Wrigley Botanical Gardens is a botanical garden in Los Angeles County, California. The nearest town is Avalon, about 2.0 km (1.2 mi) away (Wrigley Botanical Gardens lies SW of town).
The Wrigley Memorial & Botanic Garden is a botanic garden on Santa Catalina Island, California, operated by the Catalina Island Conservancy. It also contains a memorial to William Wrigley Jr.From the Wikipedia article “Wrigley Botanical Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Wrigley 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) | 6:58 AM | 90° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:45 AM | 61° ENE | 8:07 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 22m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:42 AM | 89° E | 6:52 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:54 AM | 118° ESE | 4:51 PM | 242° WSW | 33° | 9h 57m |
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 | 6:31 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:32 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:36 PM | 10h 11m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 5:04 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:04 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:24 AM | 6:57 AM | 6:51 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:50 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:27 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 13h 53m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:44 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:34 PM | 14h 21m |
| July | 5:27 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 14h 09m |
| August | 5:51 AM | 6:17 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 24m |
| September | 6:13 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:26 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 6:33 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 5:59 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:01 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:19 PM | 10h 27m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 4:10 PM | 4:48 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 58m |
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 Wrigley 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 5 (suburban 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 | 4:22 AM – 5:12 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:34 AM – 5:34 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:31 AM – 4:51 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:32 PM – 4:12 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:47 PM – 3:57 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:43 PM – 2:33 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:10 PM – 12:30 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:24 PM – 10:24 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:43 PM – 8:33 PM | 0.8 | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.93 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (68%). September is the warmest month and February 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 | 74 | 74 | 78 | 76 | 77 | 80 | 76 | 84 | 87 | 78 | 74 |
| Low °F | 49 | 49 | 48 | 49 | 53 | 54 | 57 | 58 | 58 | 57 | 52 | 49 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.4 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.6 | 1.1 | 2.6 |
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
- 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.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Wrigley Botanical Gardens, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wrigley Botanical Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Wrigley Botanical Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Wrigley Botanical Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Wrigley Botanical Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Wrigley Botanical Gardens?
How far is Wrigley Botanical Gardens from Avalon?
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.