Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden — a botanical garden in King County, Washington — is a lesser-known subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 2.2 km (1.4 mi) NW of Lakeland South.
The Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden (RSBG) on 22–24 acres is a nonprofit botanical garden specializing in rhododendrons in Federal Way, Washington. As of 2006 the Foundation's mission is devoted to the conservation, research, acquisition, evaluation, cultivation, public display, and distribution of rhododendron species. The gardens contain over 10,000 rhododendrons, set out as a woodland garden among native conifers. It is adjacent to the Pacific Bonsai Museum.From the Wikipedia article “Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden 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 307° (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) | 7:13 AM | 89° E | 7:22 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 09m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 53° NE | 9:10 PM | 307° NW | 66° | 15h 56m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:57 AM | 89° E | 7:09 PM | 271° W | 43° | 12h 12m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:54 AM | 125° SE | 4:22 PM | 235° SW | 19° | 8h 28m |
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 | 7:18 AM | 7:52 AM | 8:42 AM | 3:57 PM | 4:46 PM | 5:21 PM | 8h 54m |
| February | 6:44 AM | 7:15 AM | 7:59 AM | 4:50 PM | 5:33 PM | 6:05 PM | 10h 18m |
| March | 6:53 AM | 7:23 AM | 8:04 AM | 6:34 PM | 7:15 PM | 7:45 PM | 11h 52m |
| April | 5:49 AM | 6:21 AM | 7:03 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:58 PM | 8:30 PM | 13h 37m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:34 AM | 6:18 AM | 7:55 PM | 8:39 PM | 9:16 PM | 15h 06m |
| June | 4:33 AM | 5:13 AM | 6:01 AM | 8:20 PM | 9:08 PM | 9:48 PM | 15h 55m |
| July | 4:50 AM | 5:29 AM | 6:15 AM | 8:16 PM | 9:03 PM | 9:41 PM | 15h 34m |
| August | 5:33 AM | 6:07 AM | 6:49 AM | 7:40 PM | 8:23 PM | 8:56 PM | 14h 16m |
| September | 6:17 AM | 6:48 AM | 7:28 AM | 6:43 PM | 7:23 PM | 7:54 PM | 12h 36m |
| October | 6:57 AM | 7:28 AM | 8:10 AM | 5:41 PM | 6:23 PM | 6:54 PM | 10h 55m |
| November | 6:41 AM | 7:14 AM | 8:02 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:35 PM | 5:08 PM | 9h 21m |
| December | 7:15 AM | 7:50 AM | 8:43 AM | 3:28 PM | 4:20 PM | 4:56 PM | 8h 30m |
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 Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from April through August. June gives the longest window (about 2.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 14° above the southern horizon. Our light-pollution model puts the sky at about Bortle 8 (city 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 | 5:37 AM – 5:37 AM | 0.0 | 10° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 3:32 AM – 4:22 AM | 0.8 | 13° | SSE → SSE |
| May | 1:40 AM – 3:10 AM | 1.5 | 14° | SSE → S |
| June | 12:07 AM – 2:07 AM | 2.0 | 14° | SSE → S |
| July | 11:41 PM – 1:01 AM | 1.3 | 14° | S → SSW |
| August | 10:25 PM – 11:05 PM | 0.7 | 12° | SSW → SSW |
| September | Below 10° in darkness | — | 10° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.16 mag/arcsec². Aurora needs roughly Kp 5.0+ 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
- 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.
- Many gardens restrict tripods or charge for photography; check the rules before you go.
- Check road and trail conditions with the managing agency before you go.
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 Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden, closest first.
Lake
Lake
Lake
Lake
Lake
State Park
Lighthouse
Lighthouse
Botanical GardenFAQ
When is the best time to photograph Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden?
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Can you see the Milky Way from Rhododendron Species Foundation and Botanical Garden?
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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.