Marianne Majerus (born 1956) is one of Europe's leading specialist garden photographers.
Biography Majerus was born in 1956 in Clervaux, Luxembourg. After finishing secondary education in Luxembourg, she took a degree in English at the University of Essex and a degree in Economics at the University of East Anglia. Her first exhibition of landscape photographs was held in 1979 at the Minories Art Gallery in Colchester. Her second, "East Coast", was sponsored by Eastern Arts and toured in 1982. Her portraits of writers, notably those of Doris Lessing, Malcolm Bradbury and Tom Sharpe, are held in the National Portrait Gallery Collection.
Having illustrated a number of studies of historical culture, as well as food and travel books, Majerus specialised in the photography of plants and gardens. Her company, Marianne Majerus Garden Images, provides garden images to the media in the United Kingdom and worldwide. Majerus is currently a member of the Royal Horticultural Society Photographic Advisory CommitteePhotographic Advisory Committee Page . Rhs.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Photographic Advisory Committee Members and in 2013 joined The Garden Media Guild's panel of award judges. Garden Media Guild Awards 2013 Judges During the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad Majerus was photographed to represent her native Luxembourg in The World in London exhibition in Victoria Park and on Oxford Street.
Works Four portraits by Majerus are exhibited by the National Portrait Gallery (London): of Doris Lessing,Portrait of Doris Lessing. Npg.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Hugo Williams,Portrait of Hugo Williams. Npg.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Malcolm BradburyPortrait of Malcolm Bradbury. Npg.org.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012. and Raffaella Barker.National Portrait Gallery profile for Marianne Majerus. Other works are held by the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Centre National de l'Audiovisuel in Luxembourg.Centre National de l'Audiovisuel List of Photographers in their Collection . Cna.public.lu (19 June 2008). Retrieved 1 January 2012. Other portraits include those of J. G. Ballard,ESSE Journal page featuring Marianne Majerus's photograph of J.G. Ballard . Essenglish.org (27 September 1998). Retrieved 1 January 2012. Andrew Motion,ESSE Journal page featuring Marianne Majerus's photograph of Andrew Motion . Essenglish.org (27 September 1998). Retrieved 1 January 2012. Tony HarrisonESSE Journal page featuring Marianne Majerus's photograph of Tony Harrison . Essenglish.org (27 September 1998). Retrieved 1 January 2012. and Baroness Ludford.
Her photographs appear regularly in Country Life, The Times, The Sunday Times Magazine, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Telegraph Magazine, House & Garden, Homes and Gardens, The Evening Standard (London), The RHS Garden Journal, The English Garden, Gardens Illustrated, as well as many garden magazines in Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Russia, Poland, Slovenia, the United States, Australia and Japan.
Honours, prizes and awards In 2025, Majerus won the Garden Media Guild Features Photographer of the Year Award.
In 2023, Majerus took the first prize for the European Garden Photography Award taking in the International Garden Photographer of the Year 16 competitionEuropean Garden Photography Award IGPOTY 16
In 2018, Majerus took the first prize for the European Garden Photography Award taking in the International Garden Photographer of the Year 11 competitionEuropean Garden Photography Award IGPOTY 11
In 2015, Majerus won the Garden Media Guild Book Photographer of the Year Award for Garden Design: A Book of Ideas (Mitchell Beazley).
In 2014, Majerus won first place in the 'Greening the City' category of the International Garden Photographer of the Year Award 2014
In 2013, Majerus won the Garden Media Guild Features Photographer of the Year AwardGarden Media Guild Features Photographer of the Year Award 2013
In 2012, during the London Cultural Olympiad, a photograph of Marianne Majerus was included in "The World in London" exhibition at Victoria Park and on Oxford Street.
In 2011, Marianne Majerus won the Garden Media Guild Photographer of the Year AwardGarden Media Guild Photographer of the Year Award 2011 for her second time. Gardenmediaguild.co.uk (30 November 2011). Retrieved 1 January 2012. and, earlier in the year, won first place in the 'Garden Views' category of the International Garden Photographer of the Year Award 2011.Garden Views Category 2011 . Igpoty.com. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Majerus also won the 'Luxembourg Book Prize' for her book Die geheimen Gärten Luxemburgs (The Secret Gardens of Luxembourg) in the 'Art and Images' category. The same title also made her a finalist in the 2011 Garden Media Guild 'Book Photographer of the Year' category.Garden Media Guild Book Photographer of the Year Award 2011 . Gardenmediaguild.co.uk (30 November 2011). Retrieved 1 January 2012.
In 2011, Marianne Majerus was awarded Silver Gilt by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) for a portfolio of six images of the Sussex Prairie Garden.
In 2010, Marianne Majerus was named 'International Garden Photographer of the Year' for her picture 'Layered landscape: a moment captured'.International Garden Photographer of the Year 3 . Igpoty.com. Retrieved 1 January 2012. The same image also won the 'People's Choice Award' as voted for by the public in the 'Garden Views' category.People's Choice Award page . Igpoty.com. Retrieved 1 January 2012.Article, The Daily Telegraph.Article, The Guardian.
In 2009, Majerus was a finalist in the Garden Media Guild's 'Photography Portfolio of the Year Award' categoryPhotography Portfolio of the Year Award 2009 . Gardenmediaguild.co.uk. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
In 2008, Marianne Majerus was awarded second place in the International Garden Photographer of the Year Competition in the "GPA Portfolio Category"International Garden Photographer of the Year 2008 – GPA Portfolio Winners . Igpoty.com. Retrieved 1 January 2012. and was a finalist in the "Portfolio Category".International Garden Photographer of the Year 2008 – Portfolio Winners . Igpoty.com. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
She has won first prizes for Image of the Month from the Garden Photographer's Association (part of the Garden Media Guild) for September 2008,Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for September 2008 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. December 2008,Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for December 2008 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. June 2009,Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for June 2009 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. July 2009,Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for July 2009 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. August 2009,Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for August 2009 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. October 2009,Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for October 2009 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. August 2010Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for August 2010 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. and October 2010.Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for October 2010 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. Second prize in September 2009,Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for September 2009 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. July 2010Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for July 2010 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. and September 2010.Garden Photographer's Association "Image of the Month" prize page for September 2010 . Gpauk.org. Retrieved 1 January 2012. From January 2011 Marianne Majerus ceased to enter the Image of the Month competitions.
In 2002, she was voted "Photographer of the Year" by the Garden Media Guild (then the Garden Writers' Guild).Garden Writers' Guild Award Page 2002
In 2000, alongside George Carter(Garden Designer) she won the "Inspirational Book of the Year" award from the Garden Writers' Guild for the book The New London GardenGarden Writers' Guild Award Page 2000
Books as principal photographer