Located in Berrien County, Michigan, Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve is a botanical garden. It sits roughly 4.4 km (2.7 mi) NNE of Buchanan.
The Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve is an arboretum, botanical garden, and nature preserve located at 13988 Range Line Road in Buchanan Township, Michigan. It covers an area of 105 acres (42 ha). It is open to the public; an admission fee is charged.From the Wikipedia article “Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve 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 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:50 AM | 90° E | 7:58 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:11 AM | 57° ENE | 9:25 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 14m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:33 AM | 89° E | 7:44 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 8:10 AM | 122° ESE | 5:18 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 7:40 AM | 8:11 AM | 8:54 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:40 PM | 6:10 PM | 9h 28m |
| February | 7:14 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:21 AM | 5:40 PM | 6:19 PM | 6:47 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 7:30 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:35 AM | 7:15 PM | 7:52 PM | 8:20 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:43 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:26 PM | 8:55 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 5:54 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:06 AM | 8:19 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:31 PM | 14h 33m |
| June | 5:36 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:41 PM | 9:23 PM | 9:57 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 5:51 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:39 PM | 9:20 PM | 9:53 PM | 14h 56m |
| August | 6:24 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:09 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:17 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 6:58 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:03 AM | 7:20 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:25 PM | 12h 30m |
| October | 7:30 AM | 7:58 AM | 8:36 AM | 6:28 PM | 7:05 PM | 7:33 PM | 11h 07m |
| November | 7:06 AM | 7:36 AM | 8:17 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:26 PM | 5:56 PM | 9h 50m |
| December | 7:35 AM | 8:07 AM | 8:52 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:16 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 09m |
Local time (America/Detroit), 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 Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, 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 5 (suburban 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 | 5:15 AM – 6:15 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 3:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 1:14 AM – 4:24 AM | 3.2 | 19° | SE → S |
| June | 11:33 PM – 3:53 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:23 PM – 2:33 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 10:33 PM – 12:33 AM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 9:31 PM – 10:31 PM | 1.0 | 16° | 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.39 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 48% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 62 | 66 | 81 | 80 | 92 | 101 | 105 | 96 | 98 | 86 | 76 | 67 |
| Low °F | -16 | -10 | -4 | 22 | 25 | 36 | 44 | 45 | 38 | 26 | 13 | -12 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 2.4 |
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
- 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.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve, closest first.
Lake
State Park
State Park
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve?
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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.