YOU don't have to be a David Bailey to take good photographs of your garden.

But if you find that you have a knack for capturing great images of your plot, you could be in with a chance of winning a £75 gift voucher from Almondsbury Garden Centre in a Gazette competition.

 I have previously written about growing some potted plants that were kindly given to me by the Almondsbury Garden Centre, and with the flowers now coming into bloom, I wanted to know how best to capture my green-fingered success.

So I asked to Gazette photographer Steve Richards the best tips on how to take a great picture of the garden, and the variety of plants it contains.

Steve said: “The first thing you need to consider when taking pictures of the garden is lighting.

“Your garden can look totally different depending on the time of day and the position of the sun.

“Early morning on a clear day is great for the softer lighting, which really gives a natural look to your pictures. But evening shots with a setting sun can be very dramatic.”

He added: “You should also make sure that you are taking both wide and close shots when moving around the garden.

"If there are particular plants that look amazing, make sure you get up close.

“But equally, if you have an array of colours in your garden, you want to make sure you can get the wide shot.

“If you are trying to get as much in as possible, don’t just stay in the same place. Move around and also try different heights to change the perspective.”

For a chance to win a £75 gift voucher for Almondsbury Garden Centre, Bristol’s biggest independent garden centre, why not enter our competition?

If you are particularly proud of your garden, and have a knack with photography, then send the pictures of your garden in bloom to the Gazette

Just email your photos, along with your name, address and a daytime contact number to asi@gazetteseries.co.uk.

Entries close on Sunday, May 15, with the winners announced in the Gazette on Thursday, May 19.