The Arboretum in Wilmington, North Carolina offers both photographers and families features that make it worth visiting! You will find blooms in every season, pathways, kid friendly grounds, facilities, and a gift shop for rewards after the photo session.

Best Time to Go for Photo Sessions at the Arboretum in Wilmington

My favorite time of the year for photo sessions at the Arboretum lies in the winter. Why? Well, the sun is setting around 5 pm in December and the Arboretum in Wilmington closes at 5pm. Most photographers will tell you that the soft light before sunset makes the prettiest soft glow in your photos. In the summer time the sun sits too high in the sky for portraits at the Arboretum… for my taste. So if you are local or come for vacations in December and January check it out and bring your camera about 4:00 in the afternoon before it closes.

Garden Features at the Arboretum Great for Portraits

As you enter you see a rose garden to the right and a lake before you. Tall trees off to the right side of the gardens provide a filtering of the sunlight making the Arboretum in Wilmington, NC photo sessions even more ideal. I like to start near the back trail on the sidewalk by the picnic table and then end the sessions by the rocks on the southwest side of the lake. The lake backdrop at the end of the session turns out glowy faces because at that time of the day you can actually face the sunlight without the squint.

The gardener of the Arboretum keeps the park blooming every month of the year. Thankfully the weather and temperatures of coastal North Carolina allow for it. I mean if the normal roses aren’t blooming the Knock Out Roses will! So you can find various flowers and foliage for your backdrops and foregrounds to vary the images during your photo session. Stop on the wooden bridge or pose under the arched entrance to the Japanese garden. Stand in the gazebo or along the path in the rose garden.

The pathway winds around the park making it a bit of an adventure for the younger children. You can lead the kids on an exploration to find the next fun posing spot. Just remember to follow the rules of garden etiquette which you can find at the Arboretum’s website.

If you would like to create some beautiful images of your children or family at the Arboretum in Wilmington, NC or nearby locations please contact me so that we can plan your session.

Read more about planning for a family photo session here.