• Image: ©Alexis Javier Acosta Simón/IGPOTY

A collection of winning images from the prestigious International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) Ten Year Anniversary Exhibition opens this weekend at The Willis Museum and Sainsbury Gallery in Basingstoke.

The exhibition, which runs from 14 July – 29 September, features the very best botanical photography from across the world, celebrating the beauty and importance of plant life in its many diverse forms.

8 main categories including The Beauty of Plants, Wildflower Landscapes, Beautiful Gardens and Breathing Spaces are on display, plus winners from the Macro Art Photo Project.

Visitors can expect to see thought-provoking and challenging images which seek to strengthen bonds with plants and gardens, increase public understanding of the natural world and champion photography as a mode of conservation.

From a rare lone orchid in the Hengduan Mountain Range in China to an atmospheric sunrise in the Peak District, the exhibition takes visitors on an inspirational journey through sights both familiar and unknown.

Curtis McGlinchey, IGPOTY Manager, said: “The IGPOTY Ten Year Anniversary exhibition celebrates the finest photographs of plants, gardens and green spaces from around the world. We’re proud to be exhibiting at the Willis once again as we look to inspire and uplift visitors from Hampshire and beyond with remarkable images of a green planet.”

Janet Owen, Chief Executive of Hampshire Cultural Trust, commented: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be welcoming IGPOTY back to Basingstoke. The exhibition is a stunning celebration of the natural world and we hope that it will inspire visitors to take up their cameras and take a look through the lens themselves at the incredible plant life that surrounds us all.”

The exhibition runs from Saturday 14 July – Saturday 29 September. Admission is free, but donations are welcome.

Image: ©Alexis Javier Acosta Simón/IGPOTY

Sign up to our newsletter to hear about our upcoming exhibitions, events and newsSign up