International Garden Photographer of the Year is the world's premier competition and exhibition specialising in garden, plant, flower and botanical photography.

International Garden Photographer of the Year is wholly owned and organised by GALPA Ltd.

It is run in asssociation with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United Kingdom.

The first exhibition was held in 2008 at Kew Gardens. It is held outdoors in the grounds of the Gardens, using weatherproof fine art prints.

The main exhibition tours to Wakehurst Place, Sussex and then to Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire.

Special themed exhibitions tour to other venues throughout the United Kingdom.

The competition is a rolling programme that runs from January through to November, following the gardening year.

In addition, there are seasonal competitions four times a year ('4 Seasons'). All the seasonal competition entries feed into the main competition at the end of the year.

The competition entries are judged over the winter. Finalists are announced in February. Winners are announced in April. The exhibition is then launched in May.

The exhibition of any one year runs in parallel with the competition for the following year.

The competition is open to everyone anywhere in the world. Images do not have to be taken in a specified year, so Southern hemisphere entrants can use archived photographs for the seasonal competitions. There is no distinction drawn between professional and amateur photographers.

There are seven categories to enter and a special section for people under 16 years of age.

There is a fee for entering the competition whch helps to cover the expense of mounting and touring the exhibition. This fee is £10 for 4 single images, or £20 for a portfolio. Under 16s can enter for free.

A book of the exhibition is produced each year.