Lincolnshire Gardens Trust and Lincolnshire Life Photographic Competition 2026

Celebrate the county’s gorgeous gardens and great gardeners!

Lincolnshire Life, the county’s favourite magazine, in partnership with the Lincolnshire Gardens Trust (LGT), has the pleasure of announcing a new initiative to the annual Lincolnshire Gardens Trust (LGT) Photographic Competition, which has run for 30 years!

We are looking for photographers to let their imagination and camera capture outstanding images which portray the best of gardens, gardeners, wildlife and plant life in Lincolnshire.

There are six categories to enter:

● Gorgeous Gardens! (Gardens open at least once during the year)
● My Lincolnshire Garden
● Taste of Lincolnshire
● Plant Portrait
● My Favourite Lincolnshire Tree
● Schools Category (8-18 years of age): Creatures and Plantlife in the Garden

As we welcome spring, we invite you to get out and about in our great county with your camera and phone camera and share the results with us. We are looking for thoughtful and imaginative images which highlight the beauty of Lincolnshire gardens and their visitors – both human and animal!

We would also like to share your images with the readers of Lincolnshire Life and LGT members, in print and online. Our judging panel will select the most outstanding images to be named winners, with presentations taking place at the LGT AGM in November.

HOW TO ENTER:

The 2026 Photographic Competition is open to professionals and non-professionals, and entries must be emailed as high-resolution jpeg images to studio@lincolnshirelife.co.uk. Please include your name, address, and a telephone number. Closing date: 25th September 2026.

By entering the competition, you grant Lincolnshire Life (County Life Ltd) and the Lincolnshire Gardens Trust a non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce your submitted images in print and digital media for the purposes of promoting and reporting on this competition and related LGT activities. Full photographer credit will be given. You retain copyright of your images. The best pictures will be printed in Lincolnshire Life and there is even a chance they could feature on our cover!

Lincolnshire Life (County Life Ltd), the Lincolnshire Gardens Trust (LGT) and Lincolnshire County Council will not share these images with any third party other than our competition partners and by uploading an image you are certifying that you have the rights to distribute this picture and that it does not invalidate the terms of use. (Please see our website or request a hard copy from: Lincolnshire Life, 9 Checkpoint Court, Sadler Road, Lincoln LN6 3PW, Tel: 01522 689671, Email: accounts@lincolnshirelife.co.uk)

● No entry fee.
● Name, address and prize category must be clearly labelled, along with the name of the Lincolnshire garden where the photo was taken.
● Please note that, for the Main Prizes, Gorgeous Gardens, the garden must be open to the public at least once in the current year.
● Entrants are allowed to submit up to a maximum of 10 photo entries for each category.
● Digital entry requirements – Please set the quality to maximum and submit high-resolution images at a minimum of 300 dpi. Multiple entries can be sent via WeTransfer.
● Entrants must agree to the photo being used for publication by Lincolnshire Life Magazine, Lincolnshire Gardens Trust and Lincolnshire County Council. Full credits will be given.
● Consent of the owners of the gardens or people must be obtained before submission to the competition.

Please send digital entries in jpeg format by email to: studio@lincolnshirelife.co.uk

Please complete and save this PDF form and attach it to your email along with your photos.

JUDGING & PRIZES:
The judging panel will consist of a representative from LGT, Lincolnshire Life and a representative from one of the sponsor businesses.

Judges will be looking for high quality, well composed images which show originality and reflect the chosen category with, where possible, features which reflect unique qualities within Lincolnshire. Images should be original, human created work and AI generated or modified imagery is not acceptable.

The judges’ decision will be final and not subject to appeal.

Winners will be announced at the Lincolnshire Gardens Trust AGM in November 2026. Prizes donated by Lincolnshire County Council. Winners will receive framed copies of their winning image.

1. Main Prize: Gorgeous Gardens! (A Lincolnshire garden open at least once during the year), 1st Prize: £50, 2nd Prize: £25, 3rd Prize: £10
2. My Lincolnshire Garden Prize: £25
3. Taste of Lincolnshire Prize: £25 Donated by the Lincolnshire Gardens Trust
4. Plant Portrait Special Prize: A year’s subscription to Lincolnshire Life Magazine
5. My Favourite Lincolnshire Tree Prize: £25
6. Schools Category (8-18 years of age): Creatures and Plantlife in the Garden! Prize: £25

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