Press releases

London exhibition to unveil the best in garden photography

February 8 2007

For the first time the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) is exhibiting the crème de la crème of garden photography, selected from nearly 3,500 images, in the heart of London’s art district at the Medici Gallery, Cork Street, from Tuesday 13 February to Saturday 17 February 2007. (Opening times 10.00 - 18.00 Tuesday to Friday and 11.00 - 16.00 on Saturday. Entry free to all).

The exhibition showcasing the 2006 RHS Photographic Competition winning images includes garden views, modern and dramatic close-up shots of vividly coloured flowers, wildlife in the garden, contemporary plant portraits and sensitive shots of people in the garden.

The overall winning image of a beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) on the snow-covered South Downs, which earned Colin Roberts the accolade of RHS Photographer of the Year 2006, will also be on display. Other highlights include an image capturing goldfinches fighting on the wing and a garden with a rich tapestry of colours and textures.

The RHS Photographic Competition is organised by the RHS, the UK’s leading gardening charity, and supported by The Medici Society. The Medici Society Ltd also features a selection of the winning images in the ‘Chelsea Inspirations’ greetings card range.

Notes to Editors

For more information about the RHS Photographic Exhibition and for 2006 winning images please contact Hayley Monckton in the RHS Press Office on 020 7821 3045 or e-mail hayleymonckton@rhs.org.uk

The 2006 winning images can also be downloaded from www.papicselect.com. Register online free of charge.

There is a special preview for press on Monday 12 February. Please contact Hayley Monckton in the RHS Press Office on 020 7821 3045 for further information.

Exhibition details

Venue Medici Gallery, 5 Cork Street, London W1S 3LQ
Dates Tuesday 13 February to Saturday 17 February 2007
Times 10.00 - 18.00 Tuesday to Friday, 11.00 - 16.00 on Saturdays.
 
Entry is free to all
 
The exhibition will subsequently appear at RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon, from late February and RHS Garden Wisley from 8 March to 9 April 2007.

The judges in 2006 were:

• Andrea Jones, professional photographer specialising in plant portraits, garden design and landscape architecture.  Andrea's stock photography is represented by Garden Exposures Photo Library
• Tim Sandall: Professional Photographer specialising in Horticulture
• Rob Whitworth: professional garden photographer

Prizes, supplied by The Medici Society, are:

• Top prize of £1000 is awarded to the RHS Photographer of the Year.
• First prize-winner in each category is awarded £350.
• Second prize-winner in each category is awarded £200.
• Third prize-winner in each category is awarded £100.

RHS Photographic Competition 2006 winners

RHS Photographer of the Year
Colin Roberts (Winchester, Hants)

Plant Portrait of the Year
First: Liz Every (Cheshire)
Second: Andy Phillipson (Edinburgh)
Third: Jemima Jamieson (London)
 
Close Up of Plant or Flower Photograph of the Year
First: Margaret Rowe (Tring, Herts)
Second: Mark Saunders (Pulborough, West Sussex)
Third: G Brooke (Beckenham, Kent)

Tree or Shrub Photograph of the Year
First: Colin Roberts (Winchester, Hants)
Second: Kathryn Kelly (Rochester, Kent)
Third: Allan Pollok-Morris (London)

Garden View Photograph of the Year
First: Diana Jazwinski (Poole, Dorset)
Second: Allan Pollok-Morris (London)
Third: Flavia Schoenleber (Isle of Mull, Argyll)

Wildlife in the Garden Photograph of the Year
First: Pat Dean (Hoveringham, Notts)
Second: David Maitland (Calne, Wiltshire)
Third: Sue Loader (Fordingbridge, Hants)
 
People in the Garden Photograph of the Year
First: Giles Heather (Kingwood, Oxon)
Second: James Dawson (Broadwindsor, Dorset)
Third: Adrian Fox (New Barnet, Herts)

The 2007 RHS Photographic Competition will be launched in February 2007. Once again the contest will be open to anyone with a great shot of the garden. Amateur and professional photographers will be able to enter five different categories, including Plant Portrait, Garden View and Wildlife in the Garden.

For a competition entry form, send a SAE marked ‘RHS Photographic Competition 2007’ to: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon EX38 8PH or e-mail: photocomp@rhs.org.uk Alternatively, you can download a pdf version of the entry form from the RHS website at www.rhs.org.uk/news/photocomp.asp 
 
The Medici Society Ltd features a selection of the winning images in the ‘Chelsea Inspirations’ greetings card range.  The proceeds from licensed products such as these help to fund the many activities undertaken by the RHS to promote horticulture and help gardeners.

For more information about Colin Roberts and for examples of work please visit www.colinrobertsphotography.com

www.rhs.org.uk/pressoffice

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. RHS work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners.

An interest in gardening is all you need to enjoy being a member of the RHS. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk or call 0845 130 4646.

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's largest gardening charity and is committed to being the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower shows, the RHS is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world.

Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine; free entrance to RHS Gardens Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire; free access to a further 88 beautiful gardens across Britain and 20 gardens in Belgium and France; access to seeds collected at RHS gardens; free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 18 RHS flower shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

For further enquiries about membership of the RHS contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE; 0845 130 4646 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm or via the RHS website

For more information e-mail the Press Office or visit the online Press Office