Ayrshire photographer wins top award at the gardening ‘Oscars’

Garden Media Guild press release – 7 December 2018.

An Ayrshire photographer has won the Gordon Rae Photographer of The Year award at the Garden Media Guild Awards, the so-called gardening ‘Oscars’.

Andrea Jones, who lives in Barr near Girvan, was recognised for her portfolio of professional photography published in various national and international media over the last 12 months including images (above) of Dunrobin Castle Gardens and Lip na Cloiche on the Isle of Mull.

The awards, sponsored by Westland, is one of the biggest events of the horticultural calendar, rivalling the Chelsea Flower Show in its significance for those who tweet, write, blog, photograph and broadcast about gardening, attracting entries from the country’s leading gardening trend-watchers and setters.

Andrea Jones said: “ I am very honoured to have been presented with the Gordon Rae Photographer of the Year Award by my peers in the Garden Media Guild. It’s possibly the most prized accolade of all in our profession.”

Andrea has photographed gardens professionally for over 20 years and is now one of the world’s leading garden photographers.

Her many varied projects have taken her around the globe, working on private commissions, books, magazines and newspaper assignments.

The winning and shortlisted entries at the awards highlighted some of the gardening trends likely to grow during 2019.

No dig gardening, pocket-sized veg patches, the health benefits of wildlife spaces and what to do with unwanted black plastic pots were just some of the key issues being championed.

An explosion in the number of gardening lovers communicating their successes – and failures – across all social platforms has led to a growth in green-fingered, online trend-setters who are sharing their views and advice with an audience of all ages and encouraging them to get out and enjoy the many benefits of gardening, whether they have a window box or a rolling estate!

Clare Foggett, chair of the Garden Media Guild, said: “It’s fantastic that so many of this year’s winning entries highlight the force for good that gardening can be and across such a diverse range of platforms, from social media and blogs to traditional stalwart TV programmes and long-standing print magazines.

The entire world of gardening media is in a wonderful position to make people aware of gardening’s social, environmental and health benefits, and we have a responsibility to do that too.”

The Awards were hosted at The Savoy in London by Sophie Raworth.

• The Peter Seabrook Practical Book of the Year Award (sponsored by The Garden Press Event) – Lucy Bellamy, Brilliant & Wild: A garden from scratch in a year
• Garden Book of the Year (Reference and Inspirational) – Cedric Pollet, Winter Gardens – Reinventing the Season
• Garden Publication of the Year (sponsored by Westland) – Steve Ott, Kitchen Garden
• Trade Publication of the Year (sponsored by The Landscape Show) – Kate Lowe, Horticulture Week
• The Dr David Hessayon Garden Columnist of the Year Award – Val Bourne, Amateur Gardening
• News Journalist of the Year (sponsored by Briggs & Stratton) – Ian Hodgson, Garden News
• Practical Journalist of the Year (sponsored by Thompson & Morgan) – David Patch, Kitchen Garden
• Journalist of the Year (sponsored by Stihl) – Stephanie Mahon, Garden Design Journal
• The Gordon Rae Photographer of the Year Award – Andrea Jones
• Features Photographer of the Year – Richard Bloom
• The Roy Lancaster TV Broadcast of the Year Award (sponsored by HTA) – Paolo Proto, BBC Gardeners’ World
• Radio Broadcast / Podcast of the Year – Charlotte Petts, Growing Wild FM
• The Alan Titchmarsh New Talent Award (sponsored by Hayloft) – Ben Dark, The Garden Log podcast
• Blog of the Year (sponsored by Mr Fothergill’s) – Caro Shrives, The Urban Veg Patch
• Website of the Year (sponsored by Honda) – Nick Mann, www.HabitatAid.co.uk
• Digital Innovation of the Year (sponsored by Cobra) – Simon Hampton, RHS Grow Your Own app
• Social Media Influencer of the Year – Charles Dowding

More information at www.gardenmediaguild.co.uk/awards.

Notes to Editors

The Garden Media Guild brings together professional garden writers, authors, photographers, broadcasters, editors, lecturers and allied trades.

The Garden Media Guild’s aims are to raise the quality of garden writing, photography and broadcasting through a programme of training, workshops and events, including our annual Awards Lunch, and to keep our members up-to-date with events in the world of horticulture, through our website and social media, quarterly magazine and monthly e-newsletter.

The Garden Media Guild Awards celebrate the best of horticultural communications, recognising the talent, skill and inspiration of garden media professionals.

Individuals and organisations from across the industry can put forward their best work, which is judged by a panel of their peers and experts in the field.

The 2018 Awards Lunch took place on Thursday November 29 2018, in the elegant surroundings of the world-famous Savoy, London.