Members of the Garden Centre Association will find out how they have fared in this year’s annual inspections at regional award meetings taking place across the country this month.

The meetings will take place on July 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 and garden centre teams are invited to attend the event in their area and take along as many staff as they wish.

Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, said: “During the annual meetings inspectors for each area will announce their findings, highlighting best practice and new ideas and will also reveal the category winners.

“The first regional award meeting for the North Thames area will take place at Perrywood Garden Centre & Nurseries in Inworth, Tiptree on Monday, July 20 from 3.30pm with inspector Liz Hutson presenting her findings.”

Stratford Garden Centre in Clifford Chambers, Stratford-Upon-Avon, will host the Midlands regional award meeting on Tuesday, July 21 from 5pm. The inspector announcing the results will be Ian Boardman.

The regional award meeting for the South Thames area will take place at Haskins Garden Centre in West End, Southampton on Wednesday, July 22 with inspector Andy Campbell (pictured) in attendance.

The Wales and West regional meeting will be held at Monkton Elm Garden & Pet Centre at Monkton Heathfield, near Taunton in Somerset on Thursday, July 23 from 5pm. The inspector attending will be Ian Boardman.

Roger Crookes will be the inspector presiding over the North West/North East region’s award meeting on Friday, July 24 at Bents Garden & Home in Glazebury, Warrington.

Iain added: “A final regional awards meeting will take place later on in the year on Wednesday, September 23 for the Scotland/Northern Ireland area. This will be held at Glendoick Gardens Ltd Nursery & Gardens in Glencarse, Perth with inspector Liz Hutson.

“We have been holding our annual inspections at our member garden centres since March. Garden centres receive no advance warning about when their inspection will take place and they do not have the option to turn away the inspector.

“Many of our members praise the inspections and say they are a unique way of keeping staff on their toes and always making sure they do their best.

“We are really looking forward to the annual awards meetings and we wish everyone the best of luck as the results from the inspections form the basis for many of our GCA awards, which will be presented at next year’s conference.”