Western Kentucky Botanical Garden is a botanical garden in Daviess County, Kentucky. The nearest town is Owensboro, about 2.8 km (1.7 mi) away (Western Kentucky Botanical Garden lies W of town).
The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden (WKBG) is a botanical garden in Owensboro, Kentucky. The garden contains several themed gardens, including a large collection of daylilies with an American Hemerocallis Society-recognized display garden. Other gardens include a large herb garden, a rose garden, an English cottage garden, a Kentucky symbol quilt garden, a Japanese memorial garden, an ericaceous garden, the Moonlite Children's garden, the University of Kentucky Extension display garden, and a Western Kentucky University experimental garden. The garden also includes several ponds and many works of public art, including insect and wind sculptures. Buildings in the garden include a house donated and moved to the garden and used for administration offices and gatherings, a large gazebo, an educational classroom building with attached conservatory, an English Cottage, a Country Doctors...From the Wikipedia article “Western Kentucky Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Western Kentucky Botanical Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (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) | 6:53 AM | 90° E | 7:01 PM | 271° W | 52° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:28 AM | 59° ENE | 8:15 PM | 301° WNW | 76° | 14h 47m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:37 AM | 89° E | 6:47 PM | 271° W | 53° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:01 AM | 120° ESE | 4:34 PM | 241° WSW | 29° | 9h 33m |
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 | 6:35 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:43 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 50m |
| February | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:16 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:28 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 49m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 5:47 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:51 PM | 13h 10m |
| May | 5:10 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:17 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:21 PM | 14h 12m |
| June | 4:56 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:34 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 46m |
| July | 5:09 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:11 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 32m |
| August | 5:37 AM | 6:05 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:43 PM | 8:11 PM | 13h 38m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:06 AM | 6:24 PM | 6:58 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 27m |
| October | 6:31 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:37 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 15m |
| November | 6:02 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:08 AM | 4:00 PM | 4:39 PM | 5:07 PM | 10h 09m |
| December | 6:28 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:39 AM | 3:51 PM | 4:32 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 34m |
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 Western Kentucky Botanical Garden, 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 23° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 4:47 AM – 5:07 AM | 0.3 | 13° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:54 AM – 5:24 AM | 1.5 | 20° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:58 AM – 4:38 AM | 2.7 | 23° | SE → S |
| May | 11:57 PM – 3:47 AM | 3.8 | 23° | SE → S |
| June | 10:08 PM – 3:28 AM | 5.3 | 23° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:02 PM – 2:02 AM | 4.0 | 23° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:21 PM – 12:01 AM | 2.7 | 23° | S → SW |
| September | 8:28 PM – 9:58 PM | 1.5 | 20° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:40 PM – 8:00 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: 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 ≈ 18.62 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 8.0+ 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 45% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (69%). 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 | 71 | 73 | 80 | 83 | 91 | 108 | 107 | 105 | 100 | 96 | 83 | 73 |
| Low °F | -1 | -6 | 5 | 22 | 36 | 43 | 52 | 51 | 38 | 26 | 13 | -7 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 5.3 | 5.0 | 4.3 | 4.5 | 3.4 | 3.6 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.3 |
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.
- 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.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Western Kentucky Botanical Garden?
What time is golden hour at Western Kentucky Botanical Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at Western Kentucky Botanical Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from Western Kentucky Botanical Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Western Kentucky Botanical Garden?
How far is Western Kentucky Botanical Garden from Owensboro?
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.