Will Rogers Gardens — a botanical garden in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 4.1 km (2.5 mi) ESE of Warr Acres. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Will Rogers Gardens is a 30-acre (12 ha) park in Oklahoma City located at the corner of 36th Street and Portland Avenue. The park is one of the city's historic parks and is open year-round. Will Rogers Gardens features the Charles E. Sparks Rose Garden, a 7-acre (2.8 ha) arboretum and a conservatory with a cacti and succulent collection. It also features display beds of daylilies, iris, azaleas, herbs and peonies. Gardening and nature related classes for all ages and other events are often held in the Garden Exhibition Building, the main building at Will Rogers Gardens. The Gardens, Conservatory and rooms in the Exhibition center are also available to rent for weddings and other events. Will Rogers Gardens is part of Will Rogers Park, which features a family aquatics center, the 24-court Oklahoma City Tennis Center, a disk golf course, and one of Oklahoma City's two senior adult...From the Wikipedia article “Will Rogers Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Will Rogers 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 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 78° in summer but only 31° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:35 AM | 90° E | 7:42 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:16 AM | 60° ENE | 8:50 PM | 300° WNW | 78° | 14h 34m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:29 PM | 271° W | 55° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:37 AM | 119° ESE | 5:22 PM | 242° WSW | 31° | 9h 45m |
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 | 7:12 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:18 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:41 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 01m |
| February | 6:52 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:53 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:39 PM | 10h 55m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:16 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:03 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 05m |
| May | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:29 PM | 8:57 PM | 14h 02m |
| June | 5:45 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:53 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:48 PM | 9:18 PM | 14h 33m |
| July | 5:58 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:04 AM | 8:10 PM | 8:47 PM | 9:16 PM | 14h 20m |
| August | 6:23 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:46 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:48 PM | 13h 31m |
| September | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:05 PM | 12h 25m |
| October | 7:12 AM | 7:37 AM | 8:12 AM | 6:22 PM | 6:56 PM | 7:22 PM | 11h 19m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:44 AM | 4:48 PM | 5:25 PM | 5:52 PM | 10h 18m |
| December | 7:05 AM | 7:33 AM | 8:12 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:20 PM | 5:48 PM | 9h 46m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Will Rogers Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 26° 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 | — | -1° | — |
| February | 5:18 AM – 5:48 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:23 AM – 6:13 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:23 AM – 5:23 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 12:28 AM – 4:38 AM | 4.2 | 26° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:36 PM – 4:26 AM | 5.8 | 26° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:31 PM – 3:01 AM | 4.5 | 26° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:54 PM – 12:54 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 9:05 PM – 10:55 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 8:51 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 ≈ 18.63 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (56%). 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 | 76 | 83 | 89 | 100 | 102 | 108 | 113 | 116 | 105 | 94 | 84 | 78 |
| Low °F | 0 | 5 | 8 | 24 | 34 | 53 | 58 | 55 | 44 | 21 | 16 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.2 | 1.7 | 2.4 | 3.6 | 5.0 | 4.5 | 3.2 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 1.6 | 1.4 |
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
- 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 Will Rogers Gardens, closest first.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Will Rogers Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Will Rogers Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Will Rogers Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Will Rogers Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Will Rogers Gardens?
How far is Will Rogers Gardens from Warr Acres?
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.