International Garden Photographer of the Year show starts outside Cannon Hall

Ivor Beckwith is pictured with a photograph by Jim Turner which won the Wildlife in Garden category. Picture by Simon Hulme

Its peaceful parklands have provided moments of relaxation and reflection during months of uncertainty.

Now the Cannon Hall Museum, Park and Gardens will host the International Garden Photographer of the Year (IGPOTY) touring exhibition, Thirteen, from today.

It means that visitors can see art works displayed outside the popular attraction for the very first time.

Until Thursday October 22, people will be able to take in delicate garden scenes and detailed close-ups of horticulture by talented nature snappers in the re-opened walled gardens of the Georgian country house.

Ivor Beckwith and Craig Riley bring one of the pictures into the gardens.Picture by Simon Hulme.

Coun Tim Cheetham, Barnsley Council’s Cabinet Spokesperson for Place (Regeneration and Culture), said: “The outside spaces at Cannon Hall have been incredibly important to people of the borough over the past few months, offering moments of relaxation and reflection.

"Now more than ever it is wonderful that the museum can use their gardens and parklands to offer people an enjoyable and safe experience.”

The outside spaces have recently undergone major transformation works as part of the Parks for People project, made possible by the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The walled gardens have been closed to visitors over recent months and the renovations will be seen for the first time with the launch of the exhibition.

One of the photographs will also be on display in the grounds of Wentworth Castle Gardens, a partner of Barnsley Museums and Barnsley Council.

Now in its fourteenth year, the International Garden Photographer of the Year was started by a group of professional garden photographers and has quickly grown to become “the world’s premier competition and exhibition specialising in garden, plant, flower and botanical photography,” according to the council.

It is run in association with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

The main exhibition is held annually at Kew, with a rolling programme of touring exhibitions in the UK, Ireland and around the world. Other hosts for the touring exhibition include Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire and Blarney Castle in County Cork, Ireland.

James McGlinchey, exhibitions manager for International Garden Photographer of the Year, said: “Cannon Hall Museum, Park and Gardens is one of the finest cultural venues in South Yorkshire – it combines classical art and gardens together making it the ideal place to host the prestigious IGPOTY exhibition.

"This partnership has been elevated with the introduction of the Beautiful Barnsley Special Award. With the Borough of Barnsley and IGPOTY’s combined reach we are able to attract domestic as well as international audiences with the aim to increase all visitors’ enjoyment of the gardens.”

Alongside the outdoor exhibition will be an inside display called Beautiful Barnsley, open from Monday September 21, following the reopening of the Museum on Tuesday, September 8.

The exhibition is made up of winning entries from a competition, launched last year, by IGPOTY capturing the picturesque and inspiring landscapes of the borough.

Both exhibitions are free but donations are welcomed by the museum.