Teams at Millbrook Garden Centres in both Gravesend and Staplehurst are celebrating this week after scooping awards at the Garden Centre Association (GCA) regional presentation evening on Tuesday, July 8th, 2024.
Millbrook Staplehurst retained its title as Local Garden Centre of the Year for the South East – for the second year running. The greencafé at Staplehurst also came out on top, winning Best Local Garden Centre Restaurant. Meanwhile, Millbrook Gravesend scooped first place in The Plantaria Award (for Best Outdoor Plant Area) and joint first for Best Indoor Plants Retailer. With a flurry of first and second place wins between the two centres, it was a successful evening for all the Millbrook team.
GCA inspections took place earlier this year at 59 garden centres across the South East, and the results were revealed on the night.
Members of the team were on hand to pick up the following list of awards for Millbrook:
Millbrook Staplehurst (Local Garden Centre Category)
- LOCAL GARDEN CENTRE OF THE YEAR
- 1st - Best Local Garden Centre Restaurant
- 1st - GIMA Award for Best Garden Products
- 1st - Best Outdoor Living Retailer
- 2nd – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer
- 2nd - Best Indoor Plants Retailer
Millbrook Gravesend (Garden Centre Category)
- 1st - Plantaria Award (Best Outdoor Plant Area)
- Joint 1st - Best Indoor Plants Retailer
- 2nd - Garden Centre of the Year
- 2nd - GIMA Award for Best Garden Products
- 3rd - Award for Environment and Sustainability
The outdoor plant areas at both centres were also nominated for the prestigious, national Ruxley Rose Award, which will be judged later this year.
GCA inspector, Alyson Haywood, was one of the team of inspectors who made unannounced visits to member garden centres in the South East across a 12-week period through spring and early summer.
Speaking at the event, she said: “We’ve had some great weather for the season and the sun shone while I travelled around the South East, which was an extra bonus after the exceptionally wet weather during the same period last year when I was judging.
“This time, all the centres were looking good in the glorious sunshine. I also saw some great examples of ingenuity and originality and some lovely plant ranges too.”
Millbrook Managing Director, Tammy Woodhouse, was delighted with the results of the 2025 regional awards.
“I’m feeling really delighted today about our achievements at the GCA South awards last night. The Millbrook name kept popping up in many of the categories, thanks to the hard work and dedication of our amazing team. A special well done to our Staplehurst centre who’ve won Best Local Garden Centre in the South East for the second year running. We're so proud of them all!”
