Hartford Botanical Garden is a botanical garden in Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut. It lies in or next to Coltsville National Historical Park, so park hours, fees and rules apply. The nearest town is Hartford, about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away (Hartford Botanical Garden lies SE of town).
The Hartford Botanical Garden is a botanical garden planned for Hartford, Connecticut. The garden is planned to occupy 18 acres (73,000 m2) of Colt Park immediately adjacent to Samuel Colt's Armsmear mansion. First proposed in 1997, little work was done to bring the creation of the park to fruition at that time. By 2005, the idea had been revived in conjunction with the efforts to upgrade the Coltsville Historic District to National Park status. The Hartford City Council allocated $50,000 towards the proposed master planning budget of $150,000. A total budget of up to $10 million was envisioned and it was hoped that "...a well-conceived and well-run garden would draw 100,000 to 125,000 visitors annually and create or stimulate the creation of 110 jobs." The master plan was completed by local consulting firm TSKPStudio. Interest was renewed when it was included in the 2020 Hartford City Plan.From the Wikipedia article “Hartford Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hartford Botanical Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:17 AM | 57° ENE | 8:30 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 122° ESE | 4:24 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:02 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:16 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:26 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:40 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:31 PM | 8:00 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:00 AM | 5:32 AM | 6:12 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:36 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:16 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:28 PM | 9:02 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:22 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:41 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:11 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:22 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:22 PM | 4:53 PM | 9h 10m |
Local time (America/New York), 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 Hartford Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:21 AM – 5:21 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:22 AM – 4:22 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:30 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:29 PM – 1:39 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:39 PM – 11:39 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:37 PM – 9:37 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.24 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 49% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 63 | 63 | 73 | 89 | 87 | 94 | 100 | 100 | 95 | 86 | 76 | 68 |
| Low °F | -10 | -12 | -1 | 21 | 33 | 40 | 51 | 51 | 41 | 23 | 10 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.5 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 4.3 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 4.3 |
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.
Permits, drones & access
National Park Service rules. Under federal law (54 U.S.C. 100905), still photography in National Park Service areas needs a permit only when it (1) takes place where members of the public are not allowed, (2) uses models, sets or props that are not part of the location's natural or cultural resources or administrative facilities, or (3) would cause the park to incur additional administrative costs to monitor the activity. Ordinary visitor and most landscape photography needs no permit. Commercial filming rules are separate and have changed in recent years — confirm current requirements with the park before a paid shoot.
Drones: Launching, landing or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) is prohibited in National Park Service units under a 2014 Superintendent's closure (36 CFR 1.5), except where a park has issued specific written approval. Flying from outside the boundary over park land can also violate park rules and disturb wildlife.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Hartford Botanical Garden, closest first.
Natural Arch
Covered Bridge
State Park
Waterfall
State Park
State Park
Mountain Peak
Mountain Peak
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Hartford Botanical Garden?
What time is golden hour at Hartford Botanical Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at Hartford Botanical Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hartford Botanical Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hartford Botanical Garden?
How far is Hartford Botanical Garden from Hartford?
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.