Winning photos of great gardens
Image copyright
Lee Acaster
This late autumn photo - from Snowdonia National Park in North Wales - has been crowned the overall winner of the 10th annual International Garden Photographer of the Year competition.
Taken by Lee Acaster, and entitled Left, this stark image won the Trees, Woods and Forests category - and then beat thousands of other entries to win the top spot.
Garden designer Chris Beardshaw - one of the competition judges - says the photo "perfectly encapsulates both the extremes of fortune and personality of these giants".
While Clare Foggett - who edits The English Garden Magazine - says the image "draws the viewer in, to reveal the still surface of the lake behind. It demands closer inspection".
Scroll down to see a selection of some of the best images from each category.
Nigel McCall - 1st Place
Autumn Evening at Aberglasney
Aberglasney Gardens, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK
Image copyright
Nigel McCall
Judges' comments
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"This is a classical composition with the bridge leading us into the garden and its wonderful display of October colour. The angle of view is very precisely aligned, creating the feeling of serene calm."
Clare Foggett, Editor of the English Garden Magazine:
"It has a calm, almost Eastern zen-like quality. The autumn leaves on the handrail could have been artfully placed there by a stylist, but the fact that they had been spontaneously placed there by children visiting the garden earlier seems to add even more serendipity to the image."
Cathy Cooper - Finalist
Marigold Glow
Windamere Hotel, Darjeeling, West Bengal, India
Image copyright
Cathy Cooper
Volker Michael - Finalist
First Rays
Jistrum, Friesland, The Netherlands
Image copyright
Volker Michael
Rosanna Castrini - Highly Commended
Towards the Clearing
Botanical Garden of Villa Bricherasio, Piedmont, Italy
Image copyright
Rosanna Castrini
Jason Ingram - Commended
Folly Farm Lavender
Berkshire, England, UK
Image copyright
Jason Ingram
Jason Ingram - Highly Commended
Stavordale Priory in Winter
Somerset, England, UK
Image copyright
Jason Ingram
Nigel McCall - Highly Commended
Mist over the Lower Walled Garden
Aberglasney Gardens, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK
Image copyright
Nigel McCall
Volker Michael - Commended
Prairie Plantation
Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany
Image copyright
Volker Michael
Ross Hoddinott - 1st Place
Marbled White Butterfly
Dunsdon National Nature Reserve, Devon, England, UK
Image copyright
Ross Hoddinott
Judges' comments
Philip Smith, founder of the International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A dreamy midsummer scene. It is an unusual composition with the main subject near the picture's edge, but this, taken together with the empty space in the middle of the frame, heightens the faint sense of unreality that marks this photograph out."
Chris Beardshaw, garden designer:
"A fleeting and delicate image that encourages a holding of the breath and calm silence, for fear of disturbing the perfection."
Henrik Spranz - 2nd Place
Evening Encounter
Vienna, Austria
Image copyright
Henrik Spranz
Minghui Yuan - Finalist
Frog Prince
Wuhan Botanical Garden, Wuhan City, China
Image copyright
Minghui Yuan
Lili Gao - Finalist
Waiting
Dandong City, Liaoning Province, China
Image copyright
Lili Gao
Julian Rad - Finalist
Thirsty Squirrel
Vienna, Austria
Image copyright
Julian Rad
Minghui Yuan - Commended
Band of Brothers
Wuhan City, China
Image copyright
Minghui Yuan
Yi Fan - Highly Commended
Fantastic Homeland
Yunnan Province, China
Image copyright
Yi Fan
Mateusz Piesiak - Commended
At Sunset
Wrocław, Lower Silesia, Poland
Image copyright
Mateusz Piesiak
Gianluca Benini - 1st Place
White Stars at Sunset
Belluno, Veneto, Italy
Image copyright
Gianluca Benini
Judges' comments
Clare Foggett, Editor of The English Garden Magazine:
"Wordsworth was right about daffodils filling the heart with pleasure and this photo of 'the stars that shine and twinkle on the Milky Way' does just that, with beautiful light from the setting sun. One look at the image and you want to be there."
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"White Stars at Sunset is a descriptive title for this field of wild Narcissus with the beautifully backlit sta- shaped flowers. The low viewpoint chosen by the photographer has encouraged the flowers to command the stage against a dramatic evening sky."
Yi Fan - 2nd Place
Standing Alone
Hengduan Mountain Range, Yunnan Province, China
Image copyright
Yi Fan
Salvo Orlando - 3rd Place
Saponaria
Etna National Park, Sicily, Italy
Image copyright
Salvo Orlando
Carole Drake - Finalist
Pavement Flowers at Dawn
County Clare, Republic of Ireland
Image copyright
Carole Drake
John Glover - Highly Commended
Viper's Bugloss at Sunrise
Cuckmere Valley, East Sussex, England, UK
Image copyright
John Glover
Marcio Cabral - Highly Commended
Golden Grass
Chapada dos Veadeiros National Park, Goias, Brazil
Image copyright
Marcio Cabral
Dianne English - 1st Place
Bergenia
New South Wales, Australia
Image copyright
Dianne English
Judges' comments
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"Texture and softening effects have been created in post-capture processing, but the strength of the image is in its very simple but accurate composition. In simplifying the still-life, the photographer has created a strong sense of romantic elegance."
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"This charming image of Bergenia not only illustrates the character of the flower, but the added texture and softness to the palette gives it an artistic painterly feel."
Alexis Javier Acosta Simon - 3rd Place
Las Animas
La Palma, Canary Islands, Spain
Image copyright
Alexis Javier Acosta Simon
Bert Shankman - Finalist
Little Boy II
Montgomery County, Maryland, USA
Image copyright
Bert Shankman
Rosanna Castrini - Commended
The Ring
Piedmont, Italy
Image copyright
Rosanna Castrini
Angela de Groot - Finalist
Bothering Buttercups
Dorset, England, UK
Image copyright
Angela de Groot
Nigel Burkitt - Commended
Poppies
Earley, Berkshire, England, UK
Image copyright
Nigel Burkitt
Anil Sud - 1st Place
Mountain Fog
Maroon Bells Scenic Area, Colorado, USA
Image copyright
Anil Sud
Judges' comments
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"No-one could fault this image for not being true to its subject 'Breathing Spaces'. The glimpse of the mountainside in the break in the clouds has been very well caught and contrasts with the vibrant autumn colours of the foreground. A strong composition with the diagonal of the hillside."
Chris Beardshaw, garden designer:
"Bold, vivid and beautifully capturing the seasonal landscape."
Mauro Tronto - 2nd Place
All Together
Lago di Campotosto, Abruzzo, Italy
Image copyright
Mauro Tronto
Nikki Munro - Finalist
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK
Image copyright
Nikki Munro
Theam Meng Sea - Highly Commended
Tea Farm Sunset
Cameron Highlands District, Pahang, Malaysia
Image copyright
Theam Meng Sea
Mauro Tronto - Highly Commended
Awakening
San Severino Marche, Macerata, Italy
Image copyright
Mauro Tronto
Stefano Coltelli - Commended
Plitvice Falls
The Plitvice Lakes National Park, Plitvicka Jezera, Croatia
Image copyright
Stefano Coltelli
Geoff Kell - Highly Commended
Summer Breeze
Northumberland National Park, England, UK
Image copyright
Geoff Kell
Francis Taylor - Commended
Cotton Grass
Ringinglow, Peak District National Park, Sheffield, England, UK
Image copyright
Francis Taylor
Dawn Blight - Commended
Sheffield Park
National Trust Sheffield Park and Garden, East Sussex, England, UK
Image copyright
Dawn Blight
Evelyn Nodwell - 1st Place
Bringing Home the Fodder
Guizhou Province, China
Image copyright
Evelyn Nodwell
Judges' comments
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"This anonymous person collecting fodder for his animals has a touch of humour about it. We have to assume he can see where he is going. The mountainous background with lovely soft, misty and low light adds a sense of place."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"This is a spontaneous shot that tells the story perfectly. The photographer has intuitively positioned the farmer in the frame in such a way that we can trudge along with him to the village we can see in the background."
Flavio Catalano - 2nd Place
Savoy Cabbage
Piedmont, Italy
Image copyright
Flavio Catalano
Mingli Tian - 3rd Place
The Miao Terraces
Guizhou Province, China
Image copyright
Mingli Tian
Albert Ceolan - Finalist
The Grape Harvest
South Tyrol, Italy
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Albert Ceolan
Zsolt Varanka - 1st Place
Good night Budapest
Budapest, Hungary
Image copyright
Zsolt Varanka
Judges' comments
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A clever shot. The flowers are beautifully lit and balanced with the lights of the city. There is so much activity to be seen in the background, but the photographer has succeeded in keeping the flowers in the foreground of our attention."
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"The shallow depth of field has rendered the lights of a city purely as a glow which leaves the interpretation to the viewer."
Dina Vieira - 2nd Place
Roof Garden
Park of Nations, Lisbon, Portugal
Image copyright
Dina Vieira
Evelyn Nodwell - Finalist
Trees, Shadows and Greens
Parc du Champ-de-Mars, Paris, France
Image copyright
Evelyn Nodwell
Brandon Yoshizawa - Commended
City Flowers
Los Angeles, California, USA
Image copyright
Brandon Yoshizawa
Paul Brouns - Highly Commended
Urban Jungle
Milan, Italy
Image copyright
Paul Brouns
Joseph Meng Huat Goh - Commended
Roof Garden
Singapore
Image copyright
Joseph Meng Huat Goh
Claire Takacs - Commended
Groningen City Garden
Groningen, The Netherlands
Image copyright
Claire Takacs
Bart Heirweg - 2nd Place
Noir Flohay
Noir Flohay, Baraque Michel, Belgium
Image copyright
Bart Heirweg
Cristiana Damiano - Finalist
In the Silence
Tarvisio Forest, Italy
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Cristiana Damiano
Dylan Nardini - Highly Commended
Crooked
Clydesdale, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, UK
Image copyright
Dylan Nardini
Andrew George - Commended
Mystic Forest
Stiphoutse Bossen, Gerwen, Noord-Brabant, The Netherlands
Image copyright
Andrew George
Jianjun Huang - Commended
Charming Dongjiang
Guangdong Province, China
Image copyright
Jianjun Huang
Fergus Brown - age 10 - 1st Place
Kaleidoscope
Abbey Garden, Tresco, The Isles of Scilly, England, UK
Image copyright
Fergus Brown
Judges' comments
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"A blaze of colour brings out the true feel of summer. The shallow depth of field adds to the intrigue of the image. An accomplished image for this young photographer."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A wonderfully exuberant image. The photographer has captured the scene very well by excluding anything that might interfere with the appreciation of colour and pattern."
Zozi Lencz - age 14 - 2nd Place
Spiky
Bellini Garden, Catania, Sicily, Italy
Image copyright
Zozi Lencz
Katy Read - age 12 - 3rd Place
Looking Up
Chillingham Castle, Northumberland, England, UK
Image copyright
Katy Read
Steve Lowry - 1st Place
Cut Flowers
Portstewart, Northern Ireland, UK
Image copyright
Steve Lowry
This portfolio of microscopy images was entered as a set in the Beauty of Plants category and features sectioned and stained flower buds.
A selection of the images - including some close-up details - can be seen here.
Image copyright
Steve Lowry
Judges' comments
Clare Foggett, Editor of The English Garden Magazine:
"The images are stunning - a rarely seen glimpse of the mechanics and 'insides' of a plant, normally only seen by botanists peering down microscopes. Their other-worldly quality brings a new level of intrigue to our garden plants."
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"Well executed and inspirational in design. A very unusual way to portray these flowers, the clarity and design are stunning and a lot of worthwhile hard work has gone into this portfolio."
Image copyright
Steve Lowry
George Pantazis - 1st Place
Embryo
Mouttagiaka, Limassol, Cyprus
Image copyright
George Pantazis
Judges' comments
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"One of the most attractive macro images in this year's competition. The light falling on this tiny subject is wonderfully handled and reveals the other-worldly elegance of the subject."
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"A captivating image, glorious colours and the composition cannot be faulted. The depth of Field is perfect. The detail is beautiful and this is a very worthy winner of the macro category."
Don Rice - 1st Place
Water Lily
Lake Peten Itza, Department of Peten, Guatemala
Image copyright
Don Rice
Judges' comments
Susan Brown, Royal Photographic Society Representative:
"A dramatic composition for this monochrome image with lighting to bring out the detail and texture in the leaves and yet maintaining the subtlety of the petals."
Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:
"A complex plant stripped down to its essentials of tone, form and texture. It is skilfully processed with a large amount of detail in a complex gradation of grey tones. There's a calm stillness that makes it a worthy winner."
The winning photos are being exhibited at the Royal Botanic Gardens, at Kew in London, from 4 February to 12 March 2017.
All images subject to copyright.
