International Garden Photographer of the Year is one of the world’s most respected photography competitions and exhibition, particularly within the genres of garden, flora and botanical photography. Featuring stunning pictures from amateurs and professionals alike, the competition as a whole attracts thousands of individual entries annually, from all across the world.

You can find out more about IGPOTY by clicking here!

For three years, IGPOTY has been coming to the Gardens, not only with its display of highlights from the main competition, but also with its own special catagory: Flora in Focus. We are excited to share with you today the three top placed entries in this prestigious competition.

Taken by Chris Mills, this photo captures frost on a single Cyclamen. A beautiful way to capture the effect of seasons on flora, the icy crystals offer a quiet kind of beauty. As if rejecting the melancholy vibes that winter is usually known this photo captures something far more energetic and vibrant. The lonelyness of the single Cyclament highlights the fragility of both the flower and the icy crystals, tying the two together even more. To describe his photo, he said:

“I visited Birmingham Botanical Gardens on a very frosty January morning, and was delighted to find several Cyclamen in the Alpine Meadow that looked almost crystalline.”

Taken by Jon Bentham, this photo shows the Amazoninian Water Lily, as held in our iconic Tropical Glasshouse. It masterfully captures both the beauty of the flower, and ugliness of the stem beneath it. The calmness of water almost feels in opposition with this uneasy duality. The reflection of the flower is also captured, an inverted repeat of the flower above, peiced through its centre by the spiky stem.  All of this comes together to a coheasive whole where the conflicting aspects sticks in your mind. Whilst talking about his history and style, his profile states:

“I’ve recently become interested in flower and macro photography and have found having membership of Birmingham Botanical Gardens incredibly useful, as it’s very nearby and there is usually something different and interesting to see every time I visit.”

Taken by Simon Lea, the winning photo is this increadible up close shot. Taken at the perfect time to reflect the sunlight in a distinctive pattern, this shot captures both the sharp distinct edges of the flower leaves and the vibrant, exciting colours. The dual stems in the centre of the flower also make a strong impression, the shock of purple really draws the eyes towards the area where the stars can be seen. He describes it as:

“A close-up of the beautiful bromeliad – Neoregelia ‘Fuego Ancho’ with its miniature pool, that was catching the morning sunlight and reflecting ‘stars’ from its fiery, water-filled centre.”

The Exhibition is open from 14 May through to 30 June this year. It will feature all these pictures, as well as a few more high scoring picures from the Flora in Focus competition, and the higher scoring photos from the main IGPOTY competition from last year. Admission to this outdoor gallery is included in your day ticket. Some of the categories included in the main competition include: Beautiful Gardens, The World of Fungi and Wildflower Landscapes.

Drop by today and see the power of nature captured by a photographers eye.

Find out more about this outdoor gallary, and see some of the photos from last year, by clicking here!