Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens is a botanical garden in Cowlitz County, Washington. It sits roughly 1.1 km (0.7 mi) SW of Woodland. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens are nonprofit botanical gardens specializing in lilacs, located at 115 South Pekin Road, Woodland, Washington. The gardens open in Spring mid-April for Lilac Days 10:00am–4:00pm daily *check website for dates; After Lilac Days check website for current days/hours. There is an admission fee charged payable at the cashier station(cash/check/card). A small admission supports the operation of the gardens. There is also an annual plant sale during Lilac Days only. The house and museum are only open during Lilac Days.From the Wikipedia article “Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 54° (NE) at the June solstice and 124° (SE) in late December. Sunset moves from 306° (NW) in June to 236° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 68° in summer but only 21° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 7:15 AM | 89° E | 7:24 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:21 AM | 54° NE | 9:06 PM | 306° NW | 68° | 15h 44m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:59 AM | 89° E | 7:10 PM | 271° W | 44° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:50 AM | 124° SE | 4:29 PM | 236° WSW | 21° | 8h 39m |
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 | 7:16 AM | 7:49 AM | 8:37 AM | 4:05 PM | 4:53 PM | 5:26 PM | 9h 04m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:14 AM | 7:57 AM | 4:56 PM | 5:38 PM | 6:08 PM | 10h 23m |
| March | 6:55 AM | 7:24 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:38 PM | 7:17 PM | 7:47 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:54 AM | 6:25 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:18 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:29 PM | 13h 32m |
| May | 5:05 AM | 5:40 AM | 6:23 AM | 7:53 PM | 8:36 PM | 9:12 PM | 14h 56m |
| June | 4:42 AM | 5:21 AM | 6:07 AM | 8:18 PM | 9:04 PM | 9:42 PM | 15h 43m |
| July | 4:59 AM | 5:36 AM | 6:21 AM | 8:14 PM | 8:59 PM | 9:36 PM | 15h 23m |
| August | 5:39 AM | 6:12 AM | 6:53 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:21 PM | 8:54 PM | 14h 09m |
| September | 6:20 AM | 6:50 AM | 7:29 AM | 6:45 PM | 7:24 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 34m |
| October | 6:58 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:09 AM | 5:46 PM | 6:26 PM | 6:57 PM | 10h 58m |
| November | 6:40 AM | 7:12 AM | 7:58 AM | 3:55 PM | 4:41 PM | 5:13 PM | 9h 29m |
| December | 7:12 AM | 7:47 AM | 8:37 AM | 3:37 PM | 4:27 PM | 5:02 PM | 8h 41m |
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 Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.8 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 15° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 5 (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 | — | -5° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| March | 5:27 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.2 | 11° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:18 AM – 4:28 AM | 1.2 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:21 AM – 3:21 AM | 2.0 | 15° | SSE → S |
| June | 11:47 PM – 2:37 AM | 2.8 | 15° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 11:27 PM – 1:17 AM | 1.8 | 15° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:19 PM – 11:19 PM | 1.0 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| September | 9:07 PM – 9:17 PM | 0.2 | 11° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 6° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -3° | — |
| 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: 5 Bortle 5 — Suburban sky. The Milky Way is weak near the horizon and washed out overhead; long exposures pick up a sky glow. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 19.71 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.5+ 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 39% average cloud cover) and December 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 | 62 | 66 | 74 | 84 | 93 | 100 | 105 | 104 | 101 | 87 | 67 | 61 |
| Low °F | 8 | 15 | 22 | 27 | 33 | 39 | 45 | 44 | 36 | 24 | 15 | 10 |
| Precip. (in) | 8.4 | 6.1 | 6.8 | 4.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 2.3 | 5.3 | 8.6 | 9.7 |
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 Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens, closest first.
State Park
Lighthouse
National Wildlife Refuge
Beach
WaterfallWaterfallWaterfall
Lake
State ParkFAQ
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Where does the sun rise and set at Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens?
Can you see the Milky Way from Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens?
Do you need a permit to photograph at Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens?
How far is Hulda Klager Lilac Gardens from Woodland?
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.