Berry Botanic Garden is a botanical garden in Multnomah County, Oregon. It sits roughly 1.8 km (1.1 mi) WSW of Milwaukie. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Berry Botanic Garden was a botanical garden in southwest Portland, Oregon, in the United States. In addition to large collections of alpine plants, rhododendrons, primulas, and lilies, it was known for its plant-conservation program and its large seed bank that protects rare or endangered plants of the Pacific Northwest. The seed bank, formally established in 1983, was thought to be the first in the U.S. that was devoted entirely to preserving rare native plants. The garden, created in the 1930s by Portland resident Rae Selling Berry, was bought after her death in 1976 by The Friends of Berry Botanic Garden, a nonprofit corporation. Managed by a board of directors, the Berry estate had an area of 6.5 acres (26,000 m2), and contained the largest public rock garden on the West Coast.From the Wikipedia article “Berry Botanic Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Berry Botanic Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:23 AM | 55° NE | 9:03 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 41m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:48 AM | 124° ESE | 4:31 PM | 237° WSW | 21° | 8h 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 | 7:14 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:34 AM | 4:07 PM | 4:54 PM | 5:27 PM | 9h 07m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:55 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:09 PM | 10h 25m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:55 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 31m |
| May | 5:06 AM | 5:41 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:09 PM | 14h 54m |
| June | 4:45 AM | 5:22 AM | 6:08 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:02 PM | 9:39 PM | 15h 39m |
| July | 5:01 AM | 5:37 AM | 6:22 AM | 8:13 PM | 8:57 PM | 9:33 PM | 15h 20m |
| August | 5:40 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:52 PM | 14h 07m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:08 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:27 PM | 6:56 PM | 10h 59m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:55 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:42 PM | 5:14 PM | 9h 31m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:45 AM | 8:34 AM | 3:40 PM | 4:29 PM | 5:03 PM | 8h 44m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Berry Botanic Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 16° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:16 AM – 5:36 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:16 AM – 4:26 AM | 1.2 | 15° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:16 AM – 3:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:39 PM – 2:39 AM | 3.0 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:22 PM – 1:22 AM | 2.0 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:17 PM – 11:27 PM | 1.2 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:06 PM – 9:26 PM | 0.3 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 7° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 18.14 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 July as the clearest month (about 39% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and December 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 | 74 | 84 | 93 | 100 | 105 | 104 | 101 | 87 | 67 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 39 | 45 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 15 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 9.7 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 Berry Botanic Garden, closest first.
State Park
Botanical Garden
Mountain Peak
Botanical Garden
BeachBeach
Mountain Peak
Volcano
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Berry Botanic Garden?
What time is golden hour at Berry Botanic Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at Berry Botanic Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from Berry Botanic Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Berry Botanic Garden?
How far is Berry Botanic Garden from Milwaukie?
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.