Castle Gardens (Garden Centre category) and Garsons Garden Centre Esher (Destination Garden Centre) have been announced as the national winners of the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Gisela Graham-sponsored annual Christmas competition for 2023 (December 2023). The garden centres were judged to have the best festive displays in the country by the organisation and will receive their awards at its annual conference in January 2024.
GCA CEO, Peter Burks says: “I’d like to say a big thank you to all the members who entered our Christmas display competition this year and to thank our wonderful sponsor, Gisela Graham. “Huge congratulations to the team at Castle Gardens in Dorset, who were national winners in the Garden Centre (GC) category and Garsons Garden Centre, Esher in Surrey, who took the top spot nationally in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category.
Garsons won last year too, and Castle Gardens are part of the Gardens Group, whose three garden centres in the Westcountry are consistently high scorers in their category.
“The standard was incredibly high this year, with fabulous displays and brilliant retail practices. I’m very much looking forward to hearing what our Inspector Phil McCann has to say when he presents his findings, and the ideas and images, from his visits to delegates at our annual conference in the Cotswolds in January. He will be giving tips to all garden centre members who attend – sharing good practice and helping them further develop their displays and Christmas offerings for 2024. Phil has already told me that the standards had risen a lot since last year, so it’s going to be very interesting to see what he has to say in January.”
Second place in the GC category was Brimsmore Gardens in Somerset, part of the Gardens Group, which also includes Castle Gardens and third place was Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe. In the DGC category, Barton Grange Garden Centre came second and in third place was Gates Garden Centre.
Peter adds: “What a wonderful start to Christmas we’ve had. All the entrants were judged on general ambience, creativity, stock range, flow and tidiness, and customer service was also taken into consideration. Everyone who entered created some amazingly joyful and memorable displays this year and really pushed the boat out. It was very impressive.”
Regional winners: North East/North West Garden Centre Category: 1. Coletta and Tyson Garden Centre 2. British Garden Centres Arcadia. Destination Garden Centre 1. Barton Grange Garden Centre 2. Fron Goch Garden Centre 3. Bents Garden Centre
North Thames: Garden Centre: 1. Parker’s Garden Centre – Frinton on Sea 2. Perrywood Sudbury Garden Centre. Destination Garden Centre: DGC 1. Sunshine Garden Centre 2. Perrywood Tiptree Garden Centre 3. Haddenham Garden Centre
Wales & West Garden Centre: 1. Brimsmore Garden Centre 2. Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe. Destination Garden Centre: 1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre 2. Pugh’s Garden Village Radyr
Midlands Garden Centre: 1. Fairways Ashbourne Garden Centre. Destination Garden Centre: 1. Gates Garden Centre 2. Webbs of Wychbold 3. St Peters Garden Centre
South Thames Garden Centre 1. Castle Gardens 2. Poundbury Gardens 3. Knights Garden Centre Betchworth. Destination Garden Centre: 1. Garsons Esher 2. Garsons Titchfield 3. Ransoms Garden Centre.
The GCA’s annual conference will be held at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester, Gloucestershire from January 28 until 31, 2024 and places can be booked via www.gca.org.uk.
