DIYWEEK.net

The Garden Centre Association (GCA) has revealed the names of the two winning garden centres for its Christmas display competition.
Castle Gardens in Sherborne, Dorset, which is part of The Gardens Group, is the winner of the garden centre category and Bents Garden & Home in Cheshire is the winner in the destination garden centre category.

The two centres will be officially named at the GCA annual conference in January. The announcement follows the news of the regional winners of the Christmas display competition that have already been revealed.

The results are as follows for the destination garden centre (DGC) and garden centre (GC) categories: Bents (DGC) in Cheshire and All in One Garden Centre (GC) in Manchester came top in the north west. Ransoms Garden Centre (DGC), Jersey Gardens (GC) and Castle Gardens (GC) were the winners in the south Thames region.

Meanwhile in the Wales and west area, Endsleigh (DGC) in Devon and Raglan Garden Centre (GC) in Wales are in pole position with Van Hage Great Amwell (DGC) in Hertfordshire and Sunshine Garden Centre in London coming out top in the north Thames region.

In the north east, Armitage's Pennine Garden Centre (DGC) and Armitage's (GC) Birchencliffe Garden Centre both in west Yorkshire came first and in the midlands the winners were Van Hage Peterborough (DGC) in Cambridgeshire and St Peters Garden Centre (GC) in Worcestershire.

GCA chairman Peter Burks said: "We continue to be amazed by how our members raise the standards of their Christmas displays; this year's competition was fiercer than ever. Congratulations to all our winners.

"The garden centres are judged on the innovation, inspiration and excitement created from the way their Christmas products are displayed," he added. "The range of products available, accessibility, how easy it is for customers to find and select products and 'wow factor' are also taken into consideration.

"We will be announcing the overall winners and they will then receive their prizes at the GCA annual conference, which takes place at the Hilton Blackpool Hotel in Blackpool from January 26 until 29."