Winning photos of great gardens - BBC News
From rural UK to rocky outcrops in China - winners from International Garden Photographer of the Year.
This late autumn photo - from Snowdonia National Park in North Wales - has been crowned the overall winner of the 10th annual International Garden Photographer of the Year competition.

Taken by Lee Acaster, and entitled Left, this stark image won the Trees, Woods and Forests category - and then beat thousands of other entries to win the top spot.

Garden designer Chris Beardshaw - one of the competition judges - says the photo "perfectly encapsulates both the extremes of fortune and personality of these giants".

While Clare Foggett - who edits The English Garden Magazine - says the image "draws the viewer in, to reveal the still surface of the lake behind. It demands closer inspection".

Scroll down to see a selection of some of the best images from each category.

Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:

"This is a classical composition with the bridge leading us into the garden and its wonderful display of October colour. The angle of view is very precisely aligned, creating the feeling of serene calm."

"It has a calm, almost Eastern zen-like quality. The autumn leaves on the handrail could have been artfully placed there by a stylist, but the fact that they had been spontaneously placed there by children visiting the garden earlier seems to add even more serendipity to the image."

Philip Smith, founder of the International Garden Photographer of the Year:

"A dreamy midsummer scene. It is an unusual composition with the main subject near the picture's edge, but this, taken together with the empty space in the middle of the frame, heightens the faint sense of unreality that marks this photograph out."

"A fleeting and delicate image that encourages a holding of the breath and calm silence, for fear of disturbing the perfection."

"Wordsworth was right about daffodils filling the heart with pleasure and this photo of 'the stars that shine and twinkle on the Milky Way' does just that, with beautiful light from the setting sun. One look at the image and you want to be there."

"White Stars at Sunset is a descriptive title for this field of wild Narcissus with the beautifully backlit sta- shaped flowers. The low viewpoint chosen by the photographer has encouraged the flowers to command the stage against a dramatic evening sky."

Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:

"Texture and softening effects have been created in post-capture processing, but the strength of the image is in its very simple but accurate composition. In simplifying the still-life, the photographer has created a strong sense of romantic elegance."

"This charming image of Bergenia not only illustrates the character of the flower, but the added texture and softness to the palette gives it an artistic painterly feel."

"No-one could fault this image for not being true to its subject 'Breathing Spaces'. The glimpse of the mountainside in the break in the clouds has been very well caught and contrasts with the vibrant autumn colours of the foreground. A strong composition with the diagonal of the hillside."

"This anonymous person collecting fodder for his animals has a touch of humour about it. We have to assume he can see where he is going. The mountainous background with lovely soft, misty and low light adds a sense of place."

Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:

"This is a spontaneous shot that tells the story perfectly. The photographer has intuitively positioned the farmer in the frame in such a way that we can trudge along with him to the village we can see in the background."

Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:

"A clever shot. The flowers are beautifully lit and balanced with the lights of the city. There is so much activity to be seen in the background, but the photographer has succeeded in keeping the flowers in the foreground of our attention."

"The shallow depth of field has rendered the lights of a city purely as a glow which leaves the interpretation to the viewer."

"A blaze of colour brings out the true feel of summer. The shallow depth of field adds to the intrigue of the image. An accomplished image for this young photographer."

Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:

"A wonderfully exuberant image. The photographer has captured the scene very well by excluding anything that might interfere with the appreciation of colour and pattern."

This portfolio of microscopy images was entered as a set in the Beauty of Plants category and features sectioned and stained flower buds.

A selection of the images - including some close-up details - can be seen here.

"The images are stunning - a rarely seen glimpse of the mechanics and 'insides' of a plant, normally only seen by botanists peering down microscopes. Their other-worldly quality brings a new level of intrigue to our garden plants."

"Well executed and inspirational in design. A very unusual way to portray these flowers, the clarity and design are stunning and a lot of worthwhile hard work has gone into this portfolio."

Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:

"One of the most attractive macro images in this year's competition. The light falling on this tiny subject is wonderfully handled and reveals the other-worldly elegance of the subject."

"A captivating image, glorious colours and the composition cannot be faulted. The depth of Field is perfect. The detail is beautiful and this is a very worthy winner of the macro category."

"A dramatic composition for this monochrome image with lighting to bring out the detail and texture in the leaves and yet maintaining the subtlety of the petals."

Philip Smith, founder of International Garden Photographer of the Year:

"A complex plant stripped down to its essentials of tone, form and texture. It is skilfully processed with a large amount of detail in a complex gradation of grey tones. There's a calm stillness that makes it a worthy winner."

The winning photos are being exhibited at the Royal Botanic Gardens, at Kew in London, from 4 February to 12 March 2017.