VBG In Bloom

Photo above by Jake Sandell

In Bloom Photo Contest: Garden Stories

This year, the theme of the contest will be Garden Stories. Submissions should highlight events and people engaged in activities in the Gardens. With the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” in mind, the goal of the photo contest this year is to expand the stories of the Gardens.

Entry period: May 8 - May 29, 2026
Judging period: June 4 - June 12, 2026 (Winners will be notified after the juding period.)

Entrants will be limited to 2 submissions.

Peoples’ Choice winners will be judged on social media. Judges’ Choice winners are selected by a panel of photography professionals.

Winners will be notified in mid-June. The photos will published in News from the Gardens, social media, and our website.

Finding Stories in the Gardens

The activities calendar offers photographers many opportunities to capture special moments in the Ventura Botanical Gardens, such as capturing plein air artists at their easels, enjoying a weekend flower show, or indulging in a wine and cheese tasting. See upcoming activities below or view the calendar. Events are added frequently, check back often!

Unscheduled activities such as docent tour groups or ways you might enjoy the Gardens such as contemplation, family time, dog walking, birding, volunteering and other activities throughout the year can also be subjects for entries and will fulfill the Garden Stories entry criteria.

Rules, Requirements and Releases

All participants are required to agree to the rules and regulations, which can be downloaded below. If your contest entries include images of faces, your image's subject will need to fill out a copyright release form giving VBG permission to use and publish their image. Silhouettes, backs of heads, or obscured images of faces do not require permission for publication as long as faces are not recognizable. Parents/guardians must fill out the form for their children.

Rules & Requirements