There’s a special kind of magic when wildlife wanders into your backyard. The latest International Garden Photographer of the Year contest really shows how unpredictable and wonderful things can be when nature and gardens collide. Now in its 19th year, this renowned competition run by Mirror Plate Media Ltd. and backed by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, highlights some truly striking moments in its Wildlife in the Garden category.
These photos are more than just beautiful; each one tells a story. They capture those fleeting moments when nature goes about its business, completely unaware of the camera. Somehow, these photographers managed to be in exactly the right place at the right time.
Perdita Petzl took first place with “Rare Beauty,” and the name says it all. She photographed an eastern festoon butterfly resting peacefully in a nature reserve, bathed in gentle morning light. Encounters like this are rare and delicate moments you might only see once in your life.
Qiang Zhang claimed second place with “Taking a Nap,” offering a cozy peek into the world of grey-headed flying squirrels. These fluffy gliders look completely at ease, curled up in a farmhouse garden. It’s a sweet reminder that even wild creatures need time to relax.
David Terao’s “The Spider and the Fly” captures pure suspense. In a fraction of a second, predator meets prey, caught with crisp, clear detail. It’s nature’s drama, raw and unedited.
From butterflies to squirrels and tiny garden hunters, these 18 winning photos transform ordinary backyards into scenes of wonder. They prove you don’t have to travel far to see something unforgettable—sometimes, the best surprises are waiting just outside your door.
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1. 1st Place Winner: “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.”
2. 2nd Place Winner: “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.”
3. 3rd Place Winner: “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.”
4. Finalist: “Common Blue on Heather” by Tony North
“A common blue butterfly, on a stalk of heather which I photographed in Prees Heath Common Reserve – a sixty hectare site in Shropshire. In post-processing, I focus stacked multiple images together, and changed the background colour to a slightly warmer hue.”
5. Finalist: “The Ringmaster” by Norbert Kaszás
“I really like photographing spiders, and I also consider their webs to be a real work of art. I thought a lot about how to photograph the spider’s web in a more special way. At night, I illuminated this water drop laden web from behind, and by shifting the sharpness, only the bokeh is visible. I captured this picture using my camera’s multiple exposure function.”
6. Finalist: “Hidden Moths” by Minghui Yuan
“In a pond at Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, I saw two moths disguised as worn-out, withered leaves, perched on broken branches. Moths disguise themselves to avoid being discovered by natural predators. I used the water surface as the background, and found the best focal plane to capture this wonderful moment.”
7. Finalist: “Clover Lover” by Henrik Spranz
“A very rare European hamster (Cricetus cricetus) I was able to watch especially eating clovers. This is a threatened species and is classed as critically endangered.”
8. Highly Commended: “Company” by Alister Thorpe
“Face-to-face with a vixen in my inner city woodland garden. She moved through the garden on her morning rounds and we crossed paths (as we often do). This image was captured in spring, when this curious fox decided to sit and watch me gardening.”
9. Highly Commended: “Proboscis Jewellery” by Vicki Wert
“While this monarch butterfly was feeding on a flower, a small petal became stuck on its proboscis. I used my macro lens when this butterfly came by, so I needed to crop significantly, and I also flipped the direction of the butterfly in post-processing.”
10. Highly Commended: “A Dancer in Floral Droplets” by Diana Chan
“This tiny mantis was captured whilst on a curly plant stem, which was fully laden with water droplets. The refraction of the flower behind is clearly seen and captured within the beads of water. The mantis does not merely stand – it seemed to be dancing among the floral droplets. To me, this image blends scientific precision with poetry – a dance of life, light and water in a hidden world.”
11. Highly Commended: “Precarious” by Matthew Smith
“This image of a common blue butterfly was taken at a local nature reserve. It was the middle of September, with autumn advancing at pace, bringing with it an army of arachnids. The landscape was drenched with dew and this highlighted all the spiderwebs strewn amongst the vegetation. I captured the image by positioning myself down low and shot towards the rising sun. To assist with the lighting of the image, I used some exposure compensation and a small LED light.”
12. Highly Commended: “Black Darters” by Tony North
“I photographed these two male black darter dragonflies, resting on a grass stalk in the Red Moss nature reserve in Bolton. This shot is comprised of multiple images, focus stacked together.”
13. Highly Commended: “Now You See Me!” by Darya Zelentsova
“Every evening, when the light softens over the meadow, a juvenile porcupine climbs down from its tree to look for treats – especially tender clover flowers, its favourite sugar snack. On this evening, just as it picked one, the wind changed and carried my scent. The little forager froze, holding the flower in front of its face, as if it could somehow hide behind it. I stayed still in the grass, and after a few curious sniffs, the porcupine decided I wasn’t a threat and went back to chewing.”
14. Highly Commended: “Hide and Seek” by Henrik Spranz
“I photographed this European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus), as it went for a dandelion. This is a threatened species and is classed as endangered.”
15. Commended: “Autumn Bath” by Tomasz Bednarski
“Photographing small birds at bird feeders is one of my wildlife photography passions; pictured here is a female sparrowhawk bathing on a sunny day in October. My favourite bird feeder, equipped with drinking and bathing water, is located at the edge of a forest and meadow, which is guaranteed to have spectacular lighting conditions and the presence of many bird species.”
16. Commended: “The Brave One” by Darya Zelentsova
“Opossums (commonly referred to as possums) have barely changed for around 65 million years, they’re amongst the most underestimated animals – excellent at remembering where their favourite food is, and surprisingly quick learners. They’re smart, funny, and undeniably cute, especially the joeys. Possums leave their mothers at around four months old. This little one is almost an adult and ready to start its own independent life – just look how brave and curious it is whilst exploring its surroundings!”
17. Commended: “Hummingbird Clearwing Moth” by Vicki Wert
“A hummingbird clearwing moth is somewhat noisy as it flies, so I had a bit of warning that it was in the area. I had been photographing the Monarda flower with my macro lens, and I didn’t take the time to switch to a zoom lens. It spent quite a while feeding on the flowers without any interest in my being there; which I consider a very lucky encounter. I cropped the image, and enhanced the background with a bit of bokeh.”
18. Commended: “Yin and Yang” by Pepe Badia Marrero
“A long-headed grasshopper and a mantis had a brief encounter amongst the vegetation, on a hot summer’s afternoon.”
FAQs:
What is the Garden Photographer of the Year competition?
The International Garden Photographer of the Year is a prestigious global competition celebrating garden, plant, flower, and wildlife photography. Supported by Kew Gardens, it showcases top talent through exhibitions and highlights the beauty of nature in cultivated and wild spaces.
Who won the Wildlife in the Garden category this year?
Perdita Petzl won first place with “Rare Beauty,” capturing a rare eastern festoon butterfly. The image stands out for its delicate composition and rarity, showcasing a species not commonly seen, making it a truly special photographic achievement.
What makes garden wildlife photography unique?
Garden wildlife photography captures nature in everyday spaces, blending cultivated environments with wild moments. It highlights how animals interact with human-shaped landscapes, offering intimate, accessible glimpses of wildlife behavior without needing remote or exotic locations.
Where are the winning photos exhibited?
The main exhibition is usually held at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in London. Additionally, the collection travels globally through touring exhibitions, allowing audiences worldwide to experience these award-winning images in person.
Why is this competition important for photographers?
This competition provides global recognition and exposure for photographers. It celebrates creativity, technical skill, and storytelling while encouraging appreciation for nature, making it a significant platform for both emerging and established photographers worldwide.
