Heathcote Botanical Gardens — a botanical garden in Saint Lucie County, Florida — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Fort Pierce, about 3.2 km (2.0 mi) away (Heathcote Botanical Gardens lies S of town).
Heathcote Botanical Gardens is a five-acre subtropical botanical garden located at 210 Savannah Road, Fort Pierce, Florida, United States. Heathcote is a non-profit, 501 (C)3 educational foundation that bills itself as the "Green Heart of the Treasure Coast." It began in 1960 as the commercial nursery of landscape architect Molly Crimmons and her husband, Jim. Heathcote Botanical Gardens was established in 1986 when the site was purchased by local citizens with contributions from the City of Fort Pierce, St. Lucie County, the State of Florida and Friends of Heathathcote Botanical Gardens.From the Wikipedia article “Heathcote Botanical Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Heathcote Botanical Gardens 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 86° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 270° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:28 AM | 63° ENE | 8:20 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 52m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:08 AM | 116° ESE | 5:32 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 24m |
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 | 6:48 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:15 PM | 5:49 PM | 6:14 PM | 10h 36m |
| February | 6:35 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:31 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:37 PM | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:08 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:00 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:34 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:29 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:46 PM | 8:10 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:08 AM | 6:34 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 30m |
| June | 6:00 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 52m |
| July | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 43m |
| August | 6:29 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:25 PM | 13h 07m |
| September | 6:44 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:57 PM | 7:27 PM | 7:51 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:53 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:54 PM | 7:17 PM | 11h 32m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:31 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 48m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:40 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 25m |
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 Heathcote Botanical Gardens, 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 | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:32 AM – 5:32 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:38 AM – 6:08 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:37 AM – 5:27 AM | 3.8 | 34° | SE → S |
| May | 11:41 PM – 5:01 AM | 5.3 | 34° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:51 PM – 4:51 AM | 7.0 | 34° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:49 PM – 3:19 AM | 5.5 | 34° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:24 PM – 1:24 AM | 4.0 | 34° | S → SW |
| September | 8:46 PM – 11:16 PM | 2.5 | 31° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:11 PM – 9:21 PM | 1.2 | 22° | 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: 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 ≈ 18.71 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 40% average cloud cover) and June as the cloudiest (57%). August 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 | 89 | 94 | 96 | 100 | 98 | 97 | 97 | 93 | 91 | 87 | 87 |
| Low °F | 30 | 32 | 37 | 47 | 54 | 69 | 72 | 71 | 64 | 44 | 42 | 30 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.9 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 7.7 | 6.6 | 7.4 | 6.8 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 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
- 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.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Heathcote Botanical Gardens, closest first.
State Park
State Park
State Park
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Heathcote Botanical Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Heathcote Botanical Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Heathcote Botanical Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Heathcote Botanical Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Heathcote Botanical Gardens?
How far is Heathcote Botanical Gardens from Fort Pierce?
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.