The garden industry's finest gathered at the prestigious Celtic Manor Resort in Newport this evening (12th November) for the GIMA Awards 2026, as the sector came together for a spectacular celebration of innovation, excellence and achievement.

Bringing together leading suppliers, manufacturers, retailers and industry professionals, the annual awards once again shone a spotlight on the businesses, products and people helping to shape the future of garden retail.

From groundbreaking product developments and clever merchandising solutions to inspiring marketing campaigns and sustainability initiatives, this year's winners demonstrated the extraordinary breadth of talent, creativity and ambition within the industry.

With entries assessed by a panel of respected garden retail and industry experts, the awards recognise not only innovation and originality but also commercial relevance, consumer appeal and the ability to make a meaningful difference within the garden retail sector.

Craig Hall, GIMA President, said: "The GIMA Awards are always a highlight of the industry calendar, and this evening has been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the businesses and people who make our sector so special.

"What really stands out when you look at this year's winners is the sheer diversity of innovation taking place across our industry. From products that make gardening more accessible and enjoyable to businesses challenging traditional approaches, embracing sustainability and finding exciting new ways to engage consumers, there is so much to be proud of.

"Of course, none of this would be possible without the support of our sponsors, the commitment of our judges and the enthusiasm of everyone who enters. A huge thank you to them all, and congratulations to every finalist and winner. Being recognised by your industry peers is a tremendous achievement and something to be genuinely proud of."

GIMA AWARDS 2026: THE HEADLINE WINNERS

Westland Horticulture claims the coveted GIMA Sword of Excellence

One of the evening's most prestigious accolades, the GIMA Sword of Excellence, was awarded to Westland Horticulture for its innovative Westland Multi-Planter, a product that impressed with its fresh approach to one of gardening's most familiar formats.

Reimagining the traditional growbag, the Multi-Planter offers three growing configurations in one versatile product. Gardeners can lay it flat for salads, herbs and shallow-rooted crops, turn it on its side for additional planting depth or stand it upright to accommodate longer-rooted crops such as carrots and potatoes.

Combining practical innovation with strong consumer appeal, the product demonstrates how thoughtful design can make gardening more accessible, flexible and rewarding, while offering retailers an exciting new proposition within an established category.

GCA Supplier of the Year Awards recognise outstanding service

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) Supplier of the Year Awards once again celebrated businesses demonstrating outstanding service, reliability and support to garden retailers.

Woodlodge Products retained its title in the Large Business category (turnover above £5 million within the UK garden retail sector), while Meadow View Stone also celebrated back-to-back success, securing the Small to Medium Business award (turnover below £5 million within the UK garden retail sector) for the second consecutive year.

Both wins underline the importance of strong supplier-retailer relationships and the vital role that consistent service, product quality and commercial support play in helping garden centres thrive.

Competition was strong across both categories, with Evergreen Garden Care, Smart Garden Products and Westland Horticulture joining Woodlodge on the Large Business shortlist, while Grass Gains and Greenkey Garden and Home were also recognised in the Small to Medium Business category.

Luxus Home and Garden celebrates export success

The Gardenex Export Achievement Award saw Strata Products shortlisted for its international growth in decorative planters, alongside SoilWorx for its success in exporting organic fertilisers. However, it was Luxus Home and Garden that took home the accolade, recognised for its international expansion and growing export success with its premium, sustainable teak outdoor furniture.

The award celebrates the ambition of British garden industry businesses successfully developing overseas opportunities and building their presence in international markets.

Love Logs recognised for sustainability innovation

Sustainability was another major theme of the evening, with Love Logs claiming the Sustainability Award for its British Hardwood Pellets.

Manufactured in the UK using 100% British hardwood, the pellets offer a domestically produced alternative for BBQs, smokers and pizza ovens, supported by a plastic-free packaging proposition.

Love Logs also secured the Outdoor Leisure category award, making it a particularly successful evening for the business.

Associate of the Year

Winner: Hornby George PR

The GIMA Associate of the Year Award, voted for by members, recognises the valuable contribution made by associate businesses supporting GIMA and the wider garden industry.  This year's finalists were MorePeople, Hornby George PR, CM Ventures and Honest Communications.

GIMA AWARDS 2026: PRODUCT AWARDS

Garden Care, Incorporating Seeds & Bulbs

Winner: Westland Horticulture - Westland Multi-Planter

Finalists: Westland Horticulture - Unwins Wildflower Seed Blends; Melcourt Industries Ltd - SylvaGrow® Indoor Range; Vitax - Vitax Clematis and Climber Feed; Grass Gains - Plant Gains Liquid & 6-Month Plant Feeds; Johnsons Lawn Seed / DLF Seeds - Ace Lawn.

About the winner: The Westland Multi-Planter takes the traditional growbag to a new level, offering three planting configurations in one convenient product. With growing depths ranging from 18cm to 37cm, it accommodates everything from herbs and salads to tomatoes, carrots and potatoes. Its versatility makes productive growing more accessible to gardeners with different spaces, experience levels and ambitions.

What the judges said: “A clever reinvention of a familiar product that solves a genuine growing challenge. The flexibility will appeal to gardeners with different spaces and needs, while giving retailers an easy-to-demonstrate product with excellent sales potential.”

Growing & Planting Equipment & Sundries

Winner:Fothergill's - Oh Sow Simple Self-Watering Grow Kits

Finalists: Greenkey Garden & Home Ltd - 10 Pot Micro Drip System with 10 Litre Water Bag; Treadstone Products - Orchard Sculpture Trellis; Elho BV - Vibes Fold Watering Can and Plant Mister.

About the winner: Combining stylish design with practical growing innovation, the Oh Sow Simple Self-Watering Grow Kits offer a convenient introduction to growing at home. Featuring attractive coloured glass mason jars and an integrated wicking system that draws moisture into the compost, the kits help maintain consistent watering while reducing the risk of over- or under-watering. Particularly suited to smaller living spaces, they offer an appealing gift proposition for beginners and experienced growers alike.

What the judges said: “This takes the guesswork out of watering and makes growing feel achievable for beginners. It’s attractive, simple to understand and well suited to gifting, which makes it a very strong retail proposition.”

Garden Tools & Machinery

Winner: Flymo - Flymo EasiHover 300 Lawnmower

Finalists: Grass Gains - Grass Gains WeedXtractor; Sumec UK/Yard Force UK - i600 iVISION Robotic Lawnmower; GARDENA UK - GARDENA Combisystem Levelling Rake.

About the winner: Flymo's EasiHover 300 brings a world-first innovation to lawn care, combining cordless hover mowing with grass collection. Building on more than six decades of hover technology, the new mower delivers greater freedom, manoeuvrability and convenience, alongside collect-and-compact functionality and space-saving storage. It represents an exciting evolution of an established and much-loved gardening format.

What the judges said: “A genuinely useful development of an iconic product. Combining cordless convenience with grass collection tackles two common frustrations, and the familiar brand gives retailers a compelling story to tell.”

Outdoor Leisure

Winner: Love Logs - British Hardwood Pellets

Finalists: HunterStoves - Pollen Hex Smokeless Fire Pit; Zest Outdoor Living - Terraza Outdoor Kitchen Island Set; Greenkey Garden & Home Ltd - LUXE LIVING Recycled Mats & Cushions.

About the winner: Love Logs British Hardwood Pellets offer a sustainable, UK-produced fuel option for BBQs, smokers and pizza ovens. Made entirely from British hardwood and presented in plastic-free packaging, the range supports domestic timber supply chains while creating a distinctive retail proposition within the growing outdoor cooking category.

What the judges said: “A strong combination of product quality, British sourcing and sustainability credentials. The environmental story is easy for shoppers to understand, and it offers retailers a point of difference in a growing outdoor cooking market.”

Garden Landscaping

Winner: Keter UK Ltd - Keter Garden Bar Shed

Finalists: Altico Garden Products - Granite Bench Collection, Curved & Straight; Sipcam Home & Garden - Block Blitz Gravel & Stone Cleaner & Restorer; Monty Miracle Ltd - Monty Miracle Outdoor Cleaner; Deco-Pak Ltd - Charred Wood Sleeper.

About the winner: Combining practical storage with outdoor entertaining, the Keter Garden Bar Shed transforms from a compact garden shed into a cabana-style bar in minutes. Offering generous serving and storage space, alongside provision for a mini-fridge and television, the design delivers a multifunctional solution for modern outdoor living. Its low-maintenance construction adds further appeal for consumers seeking style without the upkeep.

What the judges said: “A great example of getting more value from limited outdoor space. The dual-purpose design is practical, easy to visualise in use and taps into demand for flexible outdoor entertaining solutions.”

Gardening Clothing, Gifts & Other Retail Products

Winner: Burgon & Ball - Burgon & Ball RHS Gifts for Gardeners 'Woodland Wonders' Collection

Finalists: Ivyline - Teardrop Glass Lid Terrarium, TGLT25; Smart Garden Products Limited - BeeFlection Home & Garden Mirror Goldgris (50cm); Fallen Fruits Ltd - Sharpening Stones Set of 6.

About the winner: Drawing inspiration from the heritage artwork of the RHS Lindley Collections, Burgon & Ball's Woodland Wonders range combines beautiful design with practical gifting appeal. Reflecting the growing popularity of woodland-inspired gardens, the collection includes gardening accessories and lifestyle gifts, with prices starting at £7.99. The combination of RHS endorsement, accessible price points and distinctive styling offers strong potential for garden centre gift departments.

What the judges said: “Beautifully presented with a clear gifting opportunity. The RHS connection adds credibility, while the range of accessible price points gives garden centres real scope to encourage impulse and repeat purchases.”

Pet Care, Aquatics & Wild Bird Products

Winner: Elho BV - Cosy Bird House, Bird Feeder and Insect Hotel

Finalists: Thorncrest Limited - The Birdfy Nest Ebony; CJ Wildlife - Protector Nest Boxes; Henry Bell Ltd - Heritage Squirrel Defence Sunflower Hearts Feeder.

About the winner: Elho's Cosy collection brings contemporary design to wildlife care, offering a coordinated bird house, feeder and insect hotel designed to encourage biodiversity in gardens and outdoor spaces. With soft shapes and muted colours, the range combines practical habitat support with lifestyle-led aesthetics, creating an appealing proposition for consumers looking to make their gardens more wildlife-friendly without compromising on style.

What the judges said: “A well-considered range that makes supporting wildlife appealing to a wider audience. It combines a genuine purpose with contemporary design, creating an opportunity to attract shoppers who might not usually buy traditional wildlife products.”

Garden Lighting, Water Features & Décor

Winner: L V Bespoke - National Garden Scheme Collaboration, 3D Orb Garden Stake Collection

Finalists: L V Bespoke - Colourful Cluster of Three Garden Orbs, British Made; Woodlodge - Edwater Heritage Stone Blue Water Feature; The Solar Centre - Lavenham Solar Wall Light, 2 Pack; Altico Garden Products - Blair Rustic Brown Water Feature; Woodlodge - England Terracotta Pot Man.

About the winner: Created in collaboration with the National Garden Scheme, L V Bespoke's 3D Orb Garden Stake Collection combines distinctive decorative design with British craftsmanship and charitable purpose. Manufactured in Norfolk, the sculptural collection offers striking 360-degree visual appeal, premium durability and a meaningful story that helps connect consumers with the wider benefits of gardens and gardening.

What the judges said: “Distinctive design with a strong British-made and charitable story. It gives retailers something visually different and a clear conversation starter that should work particularly well as a statement purchase or gift.”

Decorative Pots & Planters

Winner: Elho BV - Colour Gradient Round Range

Finalists: Keter UK Ltd - Keter Tulip Screen Planter; Primeur Ltd - Tierra Verde Melody & Harmony Collections; Woodlodge - Strawberry House Planter 20cm; Woodlodge - Allium Planter Collection.

About the winner: Elho's Colour Gradient Round Range introduces a distinctive new aesthetic to decorative planters through an advanced injection moulding process that blends multiple colours within a single product. The resulting seamless gradient effect delivers contemporary visual appeal and creates a striking decorative statement for indoor planting, offering retailers an eye-catching addition to their planter ranges.

What the judges said: “The colour treatment makes this range stand out straight away. It offers shoppers something fresh in a competitive category and gives retailers a strong visual display opportunity with clear lifestyle appeal.”

GIMA AWARDS 2026: MARKETING AWARDS

Best Point of Sale Material

Winner: Meadow View Stone - Mediterranean Garden

Finalists: Deco-Pak Ltd - Gravel Glue™ 5L Outdoor Merchandiser; Treadstone Products - ClipGlove Ankle Boot Display Stand; STV International - Zero In Bug Bat POS Display and Retail Promotion; Westland Horticulture - Unwins Wildflowers Gondola POS Kit.

About the winner: Meadow View Stone's Mediterranean Garden display takes an immersive approach to garden centre merchandising, bringing together chippings, feature stones and planting in a fully styled outdoor setting. By showing how different landscaping products can work together in a real-life garden, the display helps consumers visualise their own outdoor transformations while encouraging complementary purchases across multiple product categories.

What the judges said: “This makes the products much easier to imagine in a real garden. By presenting a complete look rather than individual materials, it simplifies the buying decision and creates an obvious opportunity for linked sales.”

Best Marketing Campaign

Winner: FLYMO (Gardena) - 60 Years of Flymo: The Hunt for the UK's Oldest Flymo

Finalists: GARDENA UK - GARDENA Top of The Plots Campaign; Westland Horticulture - The Westland Garden Newspaper Campaign; RocketGro Ltd – ‘He Waits’ Advertising Campaign.

About the winner: Celebrating six decades of one of Britain's most recognisable gardening brands, Flymo's Hunt for the UK's Oldest Flymo campaign brought nostalgia, heritage and consumer engagement together. By inviting gardeners to rediscover their longstanding connections with the brand, the campaign created a compelling story around Flymo's history, encouraging participation, generating awareness and strengthening brand affinity across generations.

What the judges said: “A smart use of a much-loved brand’s heritage. The campaign gives people a reason to engage and share their own stories, delivering a memorable message with strong potential to build awareness and affection for Flymo.”

GIMA AWARDS 2026: SPECIAL AWARDS

Sustainability Award

Winner: Love Logs - British Hardwood Pellets

Finalists: Greenkey Garden & Home Ltd - Jute Gardening Range; Elho BV - Cosy Bird House, Bird Feeder and Insect Hotel; Elho BV - Colour Gradient Round Range.

About the winner: Manufactured entirely from British hardwood, Love Logs British Hardwood Pellets demonstrate how local sourcing and sustainable woodland management can support a more responsible outdoor leisure category. Produced in the UK and available in plastic-free packaging, the range supports domestic forestry and manufacturing while offering retailers a compelling sustainability story.

What the judges said: “Sustainability is built into the product rather than added as a marketing claim. British hardwood sourcing and plastic-free packaging offer a credible, easy-to-communicate proposition that makes commercial sense for retailers as well as consumers.”