Roger Williams Park Botanical Center is a botanical garden in Providence County, Rhode Island. The nearest town is Cranston, about 2.5 km (1.6 mi) away (Roger Williams Park Botanical Center lies E of town).
The Roger Williams Park Botanical Center is located in Roger Williams Park in Providence, Rhode Island. It opened in March 2007. It includes two connected greenhouses filled with plants, fountains, a fish pond and a small waterfall. It is the largest indoor garden open to the public in New England, encompassing approximately 12,000 square feet of indoor gardens. The Botanical Center includes four greenhouses: The Conservatory, the Mediterranean Room, and two smaller greenhouses with a "Flavor Lab," and a Lil Sprouts Play area. There are over 150 different species and cultivars of plants including 17 different types of palms. All the plants, with the exception of the large palm trees, were installed by park personnel. Many of the plants were saved from the old greenhouse displays and replanted, specifically most of the Cacti, Agave and Aloe.From the Wikipedia article “Roger Williams Park Botanical Center”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Roger Williams Park Botanical Center the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 57° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 303° (WNW) in June to 239° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 72° in summer but only 25° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:50 AM | 90° E | 6:58 PM | 271° W | 48° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:12 AM | 57° ENE | 8:25 PM | 303° WNW | 72° | 15h 13m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:34 AM | 89° E | 6:45 PM | 271° W | 49° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:10 AM | 122° ESE | 4:19 PM | 239° WSW | 25° | 9h 08m |
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 | 6:41 AM | 7:11 AM | 7:54 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:40 PM | 5:11 PM | 9h 29m |
| February | 6:14 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:21 AM | 4:40 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:48 PM | 10h 37m |
| March | 6:31 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:35 AM | 6:16 PM | 6:52 PM | 7:20 PM | 11h 54m |
| April | 5:37 AM | 6:06 AM | 6:44 AM | 6:49 PM | 7:26 PM | 7:55 PM | 13h 20m |
| May | 4:55 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:07 AM | 7:19 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:31 PM | 14h 32m |
| June | 4:37 AM | 5:11 AM | 5:53 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:57 PM | 15h 12m |
| July | 4:51 AM | 5:25 AM | 6:06 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:20 PM | 8:53 PM | 14h 55m |
| August | 5:25 AM | 5:55 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 53m |
| September | 5:59 AM | 6:27 AM | 7:03 AM | 6:20 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:25 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:36 AM | 5:28 PM | 6:06 PM | 6:34 PM | 11h 08m |
| November | 6:06 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:17 AM | 3:45 PM | 4:27 PM | 4:56 PM | 9h 51m |
| December | 6:35 AM | 7:07 AM | 7:51 AM | 3:32 PM | 4:16 PM | 4:48 PM | 9h 10m |
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 Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.3 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 19° 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 | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| March | 4:16 AM – 5:16 AM | 1.0 | 16° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:17 AM – 4:17 AM | 2.0 | 19° | SE → S |
| May | 12:25 AM – 3:25 AM | 3.0 | 19° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:34 PM – 2:54 AM | 4.3 | 19° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:24 PM – 1:34 AM | 3.2 | 19° | S → SW |
| August | 9:34 PM – 11:34 PM | 2.0 | 19° | S → SW |
| September | 8:32 PM – 9:32 PM | 1.0 | 16° | SSW → SW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -1° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.05 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 August as the clearest month (about 52% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (69%). August 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 | 58 | 54 | 67 | 82 | 82 | 90 | 96 | 92 | 89 | 81 | 72 | 65 |
| Low °F | 0 | -3 | 9 | 24 | 36 | 44 | 54 | 55 | 47 | 31 | 17 | 8 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.2 | 3.5 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 4.3 |
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.
- Backlit petals glow; position yourself so the sun is behind the flower.
- 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 Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
BeachFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Roger Williams Park Botanical Center?
What time is golden hour at Roger Williams Park Botanical Center?
Where does the sun rise and set at Roger Williams Park Botanical Center?
Can you see the Milky Way from Roger Williams Park Botanical Center?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Roger Williams Park Botanical Center?
How far is Roger Williams Park Botanical Center from Cranston?
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.