Boerner Botanical Gardens — a botanical garden in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin — is a rewarding subject for landscape photographers. It sits roughly 1.4 km (0.9 mi) E of Hales Corners.
Boerner Botanical Gardens are botanical gardens located on the grounds of Whitnall Park in the village of Hales Corners, Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. The gardens are named for Alfred Boerner, who designed the original five formal gardens. The Annual, Perennial, Rock, Rose and Peony Gardens were constructed in the 1930s. Later additions included trial, herb, lily and shrub rose gardens, as well as the Bog Walk. Part of the Milwaukee County Park System, the gardens are maintained by professional horticulturists. Many species of plant life are cultivated and displayed. The gardens include test and display gardens for All-America Selections, and is an American Hosta Society Display Garden. Boerner Botanical Gardens is open from late April to early November, and closes for the winter. Within the gardens and adjacent to them in Whitnall Park, and along the Root River Parkway is the...From the Wikipedia article “Boerner Botanical Gardens”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Sunrise & sunset directions
At Boerner Botanical Gardens the sunrise point swings a long way through the year: about 56° (ENE) at the June solstice and 122° (ESE) in late December. Sunset moves from 304° (NW) in June to 238° (WSW) in December, and the midday sun climbs to 70° in summer but only 24° in winter.
| Date | Sunrise | Azimuth | Sunset | Azimuth | Noon sun | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox (Mar 20) | 6:56 AM | 90° E | 7:04 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 08m |
| June solstice (Jun 21) | 5:14 AM | 56° ENE | 8:35 PM | 304° NW | 70° | 15h 21m |
| September equinox (Sep 22) | 6:40 AM | 89° E | 6:51 PM | 271° W | 47° | 12h 11m |
| December solstice (Dec 21) | 7:21 AM | 122° ESE | 4:21 PM | 238° WSW | 24° | 9h 00m |
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 | 6:50 AM | 7:21 AM | 8:05 AM | 3:59 PM | 4:43 PM | 5:15 PM | 9h 22m |
| February | 6:22 AM | 6:51 AM | 7:30 AM | 4:44 PM | 5:24 PM | 5:53 PM | 10h 33m |
| March | 6:37 AM | 7:05 AM | 7:43 AM | 6:21 PM | 6:59 PM | 7:27 PM | 11h 53m |
| April | 5:42 AM | 6:11 AM | 6:49 AM | 6:56 PM | 7:34 PM | 8:04 PM | 13h 23m |
| May | 4:57 AM | 5:30 AM | 6:11 AM | 7:28 PM | 8:09 PM | 8:41 PM | 14h 39m |
| June | 4:38 AM | 5:13 AM | 5:57 AM | 7:50 PM | 8:33 PM | 9:09 PM | 15h 20m |
| July | 4:53 AM | 5:27 AM | 6:09 AM | 7:48 PM | 8:30 PM | 9:04 PM | 15h 03m |
| August | 5:28 AM | 5:59 AM | 6:38 AM | 7:17 PM | 7:56 PM | 8:27 PM | 13h 57m |
| September | 6:04 AM | 6:33 AM | 7:10 AM | 6:27 PM | 7:04 PM | 7:32 PM | 12h 31m |
| October | 6:37 AM | 7:06 AM | 7:45 AM | 5:32 PM | 6:11 PM | 6:40 PM | 11h 05m |
| November | 6:15 AM | 6:45 AM | 7:28 AM | 3:48 PM | 4:30 PM | 5:01 PM | 9h 45m |
| December | 6:45 AM | 7:17 AM | 8:03 AM | 3:33 PM | 4:19 PM | 4:51 PM | 9h 02m |
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 Boerner Botanical Gardens, the Milky Way core is visible in a dark sky from March through September. June gives the longest window (about 4.0 hours on a moonless night), and the core peaks around 18° 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 | — | -4° | — |
| February | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| March | 4:33 AM – 5:23 AM | 0.8 | 14° | SSE → SSE |
| April | 2:37 AM – 4:17 AM | 1.7 | 17° | SSE → S |
| May | 12:39 AM – 3:19 AM | 2.7 | 18° | SSE → S |
| June | 10:51 PM – 2:51 AM | 4.0 | 18° | SSE → SSW |
| July | 10:40 PM – 1:30 AM | 2.8 | 18° | S → SSW |
| August | 9:45 PM – 11:25 PM | 1.7 | 17° | S → SSW |
| September | 8:41 PM – 9:31 PM | 0.8 | 14° | SSW → SSW |
| October | Below 10° in darkness | — | 9° | — |
| November | Below 10° in darkness | — | -2° | — |
| 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: 8 Bortle 8 — City sky. Only bright constellations are visible; the sky glows orange or white. Modeled zenith brightness ≈ 18.38 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 September as the clearest month (about 47% average cloud cover) and December as the cloudiest (71%). 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 | 57 | 65 | 79 | 83 | 90 | 96 | 104 | 99 | 93 | 86 | 73 | 66 |
| Low °F | -41 | -22 | -15 | 13 | 26 | 36 | 45 | 44 | 33 | 16 | 2 | -24 |
| Precip. (in) | 1.6 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 3.7 | 4.3 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 4.1 | 3.7 | 3.1 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
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 Boerner Botanical Gardens, closest first.
Botanical Garden
Lighthouse
State Park
Lighthouse
Beach
Lighthouse
Covered BridgeFAQ
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Do you need a permit to photograph at Boerner Botanical Gardens?
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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.