Garsons Garden Centre Esher (Destination Garden Centre), Castle Gardens (Garden Centre) and Pughs Wenvoe (Local Garden Centre) have been announced as the national winners of the Garden Centre Association’s Gisela Graham-sponsored 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 2025.
Garsons took the top spot nationally in the Destination Garden Centre category for the third year running.
GCA CEO, Peter Burks says: “What a wonderful start to the Christmas countdown this competition is. I’d like to say a massive thank you to all the brilliant members who shone in our Christmas display competition this year and to also thank our wonderful sponsor, Gisela Graham.
“Well done to the team at Garsons Garden Centre, Esher in Surrey, who took the top spot nationally in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category for the third year running. Also, congratulations to Castle Gardens in Dorset, who were national winners in the Garden Centre (GC) section once again this year. Pughs Garden Village Wenvoe are our first winners in our new Local Garden Centre category and their displays were excellent.
“Garsons won last year and the year before and are consistently good performers in this area. While Castle Gardens are part of the Gardens Group and its three garden centres in the Westcountry are consistently high scorers in their categories for Christmas. All these centres and our other runners up are well worth a visit this December for members who would like some great ideas for best practice in this area in 2025.
“The standard was off the scale this year, with amazing displays and superb 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 at our annual conference in the Reading in January. He will be giving tips to all garden centre delegates – sharing good practice and helping them further develop their displays and Christmas offerings for 2025.”
Castle Gardens are consistently high scorers in their categories for Christmas.
In the DGC category, Gates Garden Centre came second and in third place was Barton Grange Garden Centre.
Second place in the GC category was Pugh’s Garden Village Radyr and The Old Railway Line Garden Centre came third.
In the LGC section, Brimsmore Gardens in Somerset came second and third place was awarded to Poundbury Gardens in Dorset, both are part of the Gardens Group, which includes the overall GC winner Castle Gardens.
Peter continues: “All the entrants were judged on general ambience, creativity, stock range, flow and tidiness. Customer service was also taken into consideration. Everyone who entered created some fabulous displays this year and really showed some flair. Those I saw on my travels were very impressive and had a real ‘wow factor’.”
Regional winners:
South
DGC
1. Garsons Garden Centre Esher
2. Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
3. Haskins Garden Centre, Ferndown
GC
1. Ransoms Garden Centre
2. Garsons Garden Centre Titchfield
3. Squires Garden Centre, Hersham
LGC
1. Knights Garden Centre Betchworth
2. Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst – Garden Centre
3. Squires Garden Centre, Reigate
North
DGC
1. Barton Grange Garden Centre
2. Bents Garden Centre
3. Hayes Garden World
GC
1. Fron Goch Garden Centre
2. Creative Gardens Donaghadee
3. British Garden Centres Arcadia
LGC
1. British Garden Centres Harrogate
Midlands, Wales and West
DGC
1. Gates Garden Centre
2. Webbs of Wychbold
GC
1. Castle Gardens
2. Pughs Garden Village Radyr
3. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
LGC
1. Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe
2. Brimsmore Gardens
3. Poundbury Gardens
East
DGC
1. Perrywood Tiptree Garden Centre
2. Brigg Garden Centre
GC
1. Haddenham Garden Centre
2. Sunshine Garden Centre
3. Bell Plantation
LGC
1. Parkers Garden Company
The GCA’s next annual conference will be held at the De Vere Wokefield Estate, Reading, from January 26 until 29, 2025, and places can be booked via the member area on the GCA website www.gca.org.uk.
The GCA members conference pages on the body’s website have full details. There is also a dedicated email for any queries members, and those wishing to book for the event, may have: conference@gca.org.uk.
