Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum — a botanical garden in Montgomery County, Ohio — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.0 km (1.2 mi) NNW of Oakwood. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum (200 acres), located at 118 Woodland Avenue, Dayton, Ohio, is one of the oldest garden cemeteries in the United States. Woodland was incorporated in 1842 by John Whitten Van Cleve, the first male child born in Dayton. He was the son of Benjamin Van Cleve and Mary Whitten Van Cleve. The cemetery began with 40 acres (160,000 m2) southeast of Dayton and has been enlarged to its present size of 200 acres (0.81 km2). Over 3,000 trees and 165 specimens of native Midwestern trees and woody plants grace the rolling hills. Many of the trees are more than a century old and 9 have been designated "Ohio Champions". The highest point in Dayton is within the cemetery, and during the Great Dayton Flood of 1913, it became a place of refuge.From the Wikipedia article “Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 58° (ENE) at the June solstice and 121° (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) | 7:41 AM | 90° E | 7:49 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:10 AM | 58° ENE | 9:09 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 59m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:25 AM | 89° E | 7:36 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:55 AM | 121° ESE | 5:16 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 21m |
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 | 7:27 AM | 7:57 AM | 8:38 AM | 4:55 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:06 PM | 9h 40m |
| February | 7:03 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:36 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:41 PM | 10h 43m |
| March | 7:22 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:25 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:44 PM | 8:11 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:36 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:15 PM | 8:43 PM | 13h 15m |
| May | 5:53 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:02 AM | 8:06 PM | 8:45 PM | 9:15 PM | 14h 22m |
| June | 5:36 AM | 6:09 AM | 6:49 AM | 8:27 PM | 9:07 PM | 9:40 PM | 14h 58m |
| July | 5:50 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:01 AM | 8:25 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:36 PM | 14h 43m |
| August | 6:21 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:27 AM | 7:58 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:04 PM | 13h 45m |
| September | 6:51 AM | 7:19 AM | 7:54 AM | 7:12 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:14 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 7:20 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:24 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:53 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:02 AM | 4:43 PM | 5:22 PM | 5:51 PM | 10h 00m |
| December | 7:21 AM | 7:51 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:31 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:44 PM | 9h 22m |
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 Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 21° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (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 | — | -3° | — |
| February | 5:44 AM – 5:54 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:54 AM – 6:14 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:51 AM – 5:21 AM | 2.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:55 AM – 4:25 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 11:09 PM – 3:59 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 11:01 PM – 2:41 AM | 3.7 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 10:16 PM – 12:36 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 9:19 PM – 10:39 PM | 1.3 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:29 PM – 8:39 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.33 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 45% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (75%). 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 | 81 | 83 | 87 | 98 | 102 | 100 | 98 | 94 | 79 | 70 |
| Low °F | -12 | -8 | 5 | 22 | 26 | 41 | 49 | 49 | 37 | 25 | 10 | -10 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 4.2 | 4.4 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 3.0 | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.1 | 3.2 |
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
- 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.
- Seasonal exhibits (orchids, tulips, cherry blossoms) draw crowds — arrive at opening.
- Shoot RAW to keep the most latitude for high-contrast sunrise and sunset scenes.
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 Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Scenic Viewpoint
Ghost TownGhost Town
Covered Bridge
Covered BridgeGhost TownFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum?
How far is Woodland Cemetery and Arboretum from Oakwood?
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.