The Garden Centre Association (GCA) says efforts to improve turnout at its regional meetings is paying off.
Five-hundred people turned out for the events in July, a 25% increase in the amount of attendees at meetings held during the same time last year (2013).

In July the GCA held meetings in locations across the country to announce the results of its annual inspections.
Said chief executive Iain Wylie: "It was a busy July for us with five area meetings taking place across the country.

"All of the meetings were exceptionally well attended. One of our aims has been to increase regional activity so it's fantastic to see so many of our members turn out.

"During the meetings we announced the results of our annual inspections and presented awards to those that came top in the various categories. There were also presentations given by the inspectors where they presented the findings from the area, highlighted best practice and new ideas."

The top scoring centres overall, nationally, in both the Destination Garden Centre and Garden Centre categories 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 in January 2015.