Press releases

Spring into Action & Capture Garden Life Through a Lens
RHS Photographic Competition 2006

Yellow daffodils, colourful primulas, vibrant camellia and blossoming cherry trees: springtime in the garden is picture perfect! The Royal Horticultural Society is calling on photographers to spring into action and enter the 2006 RHS Photographic Competition, supported by fine art publisher The Medici Society Ltd. If the glory of the garden has awakened your creative side, then send your snapshot of the season for a chance to win prizes up to £1,000.

The RHS Photographic Competition is searching for the best in garden photography from amateurs and professionals. The annual contest, which attracted more than 4,000 entries last year, is split into six different categories - Plant Portrait, Close-Up, Tree or Shrub, Garden View, Wildlife in the Garden and People in the Garden.

Ian Hodgson, 2005 competition judge and editor of RHS magazine The Garden, said: “The wide variety of flamboyant bulbs, delicate primroses and budding trees are just a few examples that highlight why spring is a great time for photographers to find inspiration in the garden.

“We welcome entries from everyone - not just professionals and experienced amateurs. If you have a great shot of a garden and would like to share it, please fill out an entry form.”

One overall competition winner will receive £1,000 and the title of RHS Photographer of the Year. In addition to the top prize, first prize winners in each category will be awarded £350 each, second prize winners will be awarded £200 each, and third prize winners will receive £100 each.

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 a competition entry form, send a SAE marked ‘RHS Photographic Competition 2006’ to: RHS Garden Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon EX38 8AT. Alternatively, you can download a pdf version of the entry form from the RHS website at www.rhs.org.uk/news/photocomp2006.pdf

You can submit as many images, in as many categories as you wish. The closing date for all entries is Friday 28 July 2006 with winners announced in September. Details of the 2006 competition can also be obtained by emailing photocomp@rhs.org.uk

To help nurture an interest in garden photography, the RHS also runs a series of photographic workshops at RHS Gardens Wisley (Surrey), Rosemoor (Devon), Hyde Hall (Essex) and Harlow Carr (Yorkshire). For details visit the RHS website at www.rhs.org.uk/gardens

Notes to Editors

For further information, including images from last year’s competition, please contact Hayley Monckton in the RHS Press Office on 020 7821 3045, e-mail: hayleymonckton@rhs.org.uk

The RHS Photographic Competition 2006 categories are:

Plant Portrait Photograph of the Year: entries in this category can be a single or grouping of the same plant or flower.

Close-Up Photograph of the Year: a photograph of a detail of a plant or flower.

Tree or Shrub Photograph of the Year: a photograph of any tree or shrub either in a garden or in the wild.

Garden View Photograph of the Year: a photograph of a garden (clearly identified as public or private) taken within the garden or looking into the garden. The photograph can include plants from the wild, groups of plants and urban garden scenes.

Wildlife in the Garden Photograph of the Year: a photograph of any animal life in a garden. This category includes birds, mammals, insects etc, but excludes domestic animals.

People in the Garden Photograph of the Year: the main subject of photographs in this category should represent a person or persons in a garden or horticultural environment

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