Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden — a botanical garden in Monroe County, Florida — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Stock Island, about 1.3 km (0.8 mi) away (Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden lies WNW of town).
The Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden is a frost-free arboretum and botanical garden containing a collection of trees, shrubs, and palms, including several "champion tree" specimens. It is located on Stock Island in the municipality of Key West, Florida, United States. It is open daily. There is a nominal fee for admission, with free admission for locals on the first Sunday of every month.From the Wikipedia article “Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 64° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 296° (WNW) in June to 245° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 89° in summer but only 42° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:32 AM | 90° E | 7:39 PM | 270° W | 65° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:40 AM | 64° ENE | 8:19 PM | 296° WNW | 89° | 13h 40m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:16 AM | 89° E | 7:25 PM | 271° W | 66° | 12h 08m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:08 AM | 116° ESE | 5:44 PM | 245° WSW | 42° | 10h 37m |
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 | 6:49 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:00 PM | 6:25 PM | 10h 47m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:51 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 20m |
| March | 7:14 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:07 AM | 7:06 PM | 7:37 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 00m |
| April | 6:43 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:13 PM | 12h 44m |
| May | 6:20 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 20m |
| June | 6:13 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:18 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 39m |
| July | 6:23 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:44 PM | 13h 31m |
| August | 6:39 AM | 7:02 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:02 PM | 8:26 PM | 13h 00m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:44 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:32 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 18m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:56 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:01 PM | 7:24 PM | 11h 36m |
| November | 6:20 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:16 AM | 5:09 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 57m |
| December | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:08 PM | 5:42 PM | 6:07 PM | 10h 37m |
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 Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 37° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 6 (bright suburban 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 | — | 4° | — |
| February | 4:29 AM – 5:39 AM | 1.2 | 23° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:32 AM – 6:12 AM | 2.7 | 33° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:38 AM – 5:38 AM | 4.0 | 37° | SE → S |
| May | 11:38 PM – 5:18 AM | 5.7 | 37° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:46 PM – 5:06 AM | 7.3 | 37° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:46 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.8 | 37° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:23 PM – 1:43 AM | 4.3 | 37° | S → SW |
| September | 8:49 PM – 11:39 PM | 2.8 | 34° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:17 PM – 9:37 PM | 1.3 | 24° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.47 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show April as the clearest month (about 37% average cloud cover) and September as the cloudiest (62%). 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 | 80 | 80 | 82 | 85 | 85 | 88 | 88 | 89 | 88 | 86 | 84 | 81 |
| Low °F | 50 | 53 | 59 | 64 | 72 | 77 | 79 | 80 | 76 | 66 | 64 | 54 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.9 | 3.9 | 6.1 | 5.0 | 5.9 | 6.7 | 4.2 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
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 Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden, closest first.
Beach
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Ghost Town
LighthouseLighthouse
LighthouseFAQ
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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.