Visiting a garden is a great day out for many of us. We can stand and admire the work of gardeners who have dedicated themselves to creating a personal paradise for the enjoyment of themselves and others. Capturing this feeling and emotion through your own garden images is the challenge and indeed part of the enjoyment.

You can enter garden images from any corner of the world, from Tokyo to Tuscany, from Montréal to Melbourne. As the photographer you are the storyteller. The judges will be on the lookout for images that show us what is special about a particular garden, whether it’s large or small, whether it’s a chic design statement or a plantsman’s paradise. Tell us the story through the beauty of garden images.

Please note you may need permission to enter garden images from a private garden.

(Admission fees withstanding) you are allowed to enter your photographs taken at National Trust sites into the competition. If your entry is from a National Trust property please note our rule 10.1.8 You agree not to use, or permit the use of, any images taken of or from National Trust sites for any purpose other than entering this competition or your own personal use. You expressly agree not to use such images for commercial purposes such as sale or licence to third parties.

IGPOTY has always embraced the word 'Garden' in its broadest definition, that is a 'Garden' could be; a back/front/balcony garden, a local park, landscapes and forests, after all - Planet Earth is everyones' Garden.

People should not be included in your compositions.

Have a clear objective of what aspect of the garden you want to capture and why. Remember to think about time of day and seasonal weather. Early morning light features throughout many winning garden images and is a favourite of garden photographers worldwide, just don’t forget that tripod!

Use the category as the inspiration you need to visit that garden you always said you’d go to – perfect garden images won't come to you. Discover new meaning and appreciation for our relationship with plants and gardens through photography and be part of a prestigious heritage of garden photographers entering this category. Sharing stunning garden images is also a great way to get more people into not just garden photography, but also the love of gardening.

Prizes

First prize:

By entering this category, one of your images stands a chance to win the overall IGPOTY title and prize of £4,000!
IGPOTY award certificate
Your image goes on tour in the travelling exhibition.

Second prize:

IGPOTY award certificate
Your image goes on tour in the travelling exhibition.

Third prize:

IGPOTY award certificate
Your image goes on tour in the travelling exhibition.

Entry Benefits

Exposure, international press coverage, prestigious photography category for gardens, parks and green landscapes, opportunities for growth and feedback, become a stakeholder in conservation, cultivate your skills, reinforce or launch your photographic career.

General rules:

• You may not submit watermarked images with your name or website visible on the photo. Please do not frame your images with borders.
• Entrants may submit a maximum of 4 images per single entry token and a maximum of 6 images per portfolio entry token.
• For free-to-enter competitions you should enter 1 image per token given, up to a maximum of 8 images (8 tokens).
• Entrants' images must be .jpg or .jpeg format and of high enough quality.
• We recommend all images are output to 1920px on their longest side at 72 ppi (ideally with an sRGB colour profile). Any larger than this and you are supplying images bigger than they will be seen or used by IGPOTY judges; your files will take longer to upload and/or download to judges and viewers’ screens.
• The absolute maximum for each image must not be more than 7MB in file size and no more than 3000px on their longest side.
• All entrants must be able to supply a high-res image (300 ppi) suitable for printing/exhibiting should the image be shortlisted. You may be asked for this when the time comes.

N.B.

• High-res source file/s need to be at least 3780 pixels (longest side) @ 300 ppi, ideally larger (and ideally with an Adobe RGB (1998) colour profile).

Full competition rules:

Please see the IGPOTY competition rules, which always prevail:
https://igpoty.com/igpoty-rules/

Category rules:

People should not be included in your images.

IGPOTY runs juried competitions based on skill.

Only singular entries from 'Single Entry' main pay-to-enter categories can win the overall IGPOTY prize. Entries from 'Photo Projects' (stand-alone competitions) cannot win the overall IGPOTY prize, neither can portfolios, which will be judged as part of the IGPOTY 'Portfolios' competition category which is stand-alone. Special Awards are not eligible for the overall IGPOTY prize and are stand-alone.

Please see IGPOTY competition rules for full terms, which always prevail.

Please use the large, red-outlined 'ENTER NOW' button on this page.

For help please visit our Frequently-Asked-Questions page.