1st Place: “Amethyst Deceivers” by Tony North
A walk through the woods quickly reveals that fungi are far more than a subtle presence—they’re essential to the life happening beneath our feet.
This year’s International Garden Photographer of the Year competition highlights that beautifully through its World of Fungi category. Tony North won first place with “Amethyst Deceivers,” a sharply detailed, focus‑stacked image of two purple mushrooms and a curious fly, while Łukasz Kiełtyka’s second‑place “Painting Autumn” turns a Russula mushroom into a golden, mist‑lit work of art. Third place went to Guizhong Guo for “A Warm Family,” a gentle portrait of three small mushrooms growing together in quiet harmony. Altogether, these photographs remind us that fungi aren’t just background elements—they’re tiny worlds of their own, made extraordinary through patient, creative photography.
More: Garden Photographer of the Year, Instagram
2nd Place: “Painting Autumn” by Łukasz Kiełtyka
3rd Place: “A Warm Family” by Guizhong Guo
Finalist: “Parrot Waxcap” by Angi Wallace
Finalist: “Speed Growth” by Wil Meinderts
Finalist: “Fungi Gathering” by Angi Wallace
Finalist: “Dewdrops on Slime Moulds” by Barry Webb
Highly Commended: “Spore Fog” by Enikő Kálovics
Highly Commended: “Four Cribraria Slime Moulds” by Barry Webb
Highly Commended: “Orange Symbiosis on Birch” by Erik Nevels
Highly Commended: “Butter Cap” by Tony North
Highly Commended: “Magpie Inkcap” by Ana Peiró Muñoz
Highly Commended: “Shelter” by Jay Birmingham
Commended: “Fairy Island” by Jay Birmingham
Commended: “Queen Zombie” by Minghui Yuan