VBG In Bloom

2024 In Bloom Photo Contest Winners

Ventura County photographers of all ages and skill levels shared their BEST three images taken in the Chilean, California Ramble, Mediterranean, and South African Gardens. It was remarkable to have our locals share the magic within the Gardens, and we are excited to announce the Judge's and People's Choice winners for the 2024 In Bloom Photo Contest. Congratulations to our winners, and thank you to everyone who participated!

Judges Choice - Best Overall

Lina Li - South African Garden

Lina Li

Garden: South African

Judges Choice - Birds & Bees

Matthew_Bear_S-African_Garden_1

Matthew Bear

Garden: South African

Kristine_Behrens_S-African_Garden_2

Kristine Behrens

Garden: South African

Lina_Li_S-African_Garden_2

Lini Li

Garden: South African

Samantha_Warren_Chilean_3

Samantha Warren

Garden: Chilean

Judges Choice - Botanical Closeup

Michelle_DiGuilio_S-African_Gardens_1

Michelle DiGuilio

Garden: South African

Lukas_Liebischer_Chilean_Garden_2

Lukas Liebischer

Garden: Chilean

Josh_Kaplan_Unknown_2

Josh Kaplan

Garden: Unknown

Ekaterina_Taganova_S_African_Garden_3

Ekaterina Taganova

Garden: South African

Kyle_Svenningsen_S-African_Garden_3

Kyle Svenningsen

Garden: South African

Judges Choice - In the Gardens

Dan_Harding_Chilean_Garden_1

Dan Harding

Garden: Chilean

Samantha_Mellinger-Hutchinson_S-African_Gardens_1

Samantha Mellinger-Hutchinson

Garden: South African

Lee_Mooney_S-African_Garden_1

Lee Mooney

Garden: South African

Chris_Nova_S-African_Garden_3

Chris Nova

Garden: South African

Lou_Matz_Chilean_Garden_2

Lou Matz

Garden: Chilean

People Choice Winners

Aleli Evangelista Unknown

1st Place: Aleli Evangelista

Garden: Unknown

Hummingbird in Gardens

2nd Place: Andrew Waud

Garden: South African

Bird in garden

3rd Place: Matthew Bear

Garden: South African

2023 In Bloom Photo Contest Winners

Judges Choice - Best Overall

judges choice - first place 2023

1st Place: Denise Dewire

Garden: The Welcome Center Garden

A brightly colored bird with blue and tan feathers perches among green leaves and purple flowers, as if posing for a contest in bloom.

2nd Place: Denise Dewire

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

A spider with yellow and black striped legs and a striped body sits at the center of its web against a blurred green background, resembling nature's own entry for the In Bloom Contest.

3rd Place: Jacqueline Counter

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

Judges Choice - Botanical Closeup

Close-up of a blooming Leucospermum (pincushion) flower with orange and yellow petals, surrounded by green leaves and unopened buds in a natural setting—nature's entry in the In Bloom Contest.

1st Place: Lina Li

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

Close-up of a vibrant pink and yellow flower with elongated petals surrounded by green leaves, showcasing its beauty in bloom for the contest.

2nd Place: April Holmes

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

Close-up of a green flower with pointed leaves and a yellow, densely packed central cluster of tiny flowers. Bright colors in the background suggest other blooming plants in the vicinity, perfect for an entry in the In Bloom Contest.

3rd Place: Leslie Leavens

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

Judges Choice - Botanical Macro

Close-up of a vibrant protea flower, in bloom with yellow stamens and pink-red accents, showcasing its intricate and unique structure as if in a botanical contest.

1st Place: Chuck Aghoian

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

Close-up of a vibrant, spiky orange-red flower with numerous thin petals, set against a dark blurred background, capturing the essence of the In Bloom Contest.

2nd Place: Alex Davis

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

Close-up of a vibrant flower in bloom, with yellow and pink petals transitioning to a central dark brown and yellow core.

3rd Place: Chuck Aghoian

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

Judges Choice - Critters

A small hummingbird perches on vibrant orange flowers, surrounded by green foliage, with water droplets visible on the petals, capturing a perfect moment for the In Bloom Contest.

1st Place: Matthew Bear

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

A hummingbird hovers near a vibrant orange pincushion protea flower, surrounded by green foliage and new flower buds, as if showcasing its grace for an In Bloom Contest.

2nd Place: Tara Pinley

Garden: The South African Cape Garden

A small rodent sits on the spines of a cactus next to a blooming yellow cactus flower, perfectly posed for nature's contest in a sunlit setting.

3rd Place: Michelle DiGuilio

Garden: The Chilean Garden

Judges Choice - Garden Scenes

Close-up of a pink pincushion protea flower in bloom, surrounded by green foliage and other buds, with a cloudy sky and distant landscape in the background—nature's contest of colors.

1st Place: Elizabeth Revenis

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

A vibrant field of orange and purple flowers, poised for the In Bloom Contest, blankets a hillside overlooking a coastal town by the sea under a partly cloudy sky.

2nd Place: Gannon Hutchinson

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

A plant with red flowers is illuminated by the setting sun in a hilly landscape, with silhouettes of trees and distant mountains in the background, perfect for a Bloom Contest entry.

3rd Place: Benjamin Mati

Garden: The South African Fynbos Garden

People Choice Winners

people's choice - 1st place

1st Place: Denise Dewire

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

people's choice - 2nd place

2nd Place: Scott Geist

Garden: The Chilean Garden

people's choice - 3rd place

3rd Place: Denise Dewire

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

2022 In Bloom Photo Contest Winners

Judges Choice - Botanical Detail

1st Place Botanical Detail

1st Place: Sylvia Gabrie

Garden: The Chilean Garden

Close-up of a wilting yellow flower with curled petals and fuzzy green sepals, captured for the In Bloom Contest. The petals have begun to dry and twist.

2nd Place: Johanna Washington

Garden: The Cape of South Africa Garden

A single orange-yellow poppy flower with a green stem stands against a blurred background of green and yellow hues, a perfect entry for the In Bloom Contest.

3rd Place: Jacqueline Counter

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

Judges Choice - Texture & Color

Close-up of a vibrant Protea pincushion flower with a circular arrangement of long, slender, orange-red petals radiating from the center. Green foliage is visible in the background, making it a standout entry in our annual In Bloom Contest.

1st Place: Sarah Dillion

Garden: The Cape of South Africa Garden

Orange and yellow pin-cushion protea flowers are in bloom among green leaves and wood chips in a garden, ready for any Bloom Contest.

2nd Place: Becky Clearwater

Garden: The Cape of South Africa Garden

Close-up of a green cactus with sharp white spines and a central bud in bloom, as if vying in a natural beauty contest.

3rd Place: Sean Doll

Garden: The Chilean Garden

Judges Choice - Views and Scenes

A vibrant hillside garden in bloom, featuring a mix of red, purple, white, and yellow flowers under a clear blue sky with trees in the background—a perfect scene for a Bloom Contest.

1st Place: Kelly Nakamaru

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

A dirt path winds through a garden with colorful flowers and greenery in full display for the In Bloom Competition, leading towards a distant view of the ocean under a clear blue sky.

2nd Place: Nicky Diaz

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

A natural rock formation with a circular hole frames a view of the coastal cityscape and the ocean under a blue sky, capturing the serene beauty as if nature itself were entering an In Bloom Contest.

3rd Place: Damian Merritt

Garden: Unkown/Other

Judges Choice - Seen in the Gardens

A close-up of a bee perched on a purple flower, collecting nectar in bloom. The background shows blurred foliage and additional flowers, creating a harmonious contest of colors.

Sarah Dillion

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

People Choice Winners

A path on a hillside is surrounded by vibrant yellow and orange flowers, with trees lining the road and a view of the sea in the background under a clear blue sky, as if part of an In Bloom Contest.

1st Place: Adela Lisanti

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

Statues of a sitting and lying fox are placed on a small stone platform in a natural landscape with yellow flowers in the foreground, which seem to be remarkably vibrant for the In Bloom Contest. Grassy hills extend under a clear blue sky in the background.

2nd Place: Adela Lisanti

Garden: The Chilean Garden

Close-up of a bee collecting nectar from a purple flower in bloom in a garden. The background is out of focus with green and purple hues, making the scene look like nature's own contest.

3rd Place: Sarah Dillion

Garden: The California Ramble Garden

2021 In Bloom Photo Contest Winners

Judges Choice - Botanical Detail

Botanical Detail, 1st Place - Judy Layman

1st Place: Judy Layman

Garden: South African Fynbos

Botanical Detail, 2nd Place - Laura Dunbar

2nd Place: Laura Dunbar

Garden: Chilean Garden

Botanical Detail, 3rd Place - Jacqueline Counter

3rd Place: Jacqueline Counter

Garden: South African Fynbos

Judges Choice - Texture and Color

Texture & Color, 1st Place - Ashley Brown

1st Place: Ashley Brown

Garden: Chilean Garden

Texture & Color, 2nd Place - Mayra Plascencia

2nd Place: Mayra Plascencia

Garden: South African Fynbos

Texture & Color, 3rd Place - Erlich Rosenberger

3rd Place: Erlich Rosenberger

Garden: Chilean Garden

Judges Choice - Seen in Garden

Seen In Garden, 1st Place - Nicole Horn

1st Place: Nicole Horn

Garden: California Ramble

Seen In Garden, 2nd Place - Benjamin Mati

2nd Place: Benjamin Mati

Garden: South African Karoo

Judges Choice - Views and Scenes

Views & Scenes, 1st Place - Benjamin Mati

BEST OF SEASON PHOTO WINNER

1st Place: Benjamin Mati

Garden: South African Fynbos

Views and Scenes, 2nd Place - Judy Layman

2nd Place: Judy Layman

Garden: South African Fynbos

People’s Choice Winners

People's Choice, 1st Place - Matt Thompson, In Bloom Contest

1st Place: Matt Thompson

Garden: South African Fynbos

People's Choice, 2nd Place - Susie Jensen, In Bloom Contest

2nd Place: Susie Jensen

Garden: South African Fynbos

People's Choice, 3rd Place - Christine Le, In Bloom Contest

3rd Place: Christine Le

Garden: Chilean Garden