Ruxley Manor ended an 18 year duopoly between Bents and Barton Grange to win GCA Destination Garden Centre of the Year, presented at the 60th Anniversary GCA Conference held at Carden Park Hotel in Cheshire this evening.

Old Railway Line won the Garden Centre of the Year award, with Brimsmore, part of The Gardens Group, winning Local Garden Centre of the Year.

See GTN Xtra's photos from the 60th Anniversary GCA Annual Dinner and Awards, including Honorary GCA membership for Guy and Carol Topping, in the gallery below,

Champion of champions garden centres unveiled at GCA conference

The winners of the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) most prestigious awards including its Garden Centres of Excellence were announced at its annual conference yesterday (Tuesday, January 27, 2027).

The awards ceremony took place at the Carden Park Hotel, Cheshire, as part of the GCA’s 60^th anniversary year celebrations.

Chief Executive at the GCA, Peter Burks, says: “We had a wonderful evening celebrating the very best of our industry, crowning our overall Champion of Champions alongside our Garden Centres of Excellence winners. Each of them has been recognised for their outstanding dedication to delivering excellence, and they are truly deserving of these fantastic awards.

“We were also delighted to announce our Associate of the Year, as voted for by our member garden centres, and to present the Worrall Cup to the garden centre the judges felt delivered the strongest marketing entry.

“We had a great second day of Conference and I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to our sponsors for helping make it all possible. In particular, thank you to Taylors Bulbs for sponsoring the day, Bellis Brothers Farm Shop & Garden Centre for providing our lovely stage plants, Davidson Richards for keeping us well fuelled by sponsoring the morning tea and coffee break, Quinton Edwards for the Tuesday champagne reception, Bon Bon’s for the delicious after-dinner chocolates and Lyme Bay for the Gala Dinner wine.

“We’re very grateful to all our sponsors across the event including CSY Retail for our lanyards, Euro Plants UK Ltd for sponsoring our conference folders and pads, Clifton Coffee Roasters for our pens and Museums & Galleries for sponsoring our Associate’s Exhibition. Each played a vital role in ensuring our 60^th anniversary year was such a success – thank you all.”

The full list of winners announced on Tuesday, January 27 were:

Destination Garden Centre of the Year:

Winner

• Ruxley Manor Garden Centre

Second & third place winners

• Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree 
• Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill

Garden Centre of the Year:

Winner

• Old Railway Line Garden Centre

Second & third place winners

• Poplars Garden Centre
• Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne

Local Garden Centre of the Year:

Winner

• Brimsmore Gardens – The Gardens Group

Second & third place winners

• Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst
• Fairways Garden Centre, Macclesfield

Garden Centres of Excellence– (below is in alphabetical order not order of inspection scores):

1. Barton Grange Garden Centre
2. Bents Garden & Home
3. Coolings Nurseries
4. Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne
5. Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill
6. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
7. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
8. Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
9. Planters Tamworth
10. Poplars Garden centre

Associate of the Year (voted by GCA garden centre members):

Winner

• Woodlodge

Second & third place winners

• Smart Garden
• Allensmore Nurseries

The Worrall Cup:

Winner

• Bents Garden & Home

Second & third place winners

• British Garden Centres
• Gates Garden Centre

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.