Bellingrath Gardens and Home — a botanical garden in Mobile County, Alabama — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Bayou La Batre, about 10.6 km (6.6 mi) away (Bellingrath Gardens and Home lies ENE of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Bellingrath Gardens and Home is the 65-acre (26 ha) public garden and historic home of Walter and Bessie Bellingrath, located on the Fowl River near Mobile, Alabama, United States. Walter Bellingrath was one of the first Coca-Cola bottlers in the Southeast, and with his wealth built the estate garden and home. He and his wife, Bessie, lived in the home which has since been converted into a museum. The gardens opened to the public in 1932. The site was listed on the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on September 14, 1977, and on the National Register of Historic Places on October 19, 1982.From the Wikipedia article “Bellingrath Gardens and Home”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bellingrath Gardens and Home the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:57 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 59° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:52 AM | 62° ENE | 7:58 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 07m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:46 AM | 117° ESE | 4:57 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 11m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:39 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:40 PM | 10h 24m |
| February | 6:09 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:07 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:06 PM | 11h 07m |
| March | 6:39 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:01 AM | 6:26 AM | 6:58 AM | 6:48 PM | 7:20 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 5:33 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 41m |
| June | 5:23 AM | 5:51 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 14h 06m |
| July | 5:34 AM | 6:01 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:22 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:24 PM | 13h 56m |
| August | 5:55 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:36 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 16m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:28 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 27m |
| November | 5:54 AM | 6:19 AM | 6:54 AM | 4:22 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:21 PM | 10h 12m |
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 Bellingrath Gardens and Home, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.5 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:13 AM – 5:13 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:22 AM – 5:42 AM | 2.3 | 27° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:25 AM – 4:55 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:22 PM – 4:22 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:35 PM – 4:05 AM | 6.5 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:32 PM – 2:42 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:03 PM – 12:43 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:21 PM – 10:41 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:43 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.18 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 77 | 82 | 86 | 95 | 99 | 98 | 99 | 95 | 94 | 85 | 76 |
| Low °F | 21 | 28 | 29 | 42 | 48 | 66 | 69 | 63 | 56 | 42 | 30 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 5.0 | 4.7 | 6.8 | 6.8 | 7.1 | 5.6 | 4.1 | 3.2 | 5.5 |
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.
- 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 Bellingrath Gardens and Home, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bellingrath Gardens and Home?
What time is golden hour at Bellingrath Gardens and Home?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bellingrath Gardens and Home?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bellingrath Gardens and Home?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bellingrath Gardens and Home?
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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.