In This Issue
Apta acquired by AMES
GCA Christmas competition winners announced
Primeur’s ECO Garden display stands set to revitalise sales of garden borders and stepping stones in 2020
The stock market is the “natural place” for Dobbies and it will look to float
Dobbies announce 12% sales growth to February 2019
‘A strong and vibrant ornamental horticulture sector’
New Strikes Garden Centre, Stokesley Opens
RHS Garden Wisley bucks the trend against High Street sales
Customers voting for Christmas at garden centres
Christmas success for Brimsmore...even with no glitter
Administrators sell off National Polytunnels business assets
Wish you were here! SOLEX winner enjoys prize in Barbados
Hillier announces environmental audit to cut carbon footprint
Brother and sister give up day jobs to run Kent centre
Vitax grows charity's funds by over £11,000
New book offers tips on reducing plastic in the garden
Wyevale Nurseries expands sales support team
Whartons invests in marketing with new management position
Inaugural Elm Stand Planted at the National Memorial Arboretum as Hillier Trees ‘Re-elms the British Countryside’
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Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Westland Group Announces Key Appointments to Leadership Teams
At 76, is this Santa's most senior Elf?
‘A strong and vibrant ornamental horticulture sector’ the HTA’s general election 2019 manifesto
Christmas on a new high
Environmentalist to speak at 2020 GCA conference
Keenies are still gardening
GCA conference attendees to hear from Eden Project co-founder
Lights at number one again
NGGV helps boost sales in National Tree Week
Pre-Christmas plant boost
Houseplant and pet categories perform well in October, according to HTA Market Update
The best of last week's
Christmas trees are slimming down
Horticultural ‘Oscars’ highlight gardening as force for good
Sustainability brings opportunity for garden industry
David Austin Roses launches sustainable packaging for bare root planting
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to GTN Bestsellers
All the latest news from the world of garden centre catering
Drinks suppliers flock to show their wares at Casual Dining
Yorkshire chef launches first cookery book with a demo at Bradford garden centre
Situations Vacant
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GCA Christmas competition winners announced

 

Barton Grange Garden Centre (above) and Whitehall Garden Centre – Whitchurch (below) have been announced as the national winners of the 2019 Garden Centre Association’s annual Christmas competition.

 

 

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, 2020.

 

Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, said: “Each year our member’s Christmas displays get better and better and it was an extremely difficult decision to choose the winners this year.

 

“The entrants were judged on general ambience, creativity, stock range, flow, tidiness and customer service was also taken into consideration.

 

“We’d like to say a huge congratulations to Barton Grange Garden Centre in Lancashire who won in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category and Whitehall Garden Centre – Whitchurch in North Somerset who won in the Garden Centre (GC) category.”

 

Entrants in the GC category were judged by Andy Campbell and entrants in the DGC category were judged by Alyson Haywood.

 

David Fawcett-Ropner, Display Manager at Barton Grange Garden Centre, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have won the title of ‘Best Christmas Displays in the UK’. A lot of planning, time and effort goes into Christmas and it’s great to be rewarded for our team’s hard work! ​

 

“One major change we made this year was painting all the shop fit black, this was to make all the colourful decorations stand out and it’s definitely been worth it! We’ve got vibrant rooms such as the vivid pinks found in ‘Flamboyance’, and the neon greens of ‘Tropicana’, but we’ve also got displays focused on the more traditional reds as well as those modern graphite greys.

 

“There’s something for everyone! We’ve had fab comments from our customers about our displays and received many congratulations for winning this competition, it’s truly fantastic!”

 

The area winners in the South Thames area were Garsons Garden Centre – Esher (DGC) and Busy Bee Garden Centre (GC). In the Wales and West area Whitehall Garden Centre – Lacock (DGC) and Whitehall Garden Centre – Whitchurch (GC) were chosen.

 

In North Thames, the area winners were Perrywood Garden Centre – Tiptree (DGC) and Sunshine Garden Centre (GC) while St Peter’s Garden Centre (DGC) and Planters Garden Centre – Bretby (GC) were selected in the Midlands area.

 

 

Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC), pictured above, and Fron Gogh Garden Centre (GC) were selected in the North West and in the North East, Tong Garden Centre (DGC) and Coletta and Tyson Garden Centre (GC) were chosen.

 

Chris Wilde, Whitehall Garden Centre Manager, said: “We aim to ensure that our customers enjoy the whole festive experience, this makes what we do stand out from the crowd. 

 

“Winning this award is the culmination of months of planning and hard work by the whole team, from the buyers and suppliers, to the team on the shop floor. Every year we focus on seeing what we can do even better than before. We never stop, we think about Christmas 12 months of the year!”

 

The national winners will be given their awards during the GCA’s annual conference at the Mercure Bristol, Grand Hotel in Bristol from January 26 until 29, 2020. Places can be booked via www.gca.org.uk.

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