examples of well-done landscaping in Kansas City and the KC area.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art

Not only does the Nelson have an impressive collection of art from around the world, it’s also home to one of Kansas City’s best lawns, with the unforgettable (and massive) shuttlecocks decorating the field.

Aside from the Nelson’s lawn, the landscape design near the museum is simple but attractive. Whenever we go to the museum we like to spend almost as much time outside as inside.

Unity Village

Joanna and Kris are slightly biased toward Unity Village; they met while they were both working there and have strong connections to the area. But aside from that, Unity Village–located near Lee’s Summit where Evolving Landscapes is based–has truly beautiful landscape design.

Rose bushes, fountains, forests, walking paths, and gardens cover the 1,400 acres of Unity Village. If you’ve never been there we would highly recommend taking a look around. It has truly astounding Mediterranean architecture and fountains. In our opinion it’s one of the most beautiful spots in the Kansas City area.

The Plaza

Okay, so we know the Plaza is a really big area (well, so is Unity Village), but we still really love the integration of architecture and landscaping.

Almost anyone who has spent time in Kansas City knows about the Plaza, or, as it’s officially called, the Country Club Plaza. Much like Unity Village, the Plaza is full of Spanish-style architecture and fountains that mimic Seville, in Spain.

Are you from Kansas City? Tell us what your favorite example of landscaping in Kansas City is, in the comments below!