The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has announced today (July 27, 2015) the names of the finalist garden centres in its re-vamped Ruxley Rose competition.
Instead of asking for entries this year, the garden centres with the top scores in the spring bedding and hardy nursery stock categories from the GCA’s spring inspections have now been put through for autumn judging.
Nationally the top 10 centres in both the Garden Centre and Destination Garden Centre categories, 20 in all, will be revisited in September.
Iain Wylie, GCA Chief Executive, said: “The finalists in our Garden Centre category, in no particular order, are: Fairways Garden Centre – Ashbourne, Evesham Garden Centre and Planters at Bretby in our Midlands region; Cowell’s Garden Centre in the North East and Sunshine Garden Centre and Squires Garden Centre, Stanmore, in our North Thames region and in Scotland, Mains of Drum Garden Centre, Brechin Castle Garden Centre, Garden Wise Plant & Garden Centre and Caulders.
“In the Destination Garden Centre category our finalists are: Planters Tamworth in the Midlands; Burston Garden Centre, Squires Garden Centre, Twickenham, Perrywood Garden Centre and Poplars Nursery Garden Centre in North Thames; Bents Garden & Home and Barton Grange Garden Centre in the North West; Simpsons Garden Centre and Raemoir Garden Centre in Scotland and Coolings Nurseries in our South Thames region.
“Congratulations to those garden centres and their teams and good luck and best wishes to them all for the next stage of the judging process.”
The GCA announced the changes to the arrangements for this particular national members’ competition in January.
Iain said: “We appreciate it’s not been easy for members to find the time to specifically enter this competition in the past due to the nature of the industry and its seasonality, linked to the timing of the entry submission we previously required.”
The GCA represents nearly 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.
Iain added: “Plants are still an essential part of our members’ offerings and takings and autumn is a key planting time.
“Our inspectors encourage garden centres to have living labels, to colour theme stock and to maximise on their plant expertise among many other things.”
For further information, please call 0118 930 8918. Alternatively, please visit www.gca.org.uk, log on to www.facebook.com/pages/GardenCentreAssociation or follow the organisation on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GC_Association.
