GCA reveals 2025 South East region summer award winners

Teams from across the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) South East region are celebrating after scooping awards during a presentation evening held recently at Coolings Nurseries in Kent.

Garden Centre of the Year in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category was won by Ruxley Manor; the Garden Centre (GC) category award went to Coolings Nurseries; Local Garden Centre (LGC) to Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst.

The Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant winners were: DGC, Ruxley Manor Garden Centre; GC, Henry Street Garden Centre; LGC, Millbrook Garden Company, Staplehurst.

The Food Hall/Farm Shop Award winners were: DGC, Ruxley Manor Garden Centre; GC, Garsons Garden Centre, Titchfield.

Peter Burks, chief executive officer of the GCA, said: “We had a very jolly evening at our first summer awards session of the year. I’d like to thank everyone who came along. It was brilliant to welcome around 110 attendees to the event and to see them making lots of notes to share with their colleagues.”

Alyson Haywood was one of the team of inspectors who made unannounced visits to member garden centres in the South East area across a 12-week period through spring and early summer.

She said: “It was a pleasure once again to judge the South East region as part of the GCA inspections. We’ve had some great weather for the season and the sun shone while I travelled around the South East, which was an extra bonus after the exceptionally wet weather during the same period last year when I was judging.

“This time, all the centres were looking good in the glorious sunshine. I also saw some great examples of ingenuity and originality and some lovely plant ranges too.”

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