Two garden centre employees have been recognised as Candidates of the Year after successfully completing the Plant Care and Shop Care Training Awards.
More Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) member garden centres and retail nurseries than ever before put staff through the course in the first six months of this year.

Anne O'Hare, who works at Notcutts Booker Garden Centre, in Marlow, Bucks, was the winner of the Retail Plant Care Award, sponsored by Johnsons of Whixley, while Dawn Codgbrook, of Secretts Garden Centre, Milford, Surrey, won the Retail Shop Care Award.

Both win £500 to be spent on additional training, a horticultural study trip or relevant training materials to further their careers.

Anne has worked for Notcutts since 2001, while plant area manager, Dawn, has been employed by Secretts for over 20 years.

HTA director general, David Gwyther, said: " The Training Awards are essential to enable garden centres to get themselves ahead of diy sheds and supermarkets.

"Trained, knowledgeable and confident staff will more than pay back the cost of training by increasing customer confidence in their advice and ultimately driving sales."