Coinciding with the glorious heatwave we’re currently experiencing, the Garden Centre Association (GCA), has been up and down the country presenting this year’s regional awards. The regional awards kicked off on Tuesday August 24 with a presentation at Pugh’s Garden Centre The Vale in Wenvoe, where GCA CEO, Iain Wylie said:
“It’s been a difficult year for everyone, but it was wonderful to hold the first of our award meetings since 2019. The Wales and West awards’ evening last night was a huge success, and it was fantastic to see so many of our members turn out for the occasion”.
The full results for the Wales and West region GCA area awards are as follows:
Garden Centre of the Year: Monkton Elm Garden Centre (DGC) and Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC)
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Old Railway Line Garden Centre
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Pughs Garden Village Radyr
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Old Railway Line Garden Centre
Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Brimsmore Gardens
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Cadbury Garden Centre (DGC) and Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC)
Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Cadbury Garden Centre (DGC) and Whitehall Garden Centre – Whitchurch (GC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Sanders Garden World (DGC) and Old Railway Line Garden Centre (GC)
On Wednesday August 25 the GCA team were off to Stratford Garden Centre in Stratford-upon-Avon. The full results for the Midlands are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:
Garden Centre of the Year: St Peters Garden Centre (DGC) and Planters at Bretby (GC)
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: East Bridgford Garden Centre
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Percy Thrower’s Gardening Centre
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Webbs of Wychbold
Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: St Peters Garden Centre
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: St Peters Garden Centre (DGC) and Webbs, West Hagley (GC)
Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Webbs of Wychbold (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre – Ashbourne (GC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: East Bridgford Garden Centre (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre – Ashbourne (GC)
The Scotland and Ireland region was next in line for awards and celebrations, in a ceremony which took place on Thursday August 26 at Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre. Scotland Category Winners:
Garden Centre of the Year: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Mortonhall Garden Centre (GC)
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Klondyke Group – Garden Wise Dumfries
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Dunbar Garden Centre
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Klondyke Group – Mortonhall Garden Centre
Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Klondyke Group – Mortonhall Garden Centre
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Garden Wise Dumfries (GC)
Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Garden Wise Dumfries (GC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Garden Wise Dumfries (GC)
Northern Ireland Category Winners
Garden Centre of the Year: Creative Gardens Bushmills
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Creative Gardens Bushmills
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Creative Gardens Bushmills
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Creative Gardens Donaghadee
Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Creative Gardens Bushmills
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Creative Gardens Bushmills
Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Creative Gardens Bushmills
Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle
*There are no Destination Garden Centre (DGC) in this region.
The team then headed down south for the South Thames awards, presented at Haskins Garden Centre – Snowhill in Sussex (pictured). GCA Inspector Phil McCann was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in the South Thames area. He said: “The standard of all the garden centres in the South Thames region was superb. The standard of displays and quality of plants and products ensures customers at each centre are experiencing some of the best retailing in the UK garden retail sector. Haskins at Snowhill has recently been redeveloped and is a sensational destination.”
The full results for the South Thames region GCA area awards are as follows:
Garden Centre of the Year: Haskins Snowhill Garden Centre (DGC) and Squire’s Garden Centre – Hersham (GC)
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Haskins Snowhill Garden Centre
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Hillier Garden Centre – Eastbourne
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Thompson’s Plant & Garden Centre – Chislehurst
Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Cooling’s Nurseries
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Haskins Snowhill Garden Centre (DGC) and The Millbrook Garden Company – Staplehurst (GC)
Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre (DGC), Haskins Garden Centre – Ferndown (DGC) and The Millbrook Garden Company – Staplehurst (GC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Haskins Garden Centre – Southampton (DGC) and Squires Garden Centre – Hersham (GC)
The North Thames region was then celebrated during a presentation held at Perrywood Garden Centre in Sudbury. The full results for the North Thames region GCA area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:
Garden Centre of the Year: Perrywood, Tiptree (DGC) and Thurrock Garden Centre (GC)
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Perrywood, Tiptree
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Haddenham Garden Centre
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Poplars Garden Centre
Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Perrywood, Tiptree
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Perrywood, Tiptree (DGC) and Thurrock Garden Centre (GC)
Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Perrywood, Tiptree (DGC) and Coton Orchard Garden Centre (GC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Squire’s Garden Centre – Shepperton (DGC) and Coton Orchard Garden Centre (GC)
Last but definitely not least, on Thursday September 2 GCA Members in the North East and North West had their chance to celebrate at Tong Garden Centre. North East Category Winners:
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Cowell’s Garden Centre
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: RHS Harlow Carr Plant Centre & Gift Shop
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Klondyke Group – Garforth Garden Centre
Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Klondyke – Garforth Garden Centre
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Tong Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Garforth Garden Centre (GC)
Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Tong Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Stokesley Garden Centre (GC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Tong Garden Centre (DGC) and RHS Harlow Carr Plant Centre & Gift Shop (GC)
North West Category Winners
Garden Centre of the Year: Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – High Legh Garden Centre (GC)
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity: Barton Grange Garden Centre
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Bellis Brothers Farm Shop & Garden Centre
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service: Barton Grange Garden Centre
Environment and Sustainability Award Sponsored by Savills: Bents Garden and Home
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – Burnside Garden Centre (GC)
Best Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Fron Goch Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – High Legh Garden Centre (GC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Group – High Legh Garden Centre (GC)
The national winners of the Garden Centre of the Year and Destination Garden Centre of the Year are announced at the GCA annual conference taking place next year (2022) from Sunday, January 23 until Wednesday, January 26. Members will be able to book their places soon and the GCA will be announcing speakers in the near future.
