Brimsmore Gardens in Yeovil has been named Local Garden Centre of the Year at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) 60th annual conference.

Part of The Gardens Group, Brimsmore Gardens was presented with the award on Tuesday 27 January at Carden Park Hotel in Cheshire, during a Champion of Champions awards ceremony, which celebrated the very best in the industry.

Following a year that saw the garden centre build upon its sustainability initiatives, such as introducing solar panels, biomass heaters and rainwater harvesting, Brimsmore Gardens was recognised on a national scale for its outstanding dedication to delivering excellence. As well as achieving the highest score in the Local Garden Centre Category across the whole of the UK, it also came 15th out of all of the garden centres in the country, including the larger destination garden centres.

Karen Hillard, manager of Brimsmore Gardens, commented: “The whole team works incredibly hard to create a warm and inviting space for gardeners of all ages and abilities to visit, while also striving to minimise our own impact on the environment. To have this hard work and dedication recognised on a national scale is just brilliant, and is an achievement that we can all be proud of. We will display our trophy with enormous pride in the garden centre, and it will provide further motivation for us to continue demonstrating how gardening can be a force for good when it comes to both people and planet.”

Brimsmore Gardens was also presented with another highly coveted trophy at the GCA Annual Conference, after taking the top title in the Christmas Display Competition in Local Garden Centre Category during December, while Castle Gardens in Sherborne and Brimsmore Gardens took second and third place respectively for the Paul Cooling Environment and Sustainability Award.

In the Local Garden Centre Category, Brimsmore Gardens also took the top award for Best Farm Shop / Food Hall and came second for Catering, the Ian Boardman Indoor Plants Cup and The Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer. In addition, Poundbury Gardens near Dorchester came third in the Local Garden Centre Category for the Ian Boardman Indoor Plants Cup and The Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer, meaning all three of The Gardens Group’s garden centres went home with a host of hard-earned accolades.