VBG In Bloom

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.

2026 Contest entry period coming this spring! 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 and, with the permission of the publisher, The Breeze.

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
Copyright Release Form
Participants gather on a grassy area surrounded by trees and rocks for the In Bloom Contest, with hills visible in the background. Some are wearing hats and athletic gear, ready to compete amidst natures scenic beauty.
Photo by Phil Ranger
Person in a red shirt and black shorts takes a photo over a decorative metal railing towards a coastal city and ocean, capturing the picturesque views for the In Bloom Contest.
Photo by Heidi Parker
Photo by Phil Ranger
Two people sit on stone steps, enveloped by red flowers and greenery in a park thats truly in bloom. A dog keeps them company as pathways meander through the trees in the background.
Photo by Phil Ranger
A couple stands under a large tree at sunset, part of the enchanting In Bloom Contest, with the suns rays gently filtering through the branches.
Photo Courtesy of Justin & Denise Hyde
Participants in the In Bloom Contest stroll down a grassy hill, where a striking heart sculpture stands proudly. The backdrop of towering buildings and the vast ocean completes this picturesque scene.
A creative artist wearing a blue hat and red apron paints at an easel under a white umbrella in a sunny, lush garden.

Upcoming Activities at the Gardens

See upcoming activities below or view the full calendar. Events are added frequently, check back often!

2025 In Bloom Photo Contest Winners

The theme of the 2025 In Bloom Photo Contest was Garden Stories. Photographers were challenged to highlight events and people engaged in activities at the Gardens.

With the phrase “a picture is worth a thousand words” in mind, the goal of the photo contest this year was to expand the stories of the Gardens.

Congratulations to the winners!

Judges Choice

Orange flowers in focus on a garden path, captured for the In Bloom Contest, with a dog on a leash and a person walking ahead, both blurred in the background.

1st Place: Alicia Barreto

Exploring the Garden

A coastal city view with buildings near the shoreline, trees in bloom, and walking trails on a hillside leading down to the ocean under a clear sky—capturing the spirit of the In Bloom Contest.

2nd Place: Vu Nguyen

Road to Heaven

A person wearing a straw hat sits on a plastic crate and paints a landscape for the In Bloom Contest, working at an easel along a dirt path in a hilly, green outdoor setting.

3rd Place: Mary Kay Kendall

The Earth Whispers in Hues

People's Choice

An adult and a small child, both wearing hats, walk hand in hand on a dirt path surrounded by greenery and stone walls on a sunny day—capturing a moment perfect for the In Bloom Contest.

1st Place: Josie Navarro

A Day with “Ama”

A person wearing a sunhat and backpack takes a photo of flowering plants in a garden full of colorful foliage for the In Bloom Contest.

2nd Place: Tracy Newman

The Photographer Becomes the Subject

Large red heart sculpture on a hillside overlooks a coastal city with blue sky and ocean in the background, capturing the vibrant spirit of the In Bloom Contest.

3rd Place (tie): Tara Pinley

Garden Valentine

Orange flowers in focus on a garden path, captured for the In Bloom Contest, with a dog on a leash and a person walking ahead, both blurred in the background.

3rd Place (tie): Alicia Barreto

Exploring the Garden

View More Winners

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