GCA Hosts Virtual Awards Ceremony

GARDEN centre staff across the country are celebrating after receiving awards at a virtual presentation day held by the Garden Centre Association (GCA) yesterday (Tuesday, February 15, 2022).

The live streamed event looked back on best practice in 2021 and included a pre-season inspection area presentation.

Iain Wylie, Chief Executive of the GCA, said: “Following the understandable decision to cancel the January conference, we felt it was important to still share our experiences and celebrate our members’ achievements of 2021.

“It was great to see so many faces, albeit virtually, tuning into our inspection round-up highlighting the best of garden centre retailing seen by our team of inspectors in 2021.

“We also announced the winners of our Christmas and Ruxley Rose competitions and our garden centre awards, followed by our pre-season inspection presentation to help centres prepare for spring 2022. This was presented by the four 2022 inspectors.

“I’d like to congratulate all of our award winners as they are extremely deserving and are a shining example to others.” 

The GCA represents nearly 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. 

The full list of winners announced were:

• Christmas Competition (Garden Centre category) sponsored by Gisela Graham – Castle Gardens
• Christmas Competition (Destination Garden Centre category) sponsored by Gisela Graham – Barton Grange Garden Centre
  
  
• Environment and Community Award – Coolings Nurseries 

• Ruxley Rose (Garden Centre category) – Cowell’s Garden Centre
• Ruxley Rose (Destination Garden Centre category) – Barton Grange Garden Centre

• Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Creativity and Innovation – Barton Grange Garden Centre

• Customer Service Award – Best Customer Service – The Old Railway Line Garden Centre

• The Indoor Lifestyle Award – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer (Garden Centre category) – RHS Harlow Carr Plant Centre & Gift Shop
• The Indoor Lifestyle Award – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer (Destination Garden Centre category) – Barton Grange Garden Centre

• The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer (Garden Centre category) – Klondyke Group – Garden Wise

• The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer (Destination Garden Centre category) – Perrywood Garden Centre – Tiptree 

• Dick Allen Award (Most Improved Garden Centre) – Hillier Garden Centre – Eastbourne 

• The Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer (Garden Centre Category) – Klondyke Group – Stokesley Garden Centre
• The Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Fron Goch Garden Centre

• GCA Grow Training Award – Blackbrooks Garden Centre.

Garden Centres of Excellence: 

• Barton Grange Garden Centre
• Bents Garden & Home
• Cowell’s Garden Centre
• Fron Goch Garden Centre
• Haskins Garden Centre – Snowhill
• Perrywood Garden Centre – Tiptree
• Planters Garden Centre - Tamworth
• St Peters Garden Centre
• The Old Railway Line Garden Centre
• Webbs of Wychbold. 

Associate of the Year:

• Allensmore Nurseries

The Worrall Cup: 

• St Peters Garden Centre

Garden Centre of the Year:

• The Old Railway Line Garden Centre

Destination Garden Centre of the Year:

• Barton Grange Garden Centre. 

For further details about the GCA, please call 01244 952170. Alternatively, please visit www.gca.org.uk.

Source : Garden Centre Association

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