IGPOTY is delighted to partner with National Trust (NT) Bodnant Garden, in Conwy, North Wales, to run a Special Award competition and subsequently host an IGPOTY exhibition (in 2025) – for very first time!

This is the opportunity to be part of an exciting international photography exhibition, as it tours to Bodnant Garden; a selection of the higher-placed awarded images from this Special Award will feature in the exhibition.

Bodnant Garden is a living, breathing work of art. From the manicured lawns and terraces to the wilder, more naturalistic riverside walks, the 80 acre garden is a photographer’s dream. Developed over 150 years, the plant collection, arboretum and views are world renowned. Capture life in the garden: plants, flowers, insects, birds, or anything else that showcases the beauty of nature at Bodnant. Please remember to keep shots on the botanical/natural theme as this is an IGPOTY-run competition.

Only photographs captured at Bodnant Garden are eligible.

With intimate corners, sweeping lawns, grand terraces and verdant woodland, there are many gardens in one at Bodnant. Created over 150 years, with plants collected and brought to Britain from far afield, and the incredible vision of generations of the McLaren family and Puddle head gardeners, this haven of rarity and beauty with a stunning backdrop of the Carneddau mountains of Eryri (Snowdonia) is a delight for the senses. With year-round colour, the garden can be whatever you want it to be, whether that's a hive of activity or a haven of tranquility and relaxation, this is truly a special place for all ages.

Prizes

1st Place Prizes:

• IGPOTY award certificate.

• 1st Place awarded photo exhibited at NT Bodnant Garden at the IGPOTY exhibition (in 2025).

• Out-of-hours tour with the Head Gardener including opportunity to take photographs (for personal use only, date to be mutually agreed).

2nd Place Prizes:

• IGPOTY award certificate.

• 2nd Place awarded photo exhibited at NT Bodnant Garden at the IGPOTY exhibition (in 2025).

• 2x complimentary tickets for afternoon tea in the Pavilion and entry to the Garden.

3rd Place Prizes:

• IGPOTY award certificate.

• 3rd Place awarded photo exhibited at NT Bodnant Garden at the IGPOTY exhibition (in 2025).

• 2x complimentary tickets for afternoon tea in the Pavilion and entry to the Garden.

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:

Special Award competition rules:

Only images captured at National Trust (NT) Bodnant Garden are valid. Entries cannot win the overall IGPOTY prize, nor any other IGPOTY competition prize/s.

Images captured during any year at NT Bodnant Garden are valid for entry, however the minimum IGPOTY entry/size requirements above must still be adhered to.

The competition is free-to-enter. Adults only (18+) may enter. Online entries only via this website. National Trust employees are excluded from entry; volunteers are permitted to enter. Each entrant may upload a maximum of 8 images. For any prizes awarded by NT Bodnant Garden, the winner/s must be available to attend NT Bodnant Garden premises and will asked to opt-in to be contacted by the National Trust in order to facilitate this (and any launch events run by the National Trust). No alternative prizes will be given. Standard IGPOTY rules apply. Closing time for entries on the deadline date is midday (noon) GMT.

Entry fees/terms/booking fees apply and any current rules may apply to gain admittance to NT Bodnant Garden.

Online submissions, please use the large, red-outlined 'ENTER NOW' button on this page.

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