Penningtons Manches Cooper returns as headline sponsor of International Garden Photographer of the Year for 2026
Penningtons Manches Cooper is proud to announce its continued sponsorship of International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY).
Currently in its 19th year, IGPOTY is recognised as one of the world’s most prestigious garden and nature photography competitions, showcasing striking works that capture the beauty, fragility and resilience of gardens, plants and wildlife across the globe. It attracts thousands of entries from both professional and amateur photographers across nine main categories.
A natural partnership
The firm first joined forces with IGPOTY earlier this year as headline sponsor of Competition 18. The partnership reflects the firm’s commitment to the natural environment and the importance of flora and fauna in biodiversity – an important area of focus in the firm’s approach to responsible business.
IGPOTY embraces the idea that ‘Earth is everyone’s Garden’: ‘garden’ can be interpreted in the broadest sense; entrants can take inspiration from balconies, parks, woods, meadows, forests and other natural landscapes, as well as more traditional domestic and formal gardens.
It was this philosophy that inspired the firm to hold its own ‘PMC Nature Photographer of the Year’ competition, with partners and staff from across its 12 offices encouraged to share their own work capturing the wonder of nature. IGPOTY’s Managing Director, Tyrone McGlinchey, FLS FRSA, chose the overall winner and runners up.
Celebrating and showcasing IGPOTY 2025 winners
The winning entries of the IGPOTY Competition 19 main categories (which ran during 2025) will be announced on 13 February 2026 at a special event at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, attended by representatives from Penningtons Manches Cooper’s board and responsible business committee. Entries for IGPOTY Competition 20 will open later in the year.
The tour exhibiting a curated selection of awarded images from Competition 19, will begin at Kew Gardens, and then take in a number of prestigious UK and international locations.
Penningtons Manches Cooper is also the sponsor of the PMC Plants & Planet category. To highlight the connection between photography and sustainable exploration – and encourage entrants to think about the impact of their journeys on the planet – the firm will also be providing a voucher prize for use with Byway Travel, the sustainable travel company.
Commenting on Penningtons Manches Cooper’s continued sponsorship, Tyrone McGlinchey FLS FRSA, said:
“IGPOTY is thrilled that Penningtons Manches Cooper will return as our headline sponsor for 2026. The firm’s championing of nature and biodiversity very much mirrors our own, and its continued patronage will enable us to grow the competition’s reach and impact, while reinforcing the vital connection with sustainability. The PMC Plants & Planet category is a meaningful space for photographers to explore environmental themes, and we’re excited to reveal the diverse set of results this coming February.”
Outstanding garden photography in the spotlight
The previous Overall Winner (IGPOTY 18) – chosen from the first place winners across nine main categories – was Max Rush, from London, England. His entry, ‘Spectacle of the Painted Storm’, was taken in Brockwell Park, Lambeth, London.
The wining image in the PMC Plants & Planet category was ‘Contrasts’ by Justin Minns, featuring a saltmarsh in Felixstowe, Suffolk, England.
The other main category winners were:
- Abstract Views – Honey J Walker: ‘Gardens of Jaipur’
- Breathing Spaces – Tamara Al Bahri: ‘Seiser Alm October Sunrise’
- The Beauty of Plants – Amy Duffy: ‘Amethyst Tears’
- The World of Fungi – Barry Webb: ‘Porcelain Mushroom from Below’
- Trees, Woods & Forests – Pawel Zygmunt: ‘The Alley’
- Wildflower Landscapes – Scott Macintyre: ‘The Purple Hour’
- Wildlife in the Garden – Amy Marques: ‘Great Horned Owlet in Paradise’
All of the winners can be viewed on the IGPOTY website, here.