The annual Mavis Batey essay competition is intended to encourage vibrant, scholarly writing and new research, especially by those who have not yet had their work published. It is open to any student, worldwide, registered in a bona-fide university or institute of higher education, or who has recently graduated from such an institution.  

Submissions must be 5,000 to 6,000 words and the only restriction on subject matter is that it must be of relevance to  some aspect of garden history  which could include explorations of little known gardens, or  an aspect of botany, ecology, horticulture, archaeology, social history, architecture, design, art history or sculpture. 

The prize includes an award of £250, free membership of The Gardens Trust for a year and consideration for publication in our peer-reviewed, scholarly journal Garden History. All previous winners have been accepted for publication, and often the best of the non-winning entries are invited to submit to the journal as well.  

Submissions for this year or any further enquiries should  be sent to essayprize@thegardenstrust.org   by 6pm Sunday 2nd May 2021.

The rules and form for submission can be downloaded here: EssayPrize rules -2021