Simpsons, Mains of Drum and Donaghadee have scooped been named as the top centres in the Garden Centre Association’s Scotland and Northern Ireland regional awards.

In Scotland, Simpsons Garden Centre (below) was awarded title of Garden Centre of the Year in the destination garden centre (DGC) category and Mains of Drum Garden Centre (above) in the garden centre (GC) category. In Northern Ireland, Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC) received the accolade. Both are pictured with GCA inspector Jane Lawler (centre).

The winners were announced at an awards evening hosted by Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre

Simpsons Garden Centre also won the Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity, the GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer (DGC), the ifse Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant (DGC) and the Best Outdoor Living Retailer and Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer in the DGC category.

Andrew Simpson, drector at Simpsons, said: “These awards not only recognise everyone's constant and consistent striving towards high standards and customer service, but also shows that we are pushing to motivate and excite our customers with great displays, quality products and ideas throughout the year.

"The GCA inspections are a great way for us all to improve across the board year on year."

Creative Gardens' Donaghadee, Galgorm Castle and Bushmills centres all won awards.

Philip Gass, director at Creative Gardens, said: "We are proud members of the GCA and the teams at each centre work hard to impress not only our customers, but the GCA judges every year!

"It's great to see all three of our centres ranking so highly compared to so many great centres across the whole of the UK - it's a great boost to everyone at Creative Gardens."

GCA inspector, Jane Lawler, was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

She said: "It was a great pleasure to visit all the Scotland and Northern Ireland GCA members and I was very fortunate to see them all in beautiful spring weather when they were really at their best.

“The retail standards were excellent and the majority of centres I inspected in the region received higher scores than last year which demonstrates their continuous development. My sincere congratulations go to all the winners.”

The overall national winners of Garden Centre of the Year and Destination Garden Centre of the Year will be announced at the GCA annual conference in Bristol in January 2020.

The full results for Scotland and Northern Ireland GCA area awards are as follows for the GC and DGC categories:

SCOTLAND

Garden Centre of the Year: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and The Mains of Drum Garden Centre (GC)

Best Customer Service: The Mains of Drum Garden Centre

Environment and Community Award: Garden Wise - Dumfries

The Barton Grange Trophy for Innovation and Creativity: Simpsons Garden Centre

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Raemoir Garden Centre

The ifse Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Glendoick Garden Centre (GC)

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and The Mains of Drum Garden Centre (GC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and Glendoick Garden Centre (GC)

Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Simpsons Garden Centre (DGC) and The Mains of Drum Garden Centre (GC)

NORTHERN IRELAND

Garden Centre of the Year: Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC)

Best Customer Service: Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle

Environment and Community Award: Creative Gardens Donaghadee

The Barton Grange Trophy for Innovation and Creativity: Creative Gardens Donaghadee

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre: Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle

The ifse Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant: Joint winners Creative Gardens Galgorm Castle (GC) and Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC)

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer: Creative Gardens Bushmills (GC)

Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer: Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC)

Best Outdoor Living Retailer: Creative Gardens Donaghadee (GC)

The GCA represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide.