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Nature took center stage at the 2026 International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) Competition 19. Photographers from all over the globe shared stunning images that capture the beauty of gardens, landscapes, and the gentle magic of the natural world. Whether it was a misty forest or a close-up of a single flower, this year’s winning photos remind us that nature always has new stories to share.
Photographer Mark Hetherington took top honors with his stunning shot, Grange Fell Last Light. Taken in Borrowdale in England’s Lake District, the picture glows with the soft light of sunset, bathing heather and silver birch trees in warmth. Hetherington combined four different exposures to create an image rich with texture, color, and mood. Using a Sony α7 IV and a 16–35mm lens, he captured a scene that feels both real and dreamlike, as if time stood still for just a moment.
Head judge Tyrone McGlinchey said the photograph strikes a perfect balance between composition and the natural details, giving viewers a real sense of being there in the landscape.
Beyond the top prize, the competition’s winners highlighted just how diverse nature photography can be, from creative landscape shots to close-up views of plants and fungi. All these images together show that gardens and wild places aren’t just locations, they’re vibrant, living canvases full of color, life, and wonder.
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1. Overall Winner – International Garden Photographer of the Year: "Grange Fell Last Light" by Mark Hetherington
There was some lovely light as the sun went down from Grange Fell in Borrowdale, in the Lake District. The combination of the golden, setting sun, blooming heather and silver birch trees created a mesmerising scene. Grange Fell, whose summit is just under 420 metres, is owned by the National Trust and was one of its first acquisitions in the Lake District in 1910. I blended four exposures together to form this HDR photograph.
2. Abstract Views – 1st Place: "Autumn Flurry" by Ian Gilmour
A photograph of trees reflected in the Rochdale Canal, combined in post-processing using blending modes, with a photograph of bokeh from lights reflected in a window – to give the impression of a windy autumn day.
3. Abstract Views – 2nd Place: "Wander" by Isobel Chesterman
A multiple exposure in our local woodland with blend modes used and a dappled shade created the shadows. I took the basic image, added a branch with blossom on, added two people then added another woodland photo, with a hand painted texture. I changed the blend mode and/or opacity on most of the layers to get the colour blue and the desired amount of visibility of the various layers.
4. Abstract Views – 3rd Place: "For Gabriel" by Laurie Peek
I superimposed an inverted high-contrast image of ginkgo leaves (that became a white swirl) on top of a photo of three ginkgo leaves and some geranium petals. After putting my photographs of floral elements (mostly from my garden) through various apps and mixing colour, inverting images, and playing with scale, the result was a digital composite.
5. Beautiful Gardens – 1st Place: "Lower Pool, Exbury Gardens" by Stephen Studd
A spring morning at Exbury Gardens, photographed from the lower pool with sunlight bursting through the tree canopy – which illuminated the spectacular display of colours, that epitomises Exbury in spring.
6. Beautiful Gardens – 2nd Place: "Morning Glow: Mist Rising Over The Moat" by Bennet Smith
A moment captured in spring when the daffodils at Hever Castle are at their peak. The apple buds were about to blossom, and the early morning sun emerged and warmed the air over the moat.
7. Beautiful Gardens – 3rd Place: "Glowing Season’s Farewell" by Claudia Gaupp
As the sun slipped behind the trees of Rosenhöhe Park, it bathed the garden in one last, tender glow. The pond mirrored the fading warmth, where water lily pads rested in peaceful stillness. Tall reeds caught the final rays, glowing amber against a tapestry of greens.
8. Breathing Spaces – 2nd Place: "Derwentwater Below Walla Crag" by Matthew Turner
The lake of Derwentwater, as seen from the wooded and heather-clad top of Walla Crag in the Lake District during a spectacular summertime sunset. This panorama was formed by stitching three separate images together.
9. Breathing Spaces – 3rd Place: "Cascading" by Aijun Chen
Jiuxi Park is a scenic area located on the outskirts of Hangzhou, China. It is famed for its lush natural environment, and winding streams. Gentle stream water cascaded over dark rocks, its silky flow glowed in the soft light.
10. PMC Plants & Planet – 1st Place: "Mangrove Restoration" by Stephen Studd
Mangroves are vital in the fight against climate change as well as being important habitats for wildlife. When floods and storms hit, they provide a natural barrier for coastal communities.
11. PMC Plants & Planet – 2nd Place: "Exposed" by Catherine Bullen
A living tree rises behind its skeletal counterpart, both sculpted by Sossusvlei’s relentless sun and towering dunes. Sand frequently blows from the dune tops, steadily reshaping the surrounding landscape.
12. PMC Plants & Planet – 3rd Place: "Joshua Tree at Dusk" by Uwe Beutnagel-Buchner
You might think that things couldn’t get much worse for the Joshua tree, here in the dry and hot Death Valley. But it is estimated that due to climate change the population of this species will be heavily impacted, hence the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act (WJTCA), passed by the state of California in 2023 to help safeguard its future.
13. The Beauty of Plants – 1st Place: "Game, Set and Match" by Alys Walker-Tinson
Here, in the South of France, ordinarily, we see dahlias uniquely in late spring, so I was extremely surprised to see these beautiful specimens for sale at the flower market in October – so of course they came home with me! I captured this Dahlia with my Lensbaby Velvet 85mm lens, using manual focus and a narrow aperture.
14. The Beauty of Plants – 2nd Place: "Dewy Rose" by Warrena J. Barnerd
Recently, I captured something truly special one morning in my yard – the way the dew clung to each petal, paired with that stunning gradient of colours, gave the rose an almost surreal glow.
15. The Beauty of Plants – 3rd Place: "Like a Dr. Seuss Garden" by Marianne Weingroff
In this garden, the shapes and colours, particularly of the purple Allium, reminded me of what a Dr. Seuss garden might look like. This shot is comprised of three images focus stacked together.
16. The World of Fungi – 1st Place: "Amethyst Deceivers" by Tony North
A pair of amethyst deceiver mushrooms with a fly exploring its world of fungi in the woods. Despite their purple colour these mushrooms are edible, however they are similar in appearance to the poisonous lilac fibrecap mushroom. This shot is comprised of multiple images, focus stacked together.
17. The World of Fungi – 2nd Place: "Painting Autumn" by Łukasz Kiełtyka
The photo shows a Russula fungus growing amongst mosses, dewy spider webs, and fallen autumn leaves. To capture a distinct painterly texture, I waited for the golden afternoon sun to illuminate the whole scene, then sprinkled a fine mist of water into the air using a garden sprayer.
18. The World of Fungi – 3rd Place: "A Warm Family" by Guizhong Guo
On the vast and boundless grassland, three dung-loving mushrooms nestled together as they grew, resembling a happy family. Rooted in the fertile soil gifted by nature, they stretched their caps under the warm sunlight, thriving freely and unrestricted.
19. Trees, Woods & Forests – 1st Place: "Glen Affric" by Grant Bulloch
I climbed up above the treetops of the old Caledonian pines to look down on Glen Affric, and saw this diagonal contrast between the green pine trees, and the purple birches on the far side of the river.
20. Trees, Woods & Forests – 2nd Place: "Sunrise in Lapland" by Rob Green
A beautiful sunrise over the frozen tundra in the Riisitunturi National Park in Lapland, the trees were otherworldly in appearance bearing their fully laden snow-covered branches.
21. Trees, Woods & Forests – 3rd Place: "Beneath the Birch Canopy" by Wayne Slater
Gardom’s Edge in the Peak District is a place I visit frequently throughout the year to capture the changing seasons. This particular morning at the beginning of May, captured the early greens of spring in the birch woodland – I was really happy to have taken it with the golden early sunlight, catching the canopy and foreground; which makes the fresh growth pop with colour.
22. Wildflower Landscapes – 1st Place: "Alpine Cotton Balls" by Bernadette Benz
Scheuchzer’s cotton grass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri) is a protected alpine plant that typically grows in wet, nutrient-poor peat in lowland moors, around ponds and on the banks of standing waters at altitudes of approximately 2,500 metres above sea level.
23. Wildflower Landscapes – 2nd Place: "Mellbreak from Rannerdale" by Matthew Turner
Every year in springtime, the valley of Rannerdale in the Lake District becomes carpeted in a luscious layer of bluebells. Coincidentally, the setting sun aligns perfectly with this seasonal spectacle, creating a breathtaking display of colour at the end of each day, for just a few weeks. This shot is comprised of two separate images stitched together.
24. Wildflower Landscapes – 3rd Place: "Golden Bloom" by Marcio Cabral
This image features Paepalanthus chiquitensis (Syn. Coracoralina chiquitensis), a radiant wildflower native to Brazil’s Cerrado. Photographed at sunset, the spherical inflorescences shimmered with delicate filaments that reflect sunlight dramatically when backlit, which created a radiant tapestry of botanical detail.
25. Wildlife in the Garden – 1st Place: "Rare Beauty" by Perdita Petzl
In a nature reserve, I spotted this very beautiful eastern festoon butterfly (Zerynthia cerisy) roosting in the early morning. This is one of the rarest butterflies in Austria – and I am very fortunate that some small populations exist in my area. The butterfly often lives near vineyards, where its foodplant also thrives.
26. Wildlife in the Garden – 2nd Place: "Taking a Nap" by Qiang Zhang
There was a nest of grey-headed flying squirrels in this farmhouse garden. Their tail is close to their body length, soft and fluffy, agile and graceful. It also helps them to maintain balance while gliding and serves as bedding during sleep.
27. Wildlife in the Garden – 3rd Place: "The Spider and the Fly" by David Terao
This image was taken at a trial garden in a public park. Whilst I was photographing the dahlias, I found a jumping spider within a white flower, looking at me. Just before capture, a hoverfly flew in and landed on the petal just above the spider. I quickly focused on the eyes of the fly, taking my shot before it flew away. This composition is comprised of two images focus stacked together.
FAQs
What is the International Garden Photographer of the Year competition?
The International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) is a worldwide photography contest that honors the beauty of nature, gardens, plants, and landscapes. It recognizes talented photographers who tell powerful stories through their images and showcase the wonders of the natural world.
Who won the 2026 International Garden Photographer of the Year award?
This year, Mark Hetherington took home the top prize in IGPOTY Competition 19 for his photo ‘Grange Fell Last Light.’ The shot captures a breathtaking sunset in Borrowdale, in England’s Lake District, with heather, silver birch trees, and the golden glow of evening light.
What makes the winning photograph, Grange Fell Last Light, special?
What makes this photo special is its rich layers, the warmth of the sunset, and the vibrant textures of the heather and birch trees. By blending four different exposures, Hetherington created an HDR photo that truly brings out the depth and mood of the scene.
What types of photos are featured in the IGPOTY competition?
The competition features all kinds of nature photography, from garden views and close-up plant portraits to creative landscapes, detailed shots of fungi and flowers, and stunning outdoor scenes from around the globe.
Why is garden and nature photography important today?
Garden and nature photography helps us reconnect with the world around us. These photos shine a light on the beauty and vulnerability of nature, encourage us to care for the environment, and show that even ordinary green spaces can tell amazing stories.
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