The event was set up in 2018 by Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom to celebrate the borough’s array of flora in pictorial form, with entries submitted by the public.
The local organisers won a gold medal at national level last year in the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom Awards, in the Large Town category.
The town was chosen to represent the South and South East region after winning gold at regional level.
The second prize in the photographic competition went to Stuart Anderson for his ‘Rainforest Shopping Not Amazon’, taken in the Calverley Road precinct.
In third place was Jenni Mathews’ Blossom Storm, which depicts springtime fruit trees at the Mary Caley Recreation Ground in Ashley Gardens, Rusthall.
The competition included more than 50 entries, with 15 selected for an exhibition in Royal Victoria Place.
Organiser Katharina Mahler-Bech said: “The competition is aimed at garden lovers, horticulturists and photographers alike. We wanted to inspire everyone to share the two passions of gardening and photography, and we received high quality and beautiful photos taken in the town and the surrounding areas.”
Next year Royal Tunbridge Wells in Bloom is celebrating its tenth anniversary, and will be holding a separate competition for young people to enter.
“We want children under 18 and local schools to get involved more and more with RTW In Bloom,” said Katharina.
For more information, visit royaltunbridgewellsinbloom.org.uk
or Twitter: @RTWinBloom
