Cypress Gardens is a botanical garden in Berkeley County, South Carolina. It sits roughly 10.8 km (6.7 mi) NE of Goose Creek.
Cypress Gardens is a 170-acre (69 ha) preserve and gardens located at 3030 Cypress Gardens Road, Moncks Corner, South Carolina, United States. The centerpiece of the garden is the 80 acres (32 ha) blackwater bald cypress/tupelo swamp, surrounded with both boat and foot trails.From the Wikipedia article “Cypress Gardens (South Carolina)”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cypress Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 61° (ENE) at the June solstice and 118° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 299° (WNW) in June to 242° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 80° in summer but only 34° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:24 AM | 90° E | 7:32 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:12 AM | 61° ENE | 8:32 PM | 299° WNW | 80° | 14h 20m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:09 AM | 89° E | 7:18 PM | 271° W | 57° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:20 AM | 118° ESE | 5:18 PM | 242° WSW | 34° | 9h 58m |
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 | 6:57 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:00 AM | 4:59 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 12m |
| February | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:38 AM | 5:31 PM | 6:05 PM | 6:31 PM | 11h 01m |
| March | 7:06 AM | 7:31 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:53 PM | 11h 57m |
| April | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:24 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:50 PM | 8:16 PM | 13h 00m |
| May | 5:54 AM | 6:21 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:38 PM | 8:13 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 52m |
| June | 5:43 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:31 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 19m |
| July | 5:54 AM | 6:22 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:30 PM | 8:58 PM | 14h 08m |
| August | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:33 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:33 PM | 13h 23m |
| September | 6:39 AM | 7:04 AM | 7:37 AM | 6:55 PM | 7:28 PM | 7:53 PM | 12h 24m |
| October | 7:00 AM | 7:25 AM | 7:58 AM | 6:14 PM | 6:48 PM | 7:13 PM | 11h 23m |
| November | 6:25 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:27 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:19 PM | 5:46 PM | 10h 28m |
| December | 6:49 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:54 AM | 4:38 PM | 5:15 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 59m |
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 Cypress Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.2 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 28° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 4 (rural / suburban transition), good enough for detailed Milky Way images.
| Month | Core visible (15th) | Hours | Max altitude | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Below 10° in darkness | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:49 AM – 5:39 AM | 0.8 | 17° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:00 AM – 6:00 AM | 2.0 | 24° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:57 AM – 5:17 AM | 3.3 | 28° | SE → S |
| May | 11:58 PM – 4:38 AM | 4.7 | 28° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:13 PM – 4:23 AM | 6.2 | 28° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 2:59 AM | 4.8 | 28° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:37 PM – 12:57 AM | 3.3 | 28° | S → SW |
| September | 8:51 PM – 10:51 PM | 2.0 | 25° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:10 PM – 9:00 PM | 0.8 | 17° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 3° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -18° | — |
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: 4 Bortle 4 — Rural / suburban transition. Light domes are visible in several directions; the Milky Way is clear but lacks detail near the horizon. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 20.55 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show November as the clearest month (about 44% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (57%). 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 | 77 | 78 | 82 | 93 | 100 | 102 | 101 | 101 | 96 | 95 | 82 | 79 |
| Low °F | 17 | 21 | 25 | 35 | 47 | 59 | 65 | 61 | 53 | 38 | 27 | 22 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.4 | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.4 | 3.9 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 5.6 | 4.3 | 3.2 | 3.8 |
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.
- 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 Cypress Gardens, closest first.
Ghost Town
Botanical Garden
Ghost Town
State ParkFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cypress Gardens?
What time is golden hour at Cypress Gardens?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cypress Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cypress Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cypress Gardens?
How far is Cypress Gardens from Goose Creek?
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.