GARDEN centre teams from across the country are celebrating after receiving awards at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual conference in the Cotswolds yesterday (Monday, January 29, 2024).

The awards were presented to the member garden centres during a ceremony at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester, Gloucestershire.

GCA Chief Executive, Peter Burks said: “The commitment and hard work our member garden centres put in each year just gets better and better. Through our annual inspections and awards, we know our members have some of the highest standards in our industry.

“They should all be proud of the example they set to others. I’d like to congratulate all our worthy winners this year for their dedication to ensuring the public receives an experience to remember when visiting them. I would also like to thank all our award sponsors in each category for supporting us this year, to Hozelock our sponsors for today’s conference and to our headline sponsors Evergreen Garden Care and Westland Horticulture and secondary main sponsor Smart Garden Products too.”

The full list of winners (see GTN Xtra's photos in the gallery below) announced on Monday, January 29 were:

GCA GROW Training Award

• GCA GROW Training Award – Bosworths Garden Centre, Burton Latimer

 Dick Allen Award (Most Improved Garden Centre)

Winner

 Dick Allen Award (Most Improved Garden Centre) – Thompson Plants and Garden Welling

Second & third place winners

• British Garden Centres, Arcadia
• Klondyke Beverley Garden Centre

Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Creativity and Innovation

Winner

 Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Creativity and Innovation – Bents Garden & Home

Second & third place winners 

• Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
• Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree 

Customer Service Award – Best Customer Service – sponsored by Worldpay

Winner 

• The Old Railway Line Garden Centre

Second & third place winners

• Aylett Nurseries
• Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre 

Paul Cooling Environment and Sustainability Award sponsored by Wildlife World

Winner

• Millbrook Garden Company, Gravesend

Second & third place winners

• The Old Railway Line Garden Centre
• Ruxley Manor Garden Centre

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer

Winners 

• The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Bents Garden and Home
• The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer (Garden Centre Category) – Klondyke Garden Wise, Dumfries

Second & third place winners

Destination Garden Centre Category

• Barton Grange Garden Centre
• Stewarts Garden Centre, Christchurch 

Garden Centre Category 

• Klondyke Astbury Meadow Garden Centre
• Tarporley Garden Centre, British Garden Centres 

The Indoor Lifestyle Award – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer sponsored by Merzario

Winners 

• The Indoor Lifestyle Award – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree 

• The Indoor Lifestyle Award – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer (Garden Centre Category) – Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury  

Second & third place winners

Destination Garden Centre Category

• Gordale Garden Centre
• Bents Garden and Home 

Garden Centre Category 

• Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe and RHS Bridgewater =
• Creative Gardens, Logwood 

The Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer – sponsored by Woodlodge

Winners

• The Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Garsons Garden Centre, Esher  
• The Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer (Garden Centre Category) – Canterbury Garden Centre 

Second & third place winners

Destination Garden Centre Category 

• Bents Garden and Home
• Ruxley Manor Garden Centre and Hayes Garden World =  

Garden Centre Category 

• Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne
• Klondyke Garforth Garden Centre, Stanway Garden Centre, Ramsgate Garden Centre – British Garden Centres, Squires Garden Centre, Frensham, Squires Garden Centre, Woking, Squires Garden Centre, Washington = 

NEW for 2024 – Ian Boardman Indoor Plants Cup

Winners

• Ian Boardman Indoor Plants Cup (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Cowell’s Garden Centre
• Ian Boardman Indoor Plants Cup (Garden Centre Category) – Knights Plant Centre, Betchworth and Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe = 

Second & third place winners

Destination Garden Centre Category 

• Webbs of Wychbold and Ransoms Garden Centre =
• Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree and Hayes Garden Centre = 

Garden Centre Category 

• Klondyke Garden Wise, Dumfries
• Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne 

NEW for 2024 – Best Food Hall/Farm Shop Award

Winners

• Best Food Hall/Farm Shop Award (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Bellis Brothers Farm Shop & Garden Centre
• Best Food Hall/Farm Shop Award (Garden Centre Category) – Squires Garden Centre, Frensham 

Second & third place winners

Destination Garden Centre Category 

• Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
• Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre 

Garden Centre Category 

• Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe
• Klondyke Beverley Garden Centre

Catering Award sponsored by Clifton Coffee Roasters

Winners

• Catering Award (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
• Catering Award(Garden Centre Category) – Knights Plant Centre, Betchworth

Second & third place winners

Destination Garden Centre Category 

• Bents Garden and Home and Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill =
• Polhill Garden Centre, Henry Street Garden Centre and Stewarts Garden Centre, Christchurch = 

Garden Centre Category 

• Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe and Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne =
• Klondyke Mayfield Garden Centre 

Ruxley Rose Award for Best Overall Plantaria sponsored by Wyevale Nurseries

Winners 

• Ruxley Rose (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Cowell’s Garden Centre
• Ruxley Rose (Garden Centre Category) – Squires Garden Centre, Hersham 

Second & third place winners

Destination Garden Centre Category 

• Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree 
• Aylett Nurseries 

Garden Centre Category

• Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury  
• Squires Garden Centre, Woking 

Christmas Competition sponsored by Gisela Graham

Winners                                                               

• Christmas Competition (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Garsons Garden Centre, Esher
• Christmas Competition (Garden Centre Category) – Castle Gardens, part of The Gardens Group

Second & third place winners

Destination Garden Centre Category

• Barton Grange Garden Centre
• Gates Garden Centre

 Garden Centre Category 

• Brimsmore Gardens, part of the Gardens Group
• Pugh’s Garden Village Wenvoe

Westland Horticulture sponsored Rising Stars winner

Haydon Walters – Thatcham Garden Centre (British Garden Centres).

The GCA represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide.

Through sharing information and its inspection programme the GCA helps members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability.

For further information, please visit www.gca.org.uk.