Reynolda Gardens — a botanical garden in Forsyth County, North Carolina — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Winston-Salem, about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) away (Reynolda Gardens lies NW of town).
Reynolda Gardens are located in Reynolda Village, adjacent to the Reynolda campus of Wake Forest University and the Reynolda House, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The gardens are open daily with free admission. The gardens were originally part of a large country estate and farm (1067 acres) created by tobacco magnate R. J. Reynolds and his wife Katharine Smith Reynolds between 1906 and 1923. In 1913 the Lord & Burnham greenhouse was built to serve the family and farm, and to produce flowers commercially. Landscape architect Thomas W. Sears (1880–1966) designed the 4-acre (16,000 m2) formal garden for Mrs. Reynolds, starting in 1915. After the death of Mrs. Reynolds (then remarried as Mrs. Johnston) in 1924, most of the property was gradually sold or given away, including a gift of 300 acres (1.2 km2) to Wake Forest College in the late 1940s for its Winston-Salem campus. In a...From the Wikipedia article “Reynolda Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Reynolda Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:26 AM | 90° E | 7:33 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:05 AM | 60° ENE | 8:42 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:10 AM | 89° E | 7:20 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 119° ESE | 5:11 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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 | 7:04 AM | 7:32 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:52 PM | 5:30 PM | 5:58 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:27 PM | 6:03 PM | 6:29 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 7:07 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:07 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:29 PM | 7:54 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:22 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:23 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:21 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:44 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:34 AM | 6:04 AM | 6:42 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:41 PM | 9:11 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:47 AM | 6:16 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:02 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 6:13 AM | 6:40 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:30 PM | 7:56 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:12 PM | 6:47 PM | 7:12 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:36 AM | 4:37 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:42 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:57 AM | 7:26 AM | 8:05 AM | 4:29 PM | 5:09 PM | 5:37 PM | 9h 43m |
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 Reynolda Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 5:09 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:14 AM – 6:04 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:15 AM – 5:15 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 4:31 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:30 PM – 4:10 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 2:44 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:47 PM – 12:47 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:57 PM – 10:47 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:12 PM – 8:42 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| 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: 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 ≈ 18.64 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 48% average cloud cover) and May as the cloudiest (61%). 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 | 73 | 75 | 80 | 84 | 92 | 99 | 98 | 100 | 96 | 96 | 81 | 72 |
| Low °F | 0 | -2 | 2 | 22 | 32 | 43 | 53 | 50 | 37 | 26 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.0 | 3.4 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.6 | 3.4 | 3.6 |
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.
Nearby photo spots
Other locations within 25 km of Reynolda Gardens, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Reynolda Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Reynolda Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Reynolda Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Reynolda Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Reynolda Gardens?
How far is Reynolda Gardens from Winston-Salem?
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.