Located in Travis County, Texas, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a botanical garden. The nearest town is Shady Hollow, about 2.4 km (1.5 mi) away (Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center lies NNW of town).
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center at The University of Texas at Austin is the state botanical garden and arboretum of Texas. The center features more than 900 species of native Texas plants in both garden and natural settings and is home to a breadth of educational programs and events. The center is 284 acres and located 10 miles southwest of downtown Austin, Texas just inside the edge of the distinctive Texas Hill Country. It straddles both Edwards Plateau and Texas Blackland Prairies ecosystems. The center is dedicated to "inspiring the conservation of native plants" and promoting the environmental benefits of native plant landscapes. It is home to the most comprehensive native plant database in the U.S., which features profiles of more than 9,000 North American native plants along with a number of other resources (see Native Plants of North America).From the Wikipedia article “Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 62° (ENE) at the June solstice and 117° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 298° (WNW) in June to 243° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 83° in summer but only 36° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:36 AM | 90° E | 7:43 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:31 AM | 62° ENE | 8:37 PM | 298° WNW | 83° | 14h 06m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:21 AM | 89° E | 7:30 PM | 271° W | 60° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:24 AM | 117° ESE | 5:36 PM | 243° WSW | 36° | 10h 12m |
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 | 7:03 AM | 7:29 AM | 8:04 AM | 5:19 PM | 5:54 PM | 6:20 PM | 10h 25m |
| February | 6:48 AM | 7:13 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:48 PM | 6:21 PM | 6:45 PM | 11h 08m |
| March | 7:18 AM | 7:42 AM | 8:14 AM | 7:09 PM | 7:40 PM | 8:04 PM | 11h 58m |
| April | 6:40 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:27 PM | 7:59 PM | 8:24 PM | 12h 54m |
| May | 6:12 AM | 6:39 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:45 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:45 PM | 13h 40m |
| June | 6:03 AM | 6:30 AM | 7:05 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:03 PM | 14h 05m |
| July | 6:14 AM | 6:41 AM | 7:15 AM | 8:01 PM | 8:35 PM | 9:02 PM | 13h 55m |
| August | 6:34 AM | 6:59 AM | 7:32 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:14 PM | 8:40 PM | 13h 15m |
| September | 6:53 AM | 7:17 AM | 7:48 AM | 7:07 PM | 7:38 PM | 8:02 PM | 12h 22m |
| October | 7:10 AM | 7:34 AM | 8:06 AM | 6:29 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:26 PM | 11h 28m |
| November | 6:32 AM | 6:58 AM | 7:32 AM | 5:02 PM | 5:36 PM | 6:02 PM | 10h 38m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:21 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:58 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:00 PM | 10h 13m |
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 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 6.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 31° 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 | — | 1° | — |
| February | 4:51 AM – 5:51 AM | 1.0 | 19° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:59 AM – 6:19 AM | 2.3 | 28° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:02 AM – 5:32 AM | 3.5 | 31° | SE → S |
| May | 11:59 PM – 4:59 AM | 5.0 | 31° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:12 PM – 4:52 AM | 6.7 | 31° | SE → SW |
| July | 10:09 PM – 3:19 AM | 5.2 | 31° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:40 PM – 1:20 AM | 3.7 | 31° | S → SW |
| September | 8:59 PM – 11:19 PM | 2.3 | 28° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:21 PM – 9:21 PM | 1.0 | 19° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 4° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 19.21 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 38% average cloud cover) and February as the cloudiest (60%). 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 | 85 | 90 | 92 | 101 | 105 | 110 | 112 | 112 | 108 | 101 | 89 | 84 |
| Low °F | 17 | 17 | 21 | 34 | 43 | 61 | 65 | 65 | 50 | 33 | 23 | 21 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.3 | 1.9 | 2.9 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 3.7 | 2.4 | 1.9 |
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.
- 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 Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, closest first.
Cave
Waterfall
Botanical Garden
State Park
Lake
Lake
Mountain Peak
Dark Sky Place
LakeFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center?
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center?
How far is Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center from Shady Hollow?
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.