Four garden centres are today celebrating top wins after the Garden Centre Association (GCA) revealed its 2014 award winners for the north east and north west regions at a special presentation last night.
A host of other garden centres were also recognised in the awards, which are decided by the results of the unannounced annual inspections, which take place at all GCA garden centres.
Cowell's was named Best Garden Centre and Armitage's Pennine Garden Centre Best Destination Garden Centre in the north east. Burleydam scooped Best Garden Centre and Barton Grange Best Destination Garden Centre in the north west.
The Best Garden Centre and Best Destination Garden Centre awards go to the members that score the highest overall mark in the area in the inspections.
The other Garden Centre (GC) and Destination Garden Centre (DGC) results for the two regions are:
North east
Best Customer Service: Armitage's Pennine Garden Centre
Best Environment and Community: Harlow Carr Plant Centre and Gift Shop
Best Creativity and Innovation: Cowell's Garden Centre
Most Improved: Harlow Carr Plant Centre and Gift Shop
Best Plant Area: Cowell's Garden Centre (GC) and Armitage's Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)
Best Restaurant: Armitage's Birchencliffe Garden Centre (GC) and Armitage's Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)
Garden Products Retailer: Cowell's Garden Centre (GC) and Langlands Garden Centre - Shiptonthorpe (DGC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle: Harlow Carr Plant Centre and Gift Shop (GC) and Armitage's Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)
Best Outdoor Living: The Klondyke Group - Beverley Garden Centre (GC) and Armitage's Pennine Garden Centre (DGC)
North west
Best Customer Service: Barton Grange Garden Centre
Best Environment and Community: Barton Grange Garden Centre
Best Creativity and Innovation: Barton Grange Garden Centre
Most Improved: Bridgemere Garden World
Best Plant Area: All-in-One Garden Centre (GC) and Bents Garden & Home (DGC)
Best Restaurant: Fron Goch Garden Centre and Bents Garden & Home (DGC)
Garden Products Retailer: Klondyke Group - Lady Green Garden Centre (GC) and Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC)
Best Indoor Lifestyle: Fairways Garden Centre - Macclesfield (GC) and Barton Grange Garden Centre (DGC)
Best Outdoor Living: Moreton Park Garden Centre (GC) and Klondyke Group - Houghton Hall Garden Centre (DGC)
The top-scoring centres nationally will be re-inspected before the titles of Garden Centre of the Year and Destination Garden Centre of the Year are announced at the GCA annual conference next January.
Said GCA chief executive Iain Wylie: "There are more award events in other regions taking place this and next week and we're really looking forward to these too and will be releasing winners' details after the events."