STAFF at garden centres across the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) Midlands, Wales & West region are celebrating after scooping awards during a presentation yesterday afternoon and evening at Gates Garden Centre in Hinckley (Thursday, July 16, 2026).

Garden Centre of the Year winners were Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category, Old Railway Line Garden Centre, Garden Centre (GC) category and Poundbury Gardens, Local Garden Centre (LGC).

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, said: “Our Midlands, Wales & West regional awards meeting was a fantastic celebration of the dedication, innovation and high standards shown by our member garden centres across the region. I’d like to thank everyone who attended, especially those who travelled by coach from Somerset to the Midlands. This was the second Area Awards Meeting where we arranged coach travel and it proved to be a great success.

“A huge thank you also goes to our wonderful hosts for the evening, the team at Gates Garden Centre in Hinckley, who gave us all such a warm welcome.

“It was also invaluable to hear feedback from our Inspector, Alyson Haywood, following her visits to centres across the area. Her insights will help members recognise the excellent work already being done, share praise with their teams and identify opportunities to continue improving.”

Alyson was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in the Midlands, Wales & West area across a 12-week period where he made unannounced visits.

She said: “It was a real pleasure to visit members across the Midlands, Wales & West region this year. Throughout my visits, I saw many excellent examples of best practice, with teams delivering the warm, knowledgeable and friendly customer service the region is known for. The centres were welcoming, engaging and enjoyable places to spend time, with strong plant quality and attractive stock displays evident throughout.

“As always, there are opportunities to build on these achievements and I know members will take on board the feedback shared and continue striving to raise standards even further.”

The full results, including runners up, where relevant, for the Midlands, Wales & West region GCA area awards are as follows for the DGC, GC and LGC categories:

Garden Centre of the Year:

DGC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Gates Garden Centre
  3. Webbs Garden Centre, Wychbold

GC

  1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  2. Pugh’s Radyr
  3. Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne

LGC

  1. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
  2. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton
  3. Webbs West Hagley

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer:

DGC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Gates Garden Centre
  3. Blue Diamond Garden Centre, East Bridgford

GC

  1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  2. Pugh’s Radyr
  3. St Peters Garden Centre

LGC

  1. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
  2. Webbs Garden Centre, West Hagley
  3. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton

The Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant:

DGC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Melbicks
  3. Webbs Garden Centre, Wychbold

GC

  1. Monkton Elm Garden Centre
  2. Old Railway Line Garden Centre, Raglan Garden Centre, Stratford Garden Centre and Byrkley Park Garden Centre – Klondyke – JOINT RUNNERS UP
  3. Hollybush Garden Centre and British Garden Centres, Rugby – JOINT THIRD PLACE

LGC

  1. Webbs Garden Centre, West Hagley
  2. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton
  3. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service:

DGC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Gates Garden Centre
  3. Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Cadbury

GC

  1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  2. Brimsmore Gardens – The Gardens Group
  3. Stratford Garden Centre

LGC

  1. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
  2. British Garden Centres, Bournville
  3. Plymouth Garden Centre

Clothing

DGC

  1. Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Cadbury and Gates Garden Centre – JOINT WINNERS
  2. Blue Diamond Garden Centre, East Bridgford and Blue Diamond Garden Centre, Endsleigh – JOINT RUNNERS UP
  3. Webbs of Wychbold

GC

  1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  2. Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne
  3. Byrkley Park Garden Centre – Klondyke and St Peters Garden Centre – JOINT THIRD PLACE

LGC

Please note there’s just one garden centre in this category.

  1. Plymouth Garden Centre

The Paul Cooling Award for Environment and Sustainability:

DGC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Gates Garden Centre
  3. Webbs of Wychbold

GC

  1. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group
  2. Brimsmore Gardens – The Gardens Group
  3. Old Railway Line Garden Centre

LGC

  1. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
  2. Webbs West Hagley
  3. RHS Rosemoor

Ian Boardman Award for Best Indoor Plants Retailer

DGC

  1. Webbs of Wychbold
  2. Blue Diamond Garden Centre, Cadbury
  3. Gates Garden Centre and Blue Diamond Garden Centre, East Bridgford – JOINT THIRD PLACE

GC

  1. Byrkley Park Garden Centre – Klondyke
  2. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  3. Pugh’s Radyr

LGC

  1. Webbs Garden Centre, West Hagley
  2. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton
  3. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre:

  1. British Garden Centres, Chilton
  2. Swarkenstone Nursery
  3. British Garden Centres, Rugby

Food Hall/Farm Shop Award

DGC

  1. Gates Garden Centre
  2. Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Cadbury
  3. Webbs of Wychbold

GC

  1. St Peters Garden Centre
  2. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  3. Warwick Garden Centre

LGC

Please note, there’s only one garden centre in this category.

  1. Webbs Garden Centre, West Hagley

Garden Construction

DGC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Webbs of Wychbold
  3. Gates Garden Centre, Woodlands/Hinckley

GC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Bretby
  2. Warwick Garden Centre
  3. Planters Garden Centre, Brookfield

LGC

  1. Webbs Garden Centre, West Hagley
  2. British Garden Centres, Bournville
  3. British Garden Centre, Studley

Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer:

DGC

  1. Gates Garden Centre
  2. Blue Diamond Garden Centres, East Bridgford
  3. Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Cadbury and Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Melbicks – JOINT THIRD PLACE

GC

  1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  2. Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne
  3. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group and Pugh’s Radyr – JOINT THIRD PLACE

LGC

  1. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
  2. Webbs Garden Centre, West Hagley
  3. RHS Rosemoor

Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer:

DGC

  1. Gates Garden Centre
  2. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  3. Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Melbicks

GC

  1. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group
  2. Bernaville Garden Centre, British Garden Centres, Rugby, Pugh’s Radyr and Warwick Garden Centre – JOINT SECOND PLACE
  3. Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne, Hollybush Garden Centre and Planters Garden Centre, Bretby – JOINT THIRD PLACE

LGC

  1. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group and Webbs Garden Centre, West Hagley – JOINT WINNERS
  2. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton
  3. British Garden Centres, Studley

Pots and Outdoor Ornamentation

DGC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Gates Garden Centre
  3. Webbs of Wychbold

GC

  1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre and Stratford Garden Centre – JOINT WINNERS
  2. Pugh’s Radyr
  3. St Peters Garden Centre

LGC

  1. Webbs Garden Centre, West Hagley
  2. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton
  3. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group

Plantaria (Ruxley Rose):

DGC

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Gates Garden Centre
  3. Blue Diamond Garden Centres, Sanders Garden World

GC

  1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  2. Warwick Garden Centre
  3. Castle Gardens – The Gardens Group

LGC

  1. Smith’s Garden Centre, Baginton
  2. Poundbury Gardens – The Gardens Group
  3. RHS Rosemoor

Aquatics and Pet Care  

DGC 

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  2. Percy Throwers
  3. Webbs of Wychbold

GC  

  1. Planters Garden Centre, Bretby
  2. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  3. Planters Garden Centre, Brookfield

LGC – please note there is only garden centre in this category

  1. Plymouth Garden Centre

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity:

  1. Old Railway Line Garden Centre
  2. Planters Garden Centre, Tamworth
  3. Pugh’s Radyr

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.

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