All photographers, amateur and professional, are invited to submit their work for the 2009 International Garden Photographer of the Year.

Building on the success of 2008, International Garden Photographer of the Year offers photographers the opportunity to win in excess of £20,000 cash and equipment as well as international exposure in an exhibition at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The Award is open to all photographers who are invited to submit works within seven categories: Wildlife in the Garden; Plant Portraits; Garden Views; People in the Garden; the Edible Garden; Trees and World Botanic Gardens. There is also an award for the Young Garden Photographer of the Year for budding photographers under 16 years old.

The competition is open to everyone and entries are welcome from across the world. For a nominal fee, participants can enter up to four single images in any one category or a themed portfolio of six images into the Portfolio category.

Photographers can enter as many times as they like. All entries are made online via www.igpoty.com. After the closing date at the end of January 2009, the international panel of judges will select the top 100 works for display in an outdoor exhibition at Kew Gardens. Photographers entering a set of six themed images can also win the prestigious Best Portfolio Award.

For further information about the competition and exhibition go to www.igpoty.com.

The 2008 Garden Photographer of the Year was won by an Australian photographer Claire Takacs for her picture of the Japanese, Kenrokuen Gardens (see photograph above). This evocative photograph of the famous Japanese gardens in a flurry of snowflakes was selected from the Garden Views category and won Claire £5,000 for the Best Single Image. Her fellow winners included Henrique Souto from Portugal and Fergus Gill as the Young Garden Photographer of the Year.

The 2009 competition has the following categories;

• Plant Portraits
• Garden Views
• People in the Garden
• Wildlife in the Garden
• The Edible Garden
• Trees
• World Botanic Gardens (2009 special theme)

The exhibition will form part of the 250th Anniversary of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Since its inception in 1759 by Princess Augusta, Kew has grown in size, charm and importance and is celebrated as a World Heritage Site. With over 40 historically important structures; five great glasshouses; 300 acres of tranquil landscape; and the best preserved and studied collection of plants in the world. RBG Kew is a highly prestigious venue for this international competition.

For more information please visit www.igpoty.com