Ladd Arboretum — a botanical garden in Cook County, Illinois at about 182 m (597 ft) above sea level — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Evanston, about 1.9 km (1.2 mi) away (Ladd Arboretum lies NNW of town).
The Edward R. Ladd Arboretum is an arboretum located at 2024 McCormick Boulevard, Evanston, Illinois, occupying 23 acres (9.3 ha) in a narrow .75 miles (1.21 km) stretch between McCormick Boulevard and the North Shore Channel on land leased from the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. The first tree, a ginkgo, was planted by the Evanston Review in the memory of Edward Rixon Ladd (1883–1956), its founder, publisher, and editor. The Arboretum was formally dedicated the following year, on June 10, 1960, after many other trees were planted. The arboretum's collection is arranged by plant family (birch, legume, maple, oak, and pine). Gardens include the Meadow Garden, Prairie Restoration Area, Cherry Tree Walk, Nut Tree, Rotary Club of Evanston's International Friendship Garden (with All-America Rose Selections), Women's Terrace, gazebo, and bird sanctuary.From the Wikipedia article “Ladd Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Ladd Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 71° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:55 AM | 90° E | 7:03 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:16 AM | 57° ENE | 8:31 PM | 303° WNW | 71° | 15h 15m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:39 AM | 89° E | 6:50 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:16 AM | 122° ESE | 4:23 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 06m |
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 | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:01 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 27m |
| February | 6:19 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:45 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 36m |
| March | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:41 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 6:54 PM | 7:32 PM | 8:01 PM | 13h 21m |
| May | 4:59 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:25 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 34m |
| June | 4:41 AM | 5:15 AM | 5:58 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:29 PM | 9:03 PM | 15h 14m |
| July | 4:56 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:10 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 57m |
| August | 5:29 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:53 PM | 8:23 PM | 13h 54m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:08 AM | 6:25 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:30 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:36 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 6:12 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:23 AM | 3:49 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 49m |
| December | 6:41 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:36 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 08m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Ladd Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 9 (inner-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 | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:31 AM – 5:21 AM | 0.8 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 4:23 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:32 AM – 3:32 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:41 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 1:41 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 11:40 PM | 2.0 | 18° | S → SW |
| September | 8:38 PM – 9:38 PM | 1.0 | 15° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -19° | — |
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: 9 Bortle 9 — Inner-city sky. Only the Moon, planets and a few bright stars are visible. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 17.92 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 58% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (85%). 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 | 50 | 54 | 65 | 68 | 79 | 83 | 91 | 88 | 84 | 75 | 68 | 58 |
| Low °F | -9 | -2 | 0 | 25 | 34 | 40 | 53 | 56 | 47 | 34 | 19 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.8 | 2.2 | 2.4 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.4 | 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
- 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.
- A macro lens or close-up filter opens a world of detail — try a shallow aperture against a soft background.
- 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 Ladd Arboretum, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
Lake
Beach
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ladd Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Ladd Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Ladd Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Ladd Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Ladd Arboretum?
How far is Ladd Arboretum from Evanston?
Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.