Edison and Ford Winter Estates — a botanical garden in Lee County, Florida — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.1 km (1.9 mi) ESE of Lochmoor Waterway Estates.
The Edison and Ford Winter Estates contain a historical museum and 21 acre (8.5 ha) botanical garden on the adjacent sites of the winter homes of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford beside the Caloosahatchee River in Southwestern Florida. It is located at 2350 McGregor Boulevard, Fort Myers, Florida. On April 18, 2012, the American Institute of Architects' Florida Chapter placed the Edison and Ford Winter Estates on its list of Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places. The American Chemical Society recognized the Edison Botanical Research Laboratory at the Edison & Ford Winter Estates as a National Historic Chemical Landmark on May 25, 2014.From the Wikipedia article “Edison and Ford Winter Estates”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Edison and Ford Winter Estates the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 87° in summer but only 40° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 270° W | 63° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:36 AM | 63° ENE | 8:24 PM | 297° WNW | 87° | 13h 49m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:17 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 64° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 116° ESE | 5:40 PM | 244° WSW | 40° | 10h 28m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 39m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:49 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:44 PM | 11h 16m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:08 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:00 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:41 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 47m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:36 PM | 8:08 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 27m |
| June | 6:09 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:49 PM | 13h 48m |
| July | 6:19 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:24 PM | 8:50 PM | 13h 39m |
| August | 6:36 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 05m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:45 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:33 PM | 7:57 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:04 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:00 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 33m |
| November | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 51m |
| December | 6:44 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:44 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 29m |
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 Edison and Ford Winter Estates, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 34° 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 | — | 2° | — |
| February | 4:39 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.0 | 21° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:44 AM – 6:14 AM | 2.5 | 31° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:43 AM – 5:43 AM | 4.0 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:45 PM – 5:05 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:55 PM – 4:55 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:54 PM – 3:34 AM | 5.7 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:29 PM – 1:29 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:52 PM – 11:32 PM | 2.7 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:18 PM – 9:28 PM | 1.2 | 22° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -17° | — |
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 ≈ 18.5 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and July as the cloudiest (59%). 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 | 85 | 88 | 96 | 97 | 100 | 98 | 96 | 95 | 94 | 91 | 90 | 87 |
| Low °F | 24 | 29 | 34 | 41 | 54 | 68 | 71 | 69 | 62 | 40 | 39 | 28 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.7 | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 4.3 | 8.6 | 7.4 | 7.9 | 7.2 | 3.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 |
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 Edison and Ford Winter Estates, closest first.
National Wildlife RefugeNational Wildlife Refuge
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
LighthouseCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- W.P. Franklin South Recreation Area21 km (13 mi) · reservable
- W.P. Franklin N21 km (13 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Edison and Ford Winter Estates?
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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.