TEAMS at garden centres across the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) South East area are celebrating after scooping awards during a presentation evening yesterday at Haskins Garden Centre Snowhill (Thursday, July 11, 2024).
Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category was Ruxley Manor, the Garden Centre (GC) category award went to Ransoms Garden Centre and Local Garden Centre (LGC) to Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst.
GCA CEO, Peter Burks said: “Our South East area awards meeting was a great success and I’d like to thank everyone who came out for the evening. It was fantastic to see 118 attendees all actively engaged in the presentations and taking down lots of notes to share with the rest of their teams afterwards.
“I’d like to congratulate all our very worthy winners and say a big ‘thank you’ to everyone at Haskins Snowhill for being such wonderful hosts and to our Inspector Alyson Haywood for visiting the centres and presenting her inspection findings in such an engaging way.”
Alyson made unannounced visits to 59 member garden centres in the South East area across a 12-week period.
She said: “It was a pleasure to judge the South East region for the GCA inspections. After the great turnout at our pre-inspection meeting, I was excited to visit all the member centres.
“Although the ‘normal’ weather for the season did not make much of an appearance whilst I was on my travels in the South East, or indeed anywhere else in the country at the time, I’m pleased to say the staff at each garden centre were all very upbeat.
“The centres were looking good with some great examples of creativity and innovation and some super plant ranges too. I thoroughly enjoyed all my visits this year.”
The full results, including runners up, where relevant, for the South East region GCA area awards are as follows for the DGC, GC and LGC categories:
Garden Centre of the Year:
DCG
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill
Garsons Garden Centre,Titchfield
GC
Ransoms Garden Centre
Squires Garden Centre, Hersham
Millbrook Garden Company, Gravesend
LGC
Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst
Coolings Wych Cross
Squires Garden Centre, Reigate
The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity:
Ransoms Garden Centre
Garsons Garden Centre, Titchfield
Squires Garden Centre, Woking
The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre:
Squires Garden Centre, Hersham
Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service:
Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst
Garsons Garden Centre, Titchfield
Squires Garden Centre, Milford
The Paul Cooling Award for Environment and Sustainability:
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
Millbrook Garden Company, Gravesend
Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst
The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer:
DGC
Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill
Haskins Garden Centre, Ferndown
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
GC
Millbrook Garden Company, Gravesend
Hillier Garden Centre, Newbury
Squires Garden Centre, Hersham
LGC
Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst
Squires Garden Centre, Reigate
Coolings Wych Cross
The Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant:
DGC
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill
Chessington Garden Centre
GC
Ransoms Garden Centre
Hillier Garden Centre, Three Legged Cross
Hillier Garden Centre, Aldermaston
LGC
Knights Plant Centre, Betchworth
Squires Garden Centre, Crawley
Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst
Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer:
DGC
Garsons Garden Centre, Titchfield
Garsons Garden Centre, Esher
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
GC
Ransoms Garden Centre
Squires Garden Centre, Hersham
Hillier Garden Centre, Newbury
LGC
Squires Garden Centre, Reigate
Squires Garden Centre, Crawley
Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst
Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer:
DGC
Garsons Garden Centre, Esher
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
RHS Wisley
GC
Squires Garden Centre, Woking
Squires Garden Centre, Wokingham
Ransoms Garden Centre
LGC
Knights Plant Centre, Betchworth
Squires Garden Centre, Reigate
Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst
Ian Boardman Award for Best Indoor Plants Retailer
DGC
Squires Garden Centre, Badshot Lea/Haskins Garden Centre Snowhill – JOINT WINNERS
RHS Wisley/Newbridge Nurseries – JOINT WINNERS
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre/ Stewarts Garden Centre, Christchurch – JOINT WINNERS
GC
Ransoms Garden Centre
Coolings Nurseries
Squires Garden Centre, Hersham/Hilliers Garden Centre, Newbury – JOINT WINNERS
LGC
Knights Plant Centre, Betchworth
Coolings Garden Centre (Lifestyle)
Squires Garden Centre, Reigate/Coolings Wych Cross/ Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst – JOINT WINNERS
Plantaria (Ruxley Rose):
DGC
RHS Wisley
Newbridge Garden Centre – Blue Diamond
Haskins Garden Centre, Snowhill
GC
Squires Garden Centre, Hersham
Squires Garden Centre, Woking
Coolings Nurseries
LGC
Thompson’s Welling and Thompson’s Newchurch – JOINT WINNERS
Coolings Wych Cross
Knights Plant Centre, Betchworth
Food Hall/Farm Shop Award
DGC
Garsons Garden Centre, Esher
Garsons Garden Centre, Titchfield
Ruxley Manor Garden Centre
GC
Hillier Garden Centre, Aldermaston, Hillier Garden Centre, Newbury/Millbrook Garden Company, Gravesend – JOINT WINNERS
Squires Garden Centre, Frensham
Blackbrooks Garden Centre/Hillier Garden Centre, Weyhill – JOINT WINNERS
LGC
Coolings Garden Centre (Lifestyle) – only centre in this category.
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.
