Stunning winning images from International Garden Photographer of the Year

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A traditional cyanotype print process has won the top prize in the world's biggest plant and garden photo competition

Vincenzo Di Nuzzo's winning image from the Category 'Captured at Kew'
Vincenzo Di Nuzzo's winning image from the Category 'Captured at Kew' (Image credit: Vincenzo Di Nuzzo)

Every year we're wowed and wooed by the winners of the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition. 

Now in its 12th year, IGPOTY continues to push the boundary of the genre and communicate the beauty and importance of plant life – from around the world. 

Overall winner – Fireworks

Fireworks, depicts the details of three Allium heads with the wet cyanotype process. Image: Jill Welham

Fireworks, depicts the details of three Allium heads with the wet cyanotype process. Image: Jill Welham

This year, the winner of £7,500 and the title of the International Garden Photographer of the Year is Jill Welham of North Yorkshire, England.

Jill has been perfecting her passion for the cyanotype photographic print process, and her winning image 'Fireworks' depicts the three Allium heads with this technique.

The judges particularly liked her cyanotype process, too, which resulted in intricate circular patterns and fluid shapes.

"Jill’s image has proven that even old techniques are still capable of relevance, originality and immense beauty," says Tyrone McGlinchey, Managing Director of IGPOTY. 

IGPOTY is the world’s largest (and most prestigious) global competition for garden and plant photography. Competition 12 had over 19,000 individual entries from over 50 countries.

There are eleven main categories to enter and numerous special awards including Young Garden Photographer of the Year and a mobile only category, Gardens on the Go.

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Category: The Beauty of Plants(Image credit: Annette Lepple)

Find out more about IGPOTY

International Garden Photographer of the Year is run in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom.

The main exhibition is held annually at Kew, with  touring exhibitions in the UK and all over the world.

The competition closes on October 31 every year, but there are seasonal categories through the year.

"The resulting exposure clearly draws from a rich and interesting heritage, but is unmistakably different in its approach and execution, making an image fit for the modern age – in both its ability to communicate the beauty and importance of plant life as well as its capacity to represent the empowerment of women in art and science.”

Tyrone McGlinchey, MD of IGPOTY

The competition is open to everyone, anywhere in the world. Images do not have to be taken in a specified year. There is no distinction drawn between professional and amateur photographers.

There is a fee for entering the competition which helps to cover the expense of administration. This fee is £12 for 4 single images, or £25 for a portfolio.

An illustrious limited edition hardback book of the exhibition is normally produced each year.

Head to the IGPOTY website to see the rest of the winners, and information on the competition.

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Lauren Scott
Lauren Scott
Freelance contributor/former Managing Editor

Lauren is a writer, reviewer, and photographer with ten years of experience in the camera industry. She's the former Managing Editor of Digital Camera World, and previously served as Editor of Digital Photographer magazine, Technique editor for PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, and Deputy Editor of our sister publication, Digital Camera Magazine. An experienced journalist and freelance photographer, Lauren also has bylines at Tech Radar, Space.com, Canon Europe, PCGamesN, T3, Stuff, and British Airways' in-flight magazine (among others). When she's not testing gear for DCW, she's probably in the kitchen testing yet another new curry recipe or walking in the Cotswolds with her Flat-coated Retriever.