Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve — a botanical garden in Bucks County, Pennsylvania — is a popular subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 3.9 km (2.4 mi) SSE of New Hope.
Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve is a 134 acres (54 ha) nature preserve, botanical garden, and accredited museum located at 1635 River Road (Pennsylvania Route 32), New Hope, Pennsylvania. The preserve is open daily, except for major holidays, April–June, and closed on Tuesdays July–March; an admission fee is charged to nonmembers. A non-profit organization, Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve Association Inc., maintains the park in accordance to a management agreement with the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Today, the preserve contains over 700 of the 2,000 plant species native to Pennsylvania and the Delaware Valley, growing in a naturalistic setting of woodlands, meadows, ponds and Pidcock Creek, with about 4.5 miles of walking trails. It is an excellent site for bird-watching.From the Wikipedia article “Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve 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 26° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:04 AM | 90° E | 7:12 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:31 AM | 58° ENE | 8:34 PM | 302° WNW | 73° | 15h 03m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:48 AM | 89° E | 6:59 PM | 271° W | 50° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 121° ESE | 4:37 PM | 240° WSW | 26° | 9h 17m |
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 | 6:51 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:03 AM | 4:16 PM | 4:58 PM | 5:28 PM | 9h 37m |
| February | 6:26 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:32 AM | 4:57 PM | 5:35 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 41m |
| March | 6:45 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:48 AM | 6:31 PM | 7:07 PM | 7:34 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:02 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:07 PM | 13h 16m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:45 AM | 6:24 AM | 7:30 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:40 PM | 14h 25m |
| June | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:51 PM | 8:32 PM | 9:05 PM | 15h 02m |
| July | 5:11 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:49 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:02 PM | 14h 46m |
| August | 5:42 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:21 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:28 PM | 13h 47m |
| September | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:17 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:11 PM | 7:38 PM | 12h 29m |
| October | 6:44 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:48 AM | 5:44 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:49 PM | 11h 10m |
| November | 6:17 AM | 6:46 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:44 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 58m |
| December | 6:46 AM | 7:16 AM | 8:00 AM | 3:52 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:06 PM | 9h 19m |
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 Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, 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 6 (bright 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:17 AM – 5:17 AM | 0.0 | 11° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:38 AM | 1.2 | 17° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:26 AM – 4:36 AM | 2.2 | 20° | SE → S |
| May | 12:21 AM – 3:51 AM | 3.5 | 21° | SE → S |
| June | 10:36 PM – 3:26 AM | 4.8 | 21° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:28 PM – 1:58 AM | 3.5 | 21° | S → SW |
| August | 9:41 PM – 12:01 AM | 2.3 | 20° | S → SW |
| September | 8:43 PM – 9:53 PM | 1.2 | 17° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:52 PM – 8:02 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: 6 Bortle 6 — Bright suburban sky. The Milky Way is only visible near the zenith; the sky glows grey-orange in photos. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.3 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 51% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 71 | 73 | 91 | 88 | 96 | 102 | 101 | 96 | 92 | 75 | 71 |
| Low °F | -2 | -3 | 0 | 24 | 33 | 44 | 52 | 53 | 43 | 28 | 14 | 6 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 3.9 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 3.6 | 4.4 |
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 Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve, closest first.
Covered Bridge
State Park
State Park
Covered Bridge
Waterfall
Covered Bridge
State Park
State Park
Covered BridgeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve?
What time is golden hour at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve?
How far is Bowman's Hill Wildflower Preserve from New Hope?
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.