The Garden Centre Association has recently revealed its area award winners during presentations held at member garden centres.

Awards were presented to garden centres in the North Thames, North West, South Thames, Wales & West, Midlands and North East regions with the winners in Scotland and Northern Ireland to be announced on August 31.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “During each presentation evening inspectors for each area announced their findings after carrying out their inspections earlier in the year, highlighting best practice and new ideas as well as revealing the area winners in the two categories: Destination Garden Centre (DGC) and Garden Centre (GC).

"We would like to say a huge congratulations to all of the winners and a big 'thank you' to The Old Railway Line Garden Centre, Tong Garden Centre, RHS Wisley, Thurrock Garden Centre and Pennells Garden Centre - Lincoln for playing hosts for the various events.

“The results from the inspections form the basis for many of the national GCA awards, which will be presented at next year's conference, which is in St. Andrews from January 22 until 25.”

The final area awards evening for Scotland and Northern Ireland will take place on Wednesday, August 31 at Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle.

The GCA represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide.

Photograph caption one: Burston Garden Centre, winner of Garden Centre of the Year (DGC) in the North Thames.

Photograph caption two: Garden Centre of the Year (GC) in the North East, Cowell's Garden Centre.

Photograph caption three: Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre, which was awarded Garden Centre of the Year (DGC) in the Wales & West region.

The full list of winners in the area awards are:

North Thames:

• Garden Centre of the Year - Burston Garden Centre (DGC) (pictured above) and Sunshine Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Creativity and Innovation - Burston Garden Centre (DGC) and Squires Garden Centre - Twickenham (GC)
• Most Improved Centre - Frosts at Millets Farm
• Best Customer Service - Aylett Nurseries
• Best Garden Products Retailer - Burston Garden Centre (DGC) and Squires Garden Centre - Shepperton (GC)
• Best Garden Centre Restaurant - Poplars Garden Centre (DGC), Frosts at Woburn Sands (DGC), Frosts at Willington (DGC), Thurrock Garden Centre (GC), Squires Garden Centre - Shepperton (GC)
• Best Outdoor Living Retailer - Van Hage Garden Company - Great Amwell (DGC) and Sunshine Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer - Burford Garden Company (DGC) and Squires Garden Centre - Shepperton (GC)
• Best Environmental Practice - Burston Garden Centre.

North West:

• Garden Centre of the Year - Bents Garden and Home (DGC) and Fron Goch Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Creativity and Innovation - Bents Garden and Home
• Most Improved Centre - Gordale Garden Centre
• Best Customer Service - Barton Grange Garden Centre
• Best Garden Products Retailer - Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Daleside Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Garden Centre Restaurant - Bents Garden and Home (DGC) and Fron Goch Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Outdoor Living Retailer - Bents Garden and Home (DGC) and Fron Goch Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer - Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre Macclesfield (GC) and Burleydam Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Environmental Practice - Gordale Garden Centre.

South Thames:

• Garden Centre of the Year - Stewarts Christchurch (DGC) and Squires Garden Centre - Milford (GC)
• Best Creativity and Innovation - Haskins Garden Centre - Southampton
• Most Improved Centre - The Wisley Plant Centre
• Best Customer Service - Stewarts Christchurch
• Best Garden Products Retailer - Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre (DGC) and Squires Garden Centre - Milford (GC)
• Best Garden Centre Restaurant - Haskins Garden Centre - Ferndown (DGC) and Knights Plant and Life - Godstone (GC)
• Best Outdoor Living Retailer - Stewarts Christchurch (DGC) and Squires Garden Centre - Milford (GC)
• Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer - Haskins Roundstone Garden Centre (DGC), Squires Garden Centre - Badshot Lea (DGC), Squires Garden Centre - Milford (GC) and Blackbrooks Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Environmental Practice - The Wisley Plant Centre.

Wales & West:

• Garden Centre of the Year - Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre (DGC) and The Old Railway Line Nursery and Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Creativity and Innovation - Whitehall Garden Centre - Lacock
• Most Improved Centre - Hillier Garden Centre - Bath
• Best Customer Service - The Old Railway Line Nursery and Garden Centre
• Best Garden Products Retailer - Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre (DGC) and The Old Railway Line Nursery and Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Garden Centre Restaurant - Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre (DGC) and RHS Rosemoor Plant Centre and Shop (GC)
• Best Outdoor Living Retailer - Bernaville Nurseries (DGC) and Hillier Garden Centre - Bath (GC)
• Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer - Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre (DGC) and Hillier Garden Centre - Bath
• Best Environmental Practice - Whitehall Garden Centre - Lacock.

Midlands:

• Garden Centre of the Year - Pennells Garden Centre - Lincoln (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre - Ashbourne (GC)
• Best Creativity and Innovation - Planters Garden Centre - Tamworth
• Most Improved Centre - Langlands Garden Centre - Loxley
• Best Customer Service - Fairways Garden Centre - Ashbourne
• Best Garden Products Retailer - Van Hage - Peterborough (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre - Ashbourne (GC)
• Best Garden Centre Restaurant - Planters Garden Centre - Tamworth (DGC) and Blue Diamond Chatsworth Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Outdoor Living Retailer - Brigg Garden Centre (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre - Ashbourne (GC)
• Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer - Blue Diamond Evesham Garden Centre (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre - Ashbourne (GC)
• Best Environmental Practice - Planters at Bretby.

North East:

• Garden Centre of the Year - Langlands Garden Centre - Shiptonthorpe (DGC) and Cowell's Garden Centre (GC) (pictured above)
• Best Creativity and Innovation - Cowell's Garden Centre
• Most Improved Centre - Klondyke Stokesley Garden Centre
• Best Customer Service - Cowell's Garden Centre
• Best Garden Products Retailer - Langlands Garden Centre - Shiptonthorpe (DGC) and Cowell's Garden Centre
• Best Garden Centre Restaurant - Langlands Garden Centre - Shiptonthorpe (DGC) and Klondyke Stokesley Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Outdoor Living Retailer - Langlands Garden Centre - Shiptonthorpe (DGC) and Klondyke Beverley Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer - Langlands Garden Centre - Shiptonthorpe (DGC) and Klondyke Northallerton Garden Centre (GC)
• Best Environmental Practice - Cowell's Garden Centre and Langlands Garden Centre - Shiptonthorpe.