Located in Kitsap County, Washington, Bloedel Reserve is a botanical garden. It sits roughly 2.6 km (1.6 mi) S of Suquamish.
The Bloedel Reserve is a 140-acre (57 ha) forest garden on Bainbridge Island, Washington. It was created by Virginia and Prentice Bloedel, the vice-chairman of the lumber company MacMillan Bloedel Limited, under the influence of the conservation movement and Asian philosophy. The couple wished to capture the essence of the Japanese garden—the qualities of naturalness, subtlety, reverence, tranquility—and construct a Western expression of it.From the Wikipedia article “Bloedel Reserve”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Bloedel Reserve the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 53° (NE) at the June solstice and 125° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 308° (NW) in June to 235° (SW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 66° in summer but only 19° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:14 AM | 89° E | 7:23 PM | 271° W | 42° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:13 AM | 53° NE | 9:13 PM | 308° NW | 66° | 16h 00m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:58 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:57 AM | 125° SE | 4:21 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 24m |
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 | 7:20 AM | 7:55 AM | 8:45 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 51m |
| February | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:01 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:34 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 17m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:05 AM | 6:35 PM | 7:16 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:22 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:18 PM | 8:00 PM | 8:32 PM | 13h 38m |
| May | 4:56 AM | 5:33 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:56 PM | 8:42 PM | 9:18 PM | 15h 08m |
| June | 4:31 AM | 5:12 AM | 6:01 AM | 8:23 PM | 9:11 PM | 9:52 PM | 15h 59m |
| July | 4:49 AM | 5:28 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:05 PM | 9:44 PM | 15h 37m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:42 PM | 8:25 PM | 8:59 PM | 14h 18m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:44 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:55 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:59 AM | 7:30 AM | 8:12 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:55 PM | 10h 54m |
| November | 6:43 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:04 AM | 3:47 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:09 PM | 9h 18m |
| December | 7:17 AM | 7:53 AM | 8:46 AM | 3:26 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:56 PM | 8h 26m |
Local time (America/Los Angeles), 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 Bloedel Reserve, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 1.7 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 13° 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 | — | -6° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| March | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| April | 3:45 AM – 4:15 AM | 0.5 | 12° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:46 AM – 3:06 AM | 1.3 | 13° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:20 AM – 2:00 AM | 1.7 | 13° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:49 PM – 12:59 AM | 1.2 | 13° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:29 PM – 10:59 PM | 0.5 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 5° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -4° | — |
| December | Below 10° in darkness | — | -20° | — |
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 ≈ 19.25 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 4.5+ to show low on the northern horizon here.
Weather & best season
Long-term NASA satellite data for this area show July as the clearest month (about 46% average cloud cover) and January as the cloudiest (80%). August is the warmest month and December 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 | 64 | 63 | 71 | 87 | 90 | 93 | 100 | 91 | 91 | 79 | 71 | 60 |
| Low °F | 13 | 15 | 25 | 29 | 31 | 40 | 46 | 46 | 39 | 28 | 16 | 13 |
| Precip. (in) | 6.7 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 3.8 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 4.8 | 7.5 | 6.8 |
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
- 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 Bloedel Reserve, closest first.
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Beach
Botanical Garden
State ParkLighthouseLighthouse
State Park
State ParkCampgrounds nearby (Recreation.gov)
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Bloedel Reserve?
What time is golden hour at Bloedel Reserve?
Where does the sun rise and set at Bloedel Reserve?
Can you see the Milky Way from Bloedel Reserve?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Bloedel Reserve?
How far is Bloedel Reserve from Suquamish?
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.