Aldridge Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden in Jefferson County, Alabama. The nearest town is Hoover, about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) away (Aldridge Botanical Gardens lies SE of town).
Aldridge Gardens is a 30-acre (121,000 m2) botanical garden, prominently featuring hydrangeas, located on the former Aldridge Estate in Hoover, Alabama, United States. Local nurseryman Eddie Aldridge purchased the property from the Coxe family in 1977 as a residence. Aldridge, who along with his father, Loren L. Aldridge, found and patented Hydrangea quercifolia 'Snowflake', a double-flowering form of Oakleaf Hydrangea. In 1997 the gardens were conveyed to the City of Hoover and formally dedicated to the public. The site is now managed by a non-profit organization. A new master plan was approved in 1997 to guide the future development of the gardens. The gardens contain extensive hydrangea plantings, as well as a five acre (20,234 m2) lake with walking trails. Public lectures and educational activities are scheduled throughout the year.From the Wikipedia article “Aldridge Botanical Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Aldridge Botanical Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 33° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 56° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:39 AM | 61° ENE | 8:01 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:48 AM | 118° ESE | 4:44 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 56m |
Azimuth is measured clockwise from true north (90° = east, 270° = west). Computed for 2026; values change by less than a degree from year to year.
Golden hour & blue hour by month
Gardens are best on bright overcast days or early mornings when dew is fresh and the wind is calm.
| Month (15th) | Blue hour starts | Sunrise | Golden hour ends | Golden hour starts | Sunset | Blue hour ends | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:26 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:30 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:07 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:06 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:58 PM | 11h 00m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:31 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:52 AM | 6:18 AM | 6:51 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:18 PM | 7:44 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:21 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:09 AM | 5:38 AM | 6:15 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:49 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:27 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:44 AM | 6:10 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:35 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:07 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:04 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:20 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:15 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:53 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:55 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:12 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:17 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:22 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 57m |
Local time (America/Chicago), including daylight saving time. Golden hour runs from about −4° to +6° solar altitude, so the morning golden hour begins during blue hour, before sunrise.
Milky Way & night sky
From Aldridge Botanical Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 7 (suburban / urban transition), so expect visible sky glow; drive away from towns for better results.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:26 AM – 5:06 AM | 0.7 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:28 AM – 5:28 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:35 AM – 4:45 AM | 3.2 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:37 PM – 4:07 AM | 4.5 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:42 PM – 3:52 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:38 PM – 2:28 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:05 PM – 12:25 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:19 PM – 10:19 PM | 2.0 | 24° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:37 PM – 8:17 PM | 0.7 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
Window when the galactic core is at least 10° high during astronomical darkness on the 15th of each month. Pick nights within a few days of the new moon. Plan exact nights with the Milky Way planner.
Estimated sky darkness: 7 Bortle 7 — Suburban / urban transition. The whole sky has a grey-white glow; the Milky Way is invisible to the eye. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.4 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 43% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (62%). July is the warmest month and January the coldest, which matters for gear, snow access and how long batteries last at night.
Average cloud cover (%)
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| High °F | 74 | 79 | 85 | 90 | 95 | 108 | 105 | 107 | 103 | 101 | 88 | 78 |
| Low °F | 7 | 15 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 52 | 55 | 53 | 41 | 28 | 18 | 17 |
| Precip. (in) | 4.4 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 4.1 | 5.1 |
Monthly climatology for the surrounding 1° grid cell from NASA POWER (MERRA-2). Mountain sites can be colder and cloudier than the cell average.
Photography tips for this botanical garden
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
Season: Spring bulbs and blossoms, summer perennials and autumn color; glasshouses offer winter subjects.
Suggested gear: Macro lens, Diffuser, Small reflector. Work out exposures with the depth of field, ND filter and NPF rule calculators.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Aldridge Botanical Gardens, closest first.
Scenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointScenic ViewpointFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Aldridge Botanical Gardens?
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Can you see the Milky Way from Aldridge Botanical Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Aldridge Botanical Gardens?
How far is Aldridge Botanical Gardens from Hoover?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, Wikipedia. Sun, moon and Milky Way times are computed by LWPhoto Atlas for 2026. Climate: NASA POWER. Sky darkness is a population-based estimate (Walker's law), not a measurement. See data sources & licenses.