Fuller Gardens is a botanical garden in Rockingham County, New Hampshire. It sits roughly 4.7 km (2.9 mi) ESE of North Hampton.
Fuller Gardens is a seaside public botanical garden located at 10 Willow Avenue in the town of North Hampton, New Hampshire, United States, in a historic area known as "Little Boars Head". Developed in the early 20th century, the gardens are set on three acres (1.2 ha) and feature formal rose gardens, a Japanese garden, English perennial borders, a tropical and desert conservatory, tulip and annual beds, a hosta garden and a dahlia display area. The gardens are open to the public daily from mid-May through mid-October.From the Wikipedia article “Fuller Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Fuller Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:47 AM | 90° E | 6:55 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:05 AM | 56° ENE | 8:26 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:31 AM | 89° E | 6:42 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:12 AM | 122° ESE | 4:12 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 00m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:56 AM | 3:50 PM | 4:34 PM | 5:05 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 6:13 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:35 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:44 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:34 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:50 PM | 7:18 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:33 AM | 6:02 AM | 6:40 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:25 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 4:48 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:02 AM | 7:19 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:32 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 4:29 AM | 5:04 AM | 5:48 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:24 PM | 9:00 PM | 15h 20m |
| July | 4:44 AM | 5:18 AM | 6:00 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:55 PM | 15h 03m |
| August | 5:19 AM | 5:50 AM | 6:29 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:18 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 5:55 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:01 AM | 6:18 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:24 PM | 12h 32m |
| October | 6:28 AM | 6:57 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:23 PM | 6:02 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:19 AM | 3:39 PM | 4:21 PM | 4:52 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 6:36 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:24 PM | 4:10 PM | 4:42 PM | 9h 02m |
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 Fuller Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:24 AM – 5:14 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:28 AM – 4:08 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:30 AM – 3:10 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:42 PM – 2:42 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 1:21 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:36 PM – 11:16 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 9:22 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 19.88 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (70%). 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 | 58 | 56 | 67 | 76 | 79 | 84 | 88 | 89 | 86 | 77 | 67 | 62 |
| Low °F | -1 | -1 | 8 | 27 | 37 | 46 | 55 | 56 | 49 | 36 | 18 | 9 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 3.7 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 4.9 | 4.3 | 5.0 |
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.
- 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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Fuller Gardens, closest first.
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
State Park
Waterfall
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State Park
LighthouseFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Fuller Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Fuller Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Fuller Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Fuller Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Fuller Gardens?
How far is Fuller Gardens from North Hampton?
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.