South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center is a botanical garden in Nueces County, Texas. The nearest town is Corpus Christi, about 16.5 km (10.3 mi) away (South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center lies S of town).
The South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, formerly known as the Corpus Christi Botanical Gardens and Nature Center is a nonprofit, 180-acre botanical garden and nature center located at 8545 South Staples, Corpus Christi, Texas. It is open daily; an admission fee is charged. The gardens can be traced to 1987 when a first cottage garden (1 acre) and nature trail opened in Corpus Christi. Today's gardens, however, are on a different site that opened in 1996. The gardens have been actively developed since that time. Major exhibits now include an arid garden; Exhibit House with bromeliads, cycads, cacti, and succulents; hibiscus garden; hummingbird garden; landscape demonstration beds; orchid house with more than 3000 orchids; a major collection of more than 100 plumeria varieties; contemporary rose garden with a large pavilion; sensory garden; and water garden.From the Wikipedia article “South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 63° (ENE) at the June solstice and 116° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 297° (WNW) in June to 244° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 86° in summer but only 39° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:34 AM | 90° E | 7:41 PM | 271° W | 62° | 12h 07m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 6:35 AM | 63° ENE | 8:29 PM | 297° WNW | 86° | 13h 53m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:19 AM | 89° E | 7:28 PM | 271° W | 63° | 12h 09m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:17 AM | 116° ESE | 5:40 PM | 244° WSW | 39° | 10h 23m |
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 | 7:22 AM | 7:56 AM | 5:23 PM | 5:57 PM | 6:22 PM | 10h 35m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:08 AM | 7:40 AM | 5:50 PM | 6:22 PM | 6:46 PM | 11h 14m |
| March | 7:17 AM | 7:40 AM | 8:11 AM | 7:08 PM | 7:39 PM | 8:02 PM | 11h 59m |
| April | 6:42 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:37 AM | 7:24 PM | 7:55 PM | 8:19 PM | 12h 49m |
| May | 6:16 AM | 6:42 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:39 PM | 8:12 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 31m |
| June | 6:08 AM | 6:35 AM | 7:09 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:27 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 53m |
| July | 6:18 AM | 6:44 AM | 7:18 AM | 7:54 PM | 8:28 PM | 8:54 PM | 13h 44m |
| August | 6:37 AM | 7:01 AM | 7:33 AM | 7:37 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:34 PM | 13h 08m |
| September | 6:52 AM | 7:16 AM | 7:47 AM | 7:05 PM | 7:36 PM | 7:59 PM | 12h 20m |
| October | 7:07 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:02 AM | 6:30 PM | 7:02 PM | 7:25 PM | 11h 31m |
| November | 6:27 AM | 6:52 AM | 7:25 AM | 5:05 PM | 5:39 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 47m |
| December | 6:48 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:49 AM | 5:03 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:03 PM | 10h 24m |
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 South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from February through October. June gives the longest window (about 7.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 33° 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 | — | 3° | — |
| February | 4:41 AM – 5:41 AM | 1.0 | 20° | SE → SE |
| March | 3:47 AM – 6:17 AM | 2.5 | 30° | SE → SSE |
| April | 1:46 AM – 5:36 AM | 3.8 | 33° | SE → S |
| May | 11:50 PM – 5:10 AM | 5.3 | 33° | SE → SSW |
| June | 10:01 PM – 5:01 AM | 7.0 | 33° | SE → SW |
| July | 9:59 PM – 3:29 AM | 5.5 | 33° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:33 PM – 1:33 AM | 4.0 | 33° | S → SW |
| September | 8:55 PM – 11:25 PM | 2.5 | 30° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:20 PM – 9:30 PM | 1.2 | 21° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| 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 ≈ 20.49 mag/arcsec².
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show August as the clearest month (about 34% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (64%). 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 | 88 | 92 | 95 | 100 | 103 | 102 | 101 | 103 | 103 | 96 | 89 | 87 |
| Low °F | 28 | 27 | 36 | 43 | 53 | 71 | 74 | 72 | 58 | 45 | 36 | 32 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.4 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 2.2 | 5.6 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 1.4 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Tell someone where you're going in remote areas and carry the ten essentials.
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 South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, closest first.
Campgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center?
What time is golden hour at South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center?
Where does the sun rise and set at South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center?
Can you see the Milky Way from South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center?
Do you need a permit to photograph at South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center?
How far is South Texas Botanical Gardens & Nature Center from Corpus Christi?
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.