Located in Macon County, Georgia, Massee Lane Gardens is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Marshallville, about 4.6 km (2.9 mi) away (Massee Lane Gardens lies NE of town).
Massee Lane Gardens (9 acres) are botanical gardens focusing on camellias, located at the American Camellia Society headquarters, 100 Massee Lane, Fort Valley, Georgia. They are open to the public for an admission fee. The gardens were originally created by David C. Strother in the 1930s within the 160-acre (0.65 km2) property around his farm house. In 1966, he donated his property to the American Camellia Society. Its headquarters building was completed in 1968 and named in his honor. The T. J. Smith Memorial Greenhouse was constructed in 1969, and now houses some 200 camellia plants. Today the gardens contain more than 1,000 varieties of camellia, as well as the Abendroth Japanese Garden with tea house and koi fish, the Environmental Garden featuring plants native to the southeastern United States, the Scheibert Rose Garden with more than 150 roses, and plantings of azaleas,...From the Wikipedia article “Massee Lane Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Massee Lane Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 81° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:40 AM | 90° E | 7:48 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:30 AM | 61° ENE | 8:47 PM | 299° WNW | 81° | 14h 17m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:34 PM | 271° W | 58° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:34 AM | 118° ESE | 5:35 PM | 243° WSW | 34° | 10h 01m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:15 AM | 5:17 PM | 5:53 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 15m |
| February | 6:54 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:47 PM | 11h 02m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:19 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:09 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:40 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:06 PM | 8:31 PM | 12h 59m |
| May | 6:11 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 49m |
| June | 6:00 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:14 PM | 14h 16m |
| July | 6:12 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 05m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:34 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:22 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 21m |
| September | 6:56 AM | 7:20 AM | 7:53 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:08 PM | 12h 23m |
| October | 7:15 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:29 PM | 11h 24m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:01 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 30m |
| December | 7:04 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:08 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 02m |
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 Massee Lane Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 29° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 5:05 AM – 5:55 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:16 AM – 6:16 AM | 2.0 | 25° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:12 AM – 5:32 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 12:12 AM – 5:02 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:27 PM – 4:47 AM | 6.3 | 29° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:23 PM – 3:13 AM | 4.8 | 29° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:51 PM – 1:11 AM | 3.3 | 29° | S → SW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 11:17 PM | 2.2 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:26 PM – 9:16 PM | 0.8 | 18° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| 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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 21.13 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show October as the clearest month (about 41% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 79 | 80 | 84 | 92 | 101 | 110 | 104 | 108 | 103 | 103 | 87 | 80 |
| Low °F | 15 | 20 | 23 | 31 | 43 | 55 | 62 | 59 | 46 | 31 | 20 | 20 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.6 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.1 | 3.1 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 4.9 |
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
- 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.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- 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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Massee Lane Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Massee Lane Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Massee Lane Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Massee Lane Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Massee Lane Gardens?
How far is Massee Lane Gardens from Marshallville?
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.