Oregon Garden is a botanical garden in Marion County, Oregon. The nearest town is Silverton, about 1.2 km (0.7 mi) away (Oregon Garden lies SSW of town).
The Oregon Garden is a 130-acre (53 ha) botanical garden in Silverton, Oregon, United States. Opened in 1999, it is home to over 20 gardens including the Rose Garden, Children's Garden and Silverton Market Garden. The garden is open year-round and hosts both public and private events. The land is also home to the Gordon House, Oregon's only Frank Lloyd Wright home, and The Oregon Garden Resort.From the Wikipedia article “Oregon Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Oregon Garden the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 55° (NE) at the June solstice and 123° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 305° (NW) in June to 237° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 22° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:25 AM | 55° NE | 9:02 PM | 305° NW | 68° | 15h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 45° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:47 AM | 123° ESE | 4:33 PM | 237° WSW | 22° | 8h 46m |
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 | 7:46 AM | 8:33 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:56 PM | 5:29 PM | 9h 10m |
| February | 6:43 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:10 PM | 10h 27m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:03 AM | 6:39 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:57 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 30m |
| May | 5:09 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:34 PM | 9:08 PM | 14h 51m |
| June | 4:47 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:10 AM | 8:15 PM | 9:00 PM | 9:38 PM | 15h 36m |
| July | 5:04 AM | 5:39 AM | 6:23 AM | 8:12 PM | 8:56 PM | 9:32 PM | 15h 17m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:51 PM | 14h 05m |
| September | 6:21 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 33m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:27 AM | 8:07 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:28 PM | 6:57 PM | 11h 00m |
| November | 6:38 AM | 7:10 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 34m |
| December | 7:10 AM | 7:43 AM | 8:32 AM | 3:42 PM | 4:31 PM | 5:05 PM | 8h 48m |
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 Oregon Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 3.2 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 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 | — | 7° | — |
| March | 5:15 AM – 5:35 AM | 0.3 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:14 AM – 4:34 AM | 1.3 | 15° | SSE → S |
| May | 1:13 AM – 3:23 AM | 2.2 | 16° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:33 PM – 2:43 AM | 3.2 | 16° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:16 PM – 1:26 AM | 2.2 | 16° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:14 PM – 11:24 PM | 1.2 | 15° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:04 PM – 9:24 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: 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 ≈ 19.62 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 28% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (78%). 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 | 68 | 68 | 73 | 86 | 97 | 98 | 106 | 103 | 98 | 87 | 78 | 61 |
| Low °F | 9 | 7 | 17 | 22 | 28 | 36 | 42 | 40 | 35 | 25 | 10 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.1 | 6.3 | 7.2 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 2.3 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 4.9 | 8.4 | 9.9 |
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
- 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.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Oregon Garden, closest first.
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallWaterfall
Waterfall
WaterfallCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Aquila Vista Recreation Site23 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Three Bears Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Cedar Grove Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Oregon Garden?
What time is golden hour at Oregon Garden?
Where does the sun rise and set at Oregon Garden?
Can you see the Milky Way from Oregon Garden?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Oregon Garden?
How far is Oregon Garden from Silverton?
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.