Another successful Garden Centre Association (GCA) conference and awards dinner saw staff from garden centres across the country celebrating, as they were named best in class and recognised for stand-out customer service, catering excellence, and catering and innovation.

Bents Garden & Home - last year's DIY WeekAwards Retailer of the Year - had a fantastic conference, bagging two awards, plus the coveted title of GCA Destination Garden Centre of the Year. Meanwhile, The Old Railway Line – another past winner at the DIY Week Awards – was named Garden Centre of the Year.

The awards were presented over the course of the GCA’s annual conference, which ran Monday, January 21-Tuesday, January 22 at Luton Hoo Hotel; culminating in its awards dinner on the Tuesday evening. 

The conference boasted a fantastic line-up of speakers, including retail consultant John Stanley, Ecochamber’s Matthew Brown, broadcaster and journalist Tanya Beckett, and rugby legend Sir Clive Woodward. Read a full report on the conference in the February 8 issue of DIY Week.

GCA chief executive Iain Wylie said: “Once again the dedication and hard work of our member garden centres has shone through and they are running to the very highest of standards in the industry. I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of them as they are extremely deserving of their awards.”

Awards announced on the first day 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 – Garden Wise, Dumfries 
• Ruxley Rose (Garden Centre category) – Cowell’s Garden Centre
• Ruxley Rose (Destination Garden Centre category) – Perrywood Garden Centre & Nurseries
• Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Creativity and Innovation – Bents Garden & Home

• Customer Service Award – Best Customer Service – Perrywood Garden Centre & Nurseries

• The Indoor Lifestyle Award – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer (Garden Centre category) – Bridgford Garden Centre
• The Indoor Lifestyle Award – Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer (Destination Garden Centre category) – Bents Garden and Home

• The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer (Garden Centre category) – Bridgford Garden Centre

• The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer (Destination Garden Centre category) – Haskins Garden Centre, Ferndown
• Dick Allen Award (Most Improved Garden Centre) – RHS Rosemoor Plant Centre and Shop
• The ifse Award for Catering Excellence – Best Garden Centre Restaurant (Garden Centre Category) – Fron Goch Garden Centre
• The ifse Award for Catering Excellence – Best Garden Centre Restaurant (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Poplars Garden Centre
• Weber Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer (Garden Centre Category) – Bridgford Garden Centre
• Weber Outdoor Living Award – Best Outdoor Living Retailer (Destination Garden Centre Category) – Poplars Garden Centre and Barton Grange Garden Centre

During proceedings the GCA also revealed its 10 Garden Centres of Excellence, along with other awards presented during a ceremony hosted by rugby ace and Celebrity Masterchef winner Phil Vickery.

The top 10 centres of Excellence in alphabetical order were:

1. Aylett Nurseries Ltd
2. Barton Grange Garden Centre
3. Bents Garden & Home
4. Burston Rose and Garden Centre
5. Haskins Garden Centre – Roundstone
6. Haskins Garden Centre – Snowhill
7. The Old Railway Line Garden Centre
8. Perrywood Garden Centre & Nurseries
9. Poplars Garden Centre
10. Stewarts Garden Centre – Christchurch.

Other accolades presented during the awards evening included:

• Associate of the Year - Smart Garden Products

• GCA GROW Training Award - Meadow Croft Garden Centre

• The Worrall Cup (award for Best marketing campaign or initiative) - Haskins Garden Centre for its ‘Big Reindeer Giveaway’.

• Garden Centre of the Year - The Old Railway Line Garden Centre

• Destination Garden Centre of the Year - Bents Garden & Home

GCA’s Iain Wylie added: “I’d like to say a huge congratulations to all of our ‘Garden Centres of Excellence’ winners. They have all shown immense dedication, hard work and enthusiasm and are a real credit to the horticultural industry.”