Harry P. Leu Gardens — a botanical garden in Orange County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.9 km (2.4 mi) NNE of Orlando. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Harry P. Leu Gardens are semi-tropical and tropical gardens at 1920 North Forest Avenue in Orlando, Florida, United States. The gardens contain nearly 50 acres (200,000 m2) of landscaped grounds and lakes, with trails shaded by 200-year-old oaks and forests of camellias. They are open to the public. A 15-acre (61,000 m2) section of the park, known as the Mizell-Leu House Historic District (or Leu Botanical Gardens and Leu House Museum), was designated a historic district on December 29, 1994. According to the National Register of Historic Places, it contains 3 historic buildings.From the Wikipedia article “Harry P. Leu Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Harry P. Leu Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 85° in summer but only 38° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:30 AM | 90° E | 7:37 PM | 271° W | 61° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:29 AM | 63° ENE | 8:27 PM | 298° WNW | 85° | 13h 58m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:15 AM | 117° ESE | 5:34 PM | 244° WSW | 38° | 10h 19m |
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 | 6:54 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:54 AM | 5:16 PM | 5:51 PM | 6:16 PM | 10h 31m |
| February | 6:41 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:16 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 12m |
| March | 7:12 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:34 PM | 7:58 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:36 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:16 PM | 12h 51m |
| May | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:35 PM | 13h 34m |
| June | 6:01 AM | 6:28 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 57m |
| July | 6:12 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:52 PM | 13h 48m |
| August | 6:31 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:28 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 10m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:42 AM | 7:01 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 21m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:59 AM | 6:25 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 30m |
| November | 6:24 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:33 PM | 5:58 PM | 10h 44m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:47 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:32 PM | 5:57 PM | 10h 20m |
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 Harry P. Leu Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 33° 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 | 4:35 AM – 5:35 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:52 AM – 6:12 AM | 2.3 | 29° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:43 AM – 5:33 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:48 PM – 4:58 AM | 5.2 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:59 PM – 4:49 AM | 6.8 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:57 PM – 3:27 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:30 PM – 1:20 AM | 3.8 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 11:21 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:15 PM – 9:25 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.36 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 86 | 89 | 96 | 98 | 101 | 102 | 99 | 99 | 94 | 93 | 89 | 87 |
| Low °F | 23 | 26 | 33 | 40 | 53 | 66 | 67 | 69 | 60 | 37 | 36 | 25 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 8.3 | 7.1 | 7.5 | 6.9 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 2.3 |
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
- 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.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Bring a spare battery — cold weather and long exposures drain them fast.
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 Harry P. Leu Gardens, closest first.
Botanical Garden
State ParkFAQ
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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.