Bartlett Arboretum is a botanical garden in Sumner County, Kansas. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Bartlett Arboretum (20 acres; 8 hectares) is a historic, nonprofit arboretum located in Belle Plaine, Kansas, United States. It is privately owned, and open to the public seasonally, as well as upon special request. It includes a stage and seating area for outdoor concerts. The Arboretum was established in 1910 by Dr. Walter Bartlett, a general practitioner from Belle Plaine, who purchased pastureland to create his own arboretum. In the 1930s the arboretum became an approved test site for the United States Department of Agriculture which provided plants and trees from around the world for hardiness tests. It incorporates a 135-year-old Santa Fe Railroad Depot, converted to a studio, at its edge. The Arboretum now contains massive cypress, oaks and champion Japanese maples. It includes an apiary to facilitate pollination. Its steward is Robin Lynn Macy, otherwise known as a...From the Wikipedia article “Bartlett Arboretum (Kansas)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bartlett Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 301° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 76° in summer but only 29° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:09 AM | 59° ENE | 8:54 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 45m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:18 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:41 AM | 119° ESE | 5:15 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 35m |
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 | 7:15 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:23 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:04 PM | 9h 52m |
| February | 6:53 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:33 PM | 6:09 PM | 6:36 PM | 10h 50m |
| March | 7:15 AM | 7:41 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:37 PM | 8:03 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:31 PM | 13h 09m |
| May | 5:52 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:01 PM | 14h 11m |
| June | 5:38 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:48 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:52 PM | 9:23 PM | 14h 44m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:59 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:51 PM | 9:21 PM | 14h 30m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:47 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:51 PM | 13h 37m |
| September | 6:46 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:46 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 7:11 AM | 7:38 AM | 8:13 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:53 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 16m |
| November | 6:42 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:48 AM | 4:42 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 11m |
| December | 7:08 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:18 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:13 PM | 5:42 PM | 9h 36m |
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 Bartlett Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 24° 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 | 5:27 AM – 5:47 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:34 AM – 6:04 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 5:17 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 12:36 AM – 4:26 AM | 3.8 | 24° | SE → S |
| June | 10:46 PM – 4:06 AM | 5.3 | 24° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 2:40 AM | 4.0 | 24° | SSE → SW |
| August | 10:00 PM – 12:40 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 10:37 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 8:40 PM | 0.3 | 13° | SW → SW |
| 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: 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 ≈ 21.06 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September 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 | 74 | 77 | 85 | 96 | 103 | 108 | 113 | 114 | 108 | 95 | 84 | 71 |
| Low °F | -7 | -3 | 0 | 21 | 33 | 48 | 55 | 51 | 42 | 21 | 16 | 1 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.0 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 3.1 | 5.0 | 4.9 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 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.
- 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 Bartlett Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Bartlett Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bartlett Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bartlett Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bartlett Arboretum?
How far is Bartlett Arboretum from Belle Plaine?
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.