Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum is a botanical garden in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. It sits roughly 2.0 km (1.2 mi) SSW of West Conshohocken.
Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum 24 acres (9.7 ha) is a non-profit arboretum and country estate located at 770 Mount Moro Road, Villanova, Pennsylvania. Appleford began in 1692 with William Penn's grant of 100 acres (0.40 km2) to James Moore.Note 1 In 1728 Robert Jones erected a one-story stone farmhouse on the site, parts of which still stand. The house was enlarged and updated over the years, and the property grew to be as large as 800 acres (3.2 km2) before it was broken up circa 1900. Today's estate was created in the 1920s by landscape architect Thomas Sears and architect R. Brognard Okie, and contains the furniture and collections of its last owners, Lewis and Anabel Parsons. Mrs. Parsons donated the property in 1973 to Lower Merion Township. The arboretum contains streams and ponds, woods, rhododendron stands, a rose garden, copper beeches, stone walls, and a series of formal gardens.From the Wikipedia article “Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Appleford/Parsons-Banks 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 73° in summer but only 27° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:06 AM | 90° E | 7:13 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:33 AM | 58° ENE | 8:34 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 01m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:50 AM | 89° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 121° ESE | 4:40 PM | 240° WSW | 27° | 9h 19m |
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 | 6:52 AM | 7:22 AM | 8:04 AM | 4:19 PM | 5:00 PM | 5:30 PM | 9h 38m |
| February | 6:28 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:33 AM | 5:00 PM | 5:37 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 42m |
| March | 6:47 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:50 AM | 6:33 PM | 7:08 PM | 7:35 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:56 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:00 AM | 7:03 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:08 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:16 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:31 PM | 8:10 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 23m |
| June | 5:00 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:13 AM | 7:52 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:06 PM | 15h 00m |
| July | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 45m |
| August | 5:45 AM | 6:14 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:23 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 46m |
| September | 6:16 AM | 6:43 AM | 7:19 AM | 6:36 PM | 7:12 PM | 7:39 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:50 PM | 11h 11m |
| November | 6:18 AM | 6:47 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:06 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 59m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:38 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 21m |
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 Appleford/Parsons-Banks 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 | 5:08 AM – 5:18 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:18 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.3 | 18° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:16 AM – 4:36 AM | 2.3 | 21° | SE → S |
| May | 12:20 AM – 3:50 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:35 PM – 3:25 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:27 PM – 1:57 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:01 AM | 2.3 | 21° | S → SW |
| September | 8:44 PM – 9:54 PM | 1.2 | 18° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:53 PM – 8:03 PM | 0.2 | 11° | 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 ≈ 18.23 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 6.5+ 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 52% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (68%). 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 | 65 | 73 | 76 | 90 | 89 | 95 | 104 | 101 | 97 | 94 | 78 | 71 |
| Low °F | -7 | -11 | -8 | 21 | 28 | 41 | 49 | 50 | 38 | 24 | 10 | -3 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.9 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 4.4 | 3.5 | 3.9 |
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
- 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.
- 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 Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lake
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
Covered Bridge
Botanical Garden
Botanical Garden
State Park
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum?
How far is Appleford/Parsons-Banks Arboretum from West Conshohocken?
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.