Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art — a botanical garden in Davidson County, Tennessee at about 209 m (686 ft) above sea level — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. The nearest town is Belle Meade, about 1.8 km (1.1 mi) away (Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art lies SW of town). It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Cheekwood is a 55-acre (22 ha) historic estate on the western edge of Nashville, Tennessee, that houses the Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. Formerly the residence of Nashville's Cheek family, the 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) Georgian-style mansion was opened as a botanical garden and art museum in 1960.From the Wikipedia article “Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 60° (ENE) at the June solstice and 119° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 300° (WNW) in June to 241° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 77° in summer but only 30° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:52 AM | 90° E | 7:00 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:32 AM | 60° ENE | 8:08 PM | 300° WNW | 77° | 14h 37m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:36 AM | 89° E | 6:46 PM | 271° W | 54° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 6:55 AM | 119° ESE | 4:37 PM | 241° WSW | 30° | 9h 42m |
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 | 6:30 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:37 AM | 4:18 PM | 4:57 PM | 5:25 PM | 9h 58m |
| February | 6:10 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:11 AM | 4:54 PM | 5:29 PM | 5:55 PM | 10h 53m |
| March | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:33 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:55 PM | 7:21 PM | 11h 56m |
| April | 5:48 AM | 6:15 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:21 PM | 7:48 PM | 13h 06m |
| May | 5:14 AM | 5:42 AM | 6:19 AM | 7:11 PM | 7:47 PM | 8:16 PM | 14h 05m |
| June | 5:01 AM | 5:31 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:29 PM | 8:07 PM | 8:37 PM | 14h 36m |
| July | 5:13 AM | 5:43 AM | 6:20 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:05 PM | 8:35 PM | 14h 23m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:04 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:06 PM | 13h 33m |
| September | 6:05 AM | 6:31 AM | 7:05 AM | 6:23 PM | 6:57 PM | 7:22 PM | 12h 26m |
| October | 6:29 AM | 6:55 AM | 7:30 AM | 5:38 PM | 6:13 PM | 6:39 PM | 11h 18m |
| November | 5:58 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:02 AM | 4:04 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:08 PM | 10h 16m |
| December | 6:23 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:32 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:04 PM | 9h 43m |
Local time (America/Chicago), 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 Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 5.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 25° 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 | — | 0° | — |
| February | 4:35 AM – 5:05 AM | 0.5 | 15° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:40 AM – 5:30 AM | 1.8 | 22° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:41 AM – 4:41 AM | 3.0 | 25° | SE → S |
| May | 11:47 PM – 3:57 AM | 4.2 | 25° | SE → SSW |
| June | 9:56 PM – 3:36 AM | 5.7 | 25° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:50 PM – 2:10 AM | 4.3 | 25° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:13 PM – 12:13 AM | 3.0 | 25° | S → SW |
| September | 8:23 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.8 | 22° | SSW → SW |
| October | 7:38 PM – 8:08 PM | 0.5 | 15° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 2° | — |
| 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 ≈ 18.98 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and February 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 | 71 | 74 | 81 | 83 | 90 | 107 | 105 | 107 | 101 | 97 | 86 | 73 |
| Low °F | 2 | -5 | 3 | 22 | 34 | 48 | 54 | 50 | 38 | 26 | 8 | -1 |
| Precip. (in) | 3.9 | 5.4 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 5.1 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.8 | 4.1 | 4.8 |
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 Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art, closest first.
Scenic Viewpoint
State Park
Cave
Natural Arch
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
- Anderson Road Campground24 km (15 mi) · reservable
- Cook Day Use Area26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Smith Springs26 km (16 mi) · reservable
- Seven Points (Tn)28 km (17 mi) · reservable
- Old Hickory Beach29 km (18 mi) · reservable
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art?
What time is golden hour at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art?
Where does the sun rise and set at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art?
Can you see the Milky Way from Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art?
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Sources
Location data: Wikidata, USGS GNIS / GeoNames, 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.