Located in New Castle County, Delaware, University of Delaware Botanic Gardens is a botanical garden. It sits roughly 2.0 km (1.2 mi) S of Newark.
The University of Delaware Botanic Gardens are botanical gardens and an arboretum located on the campus of the University of Delaware, in Newark, Delaware, United States. The gardens are open to the public without charge. The original garden in front of Townsend Hall was established with a donation from Emily Clark Diffenback in the mid-1960s, and has been named Clark Garden in her honor. It has since been designated a test arboretum by the American Holly Society. Other gardens include a Magnolia Society test garden south of Townsend Hall; native and non-native plants north of Worrilow Hall; a wildflower area in front of the Fischer Greenhouse Laboratory; a herbaceous perennial garden behind another greenhouse; and stretches of native trees and shrubs lining the driveway and grounds.From the Wikipedia article “University of Delaware Botanic Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At University of Delaware Botanic Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:07 AM | 90° E | 7:15 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:36 AM | 58° ENE | 8:35 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:51 AM | 89° E | 7:02 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 120° ESE | 4:43 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:22 PM | 5:03 PM | 5:33 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 6:29 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 6:49 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:51 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:10 PM | 7:37 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:41 PM | 8:09 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 21m |
| June | 5:03 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:16 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:06 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:17 AM | 5:48 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:31 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:24 PM | 8:01 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:18 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:20 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:13 PM | 7:41 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:46 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:25 PM | 6:52 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:49 PM | 5:18 PM | 10h 01m |
| December | 6:47 AM | 7:18 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:58 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 23m |
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 University of Delaware Botanic Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° 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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:10 AM – 5:20 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:20 AM – 5:40 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:47 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 2:07 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:42 PM – 12:02 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:45 PM – 10:05 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:55 PM – 8:05 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 18.6 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ 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 50% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 67 | 72 | 77 | 91 | 90 | 97 | 102 | 100 | 96 | 95 | 76 | 70 |
| Low °F | 0 | -1 | -3 | 25 | 35 | 46 | 55 | 54 | 43 | 30 | 21 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.6 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
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 University of Delaware Botanic Gardens, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Covered Bridge
State Park
Ghost Town
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Covered Bridge
BeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph University of Delaware Botanic Gardens?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at University of Delaware Botanic Gardens?
How far is University of Delaware Botanic Gardens from Newark?
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.