Located in Contra Costa County, California, Blake Garden is a botanical garden.
Blake Garden is a teaching facility for the UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design in the hills of Kensington, California, in the East Bay region of the Bay Area in Northern California, approximately 4 mi (6.4 km) north of the main University of California, Berkeley campus. It was originally designed by landscape architect Mabel Symmes for the estate owned by her sister and brother-in-law, Anita and Anson Blake; the trio lived in Blake House, a mansion on the estate designed by architect Walter Danforth Bliss and completed in 1924. The Blakes deeded the grounds to their alma mater, the University of California, in 1957, which took full control after Anita's death in 1962, implementing a redesign by Geraldine Knight Scott starting from 1964. Blake House served as the official residence of the President of the University of California from 1967 to 2008. Since 2009, Blake Garden...From the Wikipedia article “Blake Garden (Kensington, California)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Blake Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:13 AM | 90° E | 7:21 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:48 AM | 59° ENE | 8:36 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 48m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:08 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:22 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 32m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:34 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:33 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:12 PM | 5:48 PM | 6:15 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:43 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:07 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:10 PM | 7:45 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 11m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:37 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:42 PM | 14h 13m |
| June | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 47m |
| July | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:57 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:25 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:26 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:45 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:57 PM | 6:33 PM | 6:59 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:27 PM | 10h 08m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:19 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:11 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:21 PM | 9h 33m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Blake Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 23° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city sky), 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 | 5:07 AM – 5:27 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 5:44 AM | 1.5 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:19 AM – 4:59 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:18 AM – 4:08 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:30 PM – 3:50 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 2:23 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:22 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:18 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:00 PM – 8:20 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.11 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (59%). September 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 | 67 | 69 | 76 | 80 | 87 | 88 | 78 | 85 | 94 | 84 | 78 | 65 |
| Low °F | 36 | 40 | 41 | 43 | 45 | 48 | 51 | 53 | 51 | 47 | 39 | 36 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.4 | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 4.4 |
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
- 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.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Blake Garden, closest first.
Canyon
Mountain Peak
Lake
Beach
Botanical Garden
State Park
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels Only (Auxiliary Engine Ok)16.9 km (10.5 mi) · reservable
- Kirby Cove Campground19.7 km (12.2 mi) · reservable
- Rob Hill Group Campground21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Hawk Campground22 km (13 mi) · reservable
- Bicentennial Campground23 km (14 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Blake Garden?
What time is golden hour at Blake Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at Blake Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from Blake Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Blake Garden?
How far is Blake Garden from Kensington?
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.