Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore is a botanical garden in City of Baltimore, Maryland.
The Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore, often known as the Baltimore City Conservatory, is a historic conservatory / greenhouse and botanical garden located in Druid Hill Park at 3100 Swann Drive, in the northwest area of Baltimore, Maryland. It was designed by George A. Frederick (1842–1924), who was the architect of the Baltimore City Hall (1867–1875), and semi-official municipal architect of Baltimore in the late 19th century. The new conservatory opened to the public on August 26, 1888, 28 years after the city's largest park itself. A major renovation in the early 2000s added two new side wing production houses. It now contains five distinct areas: the 1888 Palm House, the Orchid Room, Mediterranean House, Tropical House, and Desert House. The surrounding 1.5 acres (0.61 ha) of grounds within Druid Hill Park, feature 35 flowerbeds.From the Wikipedia article “Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:11 AM | 90° E | 7:19 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:41 AM | 58° ENE | 8:37 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:55 AM | 89° E | 7:05 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 120° ESE | 4:47 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 24m |
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 | 6:56 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:06 AM | 4:27 PM | 5:08 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 42m |
| February | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:37 AM | 5:06 PM | 5:44 PM | 6:11 PM | 10h 44m |
| March | 6:52 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:14 PM | 7:41 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:12 PM | 13h 14m |
| May | 5:24 AM | 5:54 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:35 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:44 PM | 14h 20m |
| June | 5:08 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 55m |
| July | 5:21 AM | 5:53 AM | 6:32 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:05 PM | 14h 41m |
| August | 5:52 AM | 6:20 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:27 PM | 8:04 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 44m |
| September | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:24 AM | 6:42 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:44 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:50 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:53 PM | 6:29 PM | 6:56 PM | 11h 12m |
| November | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:31 AM | 4:14 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:22 PM | 10h 02m |
| December | 6:50 AM | 7:20 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:03 PM | 4:45 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 25m |
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 Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:14 AM – 5:24 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 5:43 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:20 AM – 4:50 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:22 AM – 4:02 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 2:08 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:44 PM – 12:14 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:48 PM – 10:08 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:59 PM – 8:09 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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 7.0+ 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (63%). 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 | 67 | 73 | 78 | 90 | 91 | 96 | 103 | 99 | 96 | 95 | 76 | 70 |
| Low °F | 1 | -4 | -2 | 24 | 33 | 45 | 54 | 54 | 42 | 29 | 21 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.6 | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
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.
- Kaleidoscopic and abstract images are great for flower close-ups — try the online kaleidoscope tool.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore, closest first.
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State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore?
What time is golden hour at Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore?
Where does the sun rise and set at Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore?
Can you see the Milky Way from Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore?
How far is Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanic Gardens of Baltimore from Parkview/Woodbrook?
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.