Orland E. White Research Arboretum — a botanical garden in Clarke County, Virginia — is a classic subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 9.1 km (5.7 mi) N of Shenandoah Farms.
The Orland E. White Arboretum, officially the State Arboretum of Virginia, is an arboretum (172 acres) operated by the University of Virginia as part of the Blandy Experimental Farm (700 acres). It is located at 400 Blandy Farm Lane, Boyce, Virginia, and open to visitors daily from dawn to dusk without fee. Graham F. Blandy bequeathed 700 acres of his 900-acre estate known as Blandy Farm to Virginia to use horticultural research. The farm's first director, Orland Emile White, established the arboretum a year after Blandy's death and upon White's retirement in 1955 it was named in his honor. Early research focused on cytological reconstruction of plant phylogenies and the consequences of irradiation-induced mutations. It became the official State Arboretum in 1986.From the Wikipedia article “Orland E. White Research Arboretum”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Orland E. White Research Arboretum the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 59° (ENE) at the June solstice and 120° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 302° (WNW) in June to 240° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 74° in summer but only 28° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:17 AM | 90° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:47 AM | 59° ENE | 8:42 PM | 302° WNW | 74° | 14h 55m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 7:01 AM | 89° E | 7:11 PM | 271° W | 51° | 12h 10m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:29 AM | 120° ESE | 4:54 PM | 240° WSW | 28° | 9h 25m |
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 | 7:01 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:11 AM | 4:33 PM | 5:14 PM | 5:43 PM | 9h 44m |
| February | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:42 AM | 5:13 PM | 5:50 PM | 6:17 PM | 10h 45m |
| March | 6:58 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:00 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:19 PM | 7:46 PM | 11h 55m |
| April | 6:09 AM | 6:36 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:14 PM | 7:49 PM | 8:17 PM | 13h 13m |
| May | 5:30 AM | 6:00 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:41 PM | 8:19 PM | 8:49 PM | 14h 18m |
| June | 5:15 AM | 5:47 AM | 6:27 AM | 8:00 PM | 8:40 PM | 9:13 PM | 14h 54m |
| July | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:59 PM | 8:38 PM | 9:10 PM | 14h 39m |
| August | 5:58 AM | 6:26 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:32 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:38 PM | 13h 43m |
| September | 6:28 AM | 6:54 AM | 7:30 AM | 6:47 PM | 7:22 PM | 7:49 PM | 12h 28m |
| October | 6:55 AM | 7:22 AM | 7:58 AM | 5:59 PM | 6:35 PM | 7:02 PM | 11h 13m |
| November | 6:28 AM | 6:56 AM | 7:35 AM | 4:20 PM | 4:59 PM | 5:28 PM | 10h 03m |
| December | 6:55 AM | 7:25 AM | 8:07 AM | 4:09 PM | 4:52 PM | 5:22 PM | 9h 27m |
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 Orland E. White Research Arboretum, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 5.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 22° 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 | — | -2° | — |
| February | 5:19 AM – 5:29 AM | 0.2 | 12° | SE → SE |
| March | 4:28 AM – 5:48 AM | 1.3 | 19° | SE → SSE |
| April | 2:24 AM – 4:54 AM | 2.5 | 22° | SE → S |
| May | 12:26 AM – 4:06 AM | 3.7 | 22° | SE → S |
| June | 10:39 PM – 3:39 AM | 5.0 | 22° | SE → SSW |
| July | 10:32 PM – 2:22 AM | 3.8 | 22° | SSE → SW |
| August | 9:48 PM – 12:18 AM | 2.5 | 22° | S → SW |
| September | 8:53 PM – 10:13 PM | 1.3 | 19° | SSW → SW |
| October | 8:04 PM – 8:14 PM | 0.2 | 12° | SW → SW |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | 0° | — |
| 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: 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 ≈ 20.81 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 7.0+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show September as the clearest month (about 54% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (72%). 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 | 69 | 74 | 78 | 86 | 94 | 95 | 100 | 98 | 97 | 93 | 82 | 76 |
| Low °F | -7 | -4 | -3 | 20 | 26 | 38 | 49 | 47 | 35 | 19 | 6 | 4 |
| Precip. (in) | 2.5 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 3.8 | 3.4 | 4.1 | 3.4 | 2.8 | 3.1 |
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
- 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.
- 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.
- Scout in daylight if you plan to shoot at night or before sunrise.
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 Orland E. White Research Arboretum, closest first.
Mountain Pass
State Park
Botanical GardenMountain PassMountain Pass
Cave
Scenic ViewpointMountain PassCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Orland E. White Research Arboretum?
What time is golden hour at Orland E. White Research Arboretum?
Where does the sun rise and set at Orland E. White Research Arboretum?
Can you see the Milky Way from Orland E. White Research Arboretum?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Orland E. White Research Arboretum?
How far is Orland E. White Research Arboretum from Shenandoah Farms?
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.