The Garden Centre Association has launched its annual Ruxley Rose competition, recognising excellent quality and range of plants, but with a new twist for 2013.
Said GCA chairman Peter Burks: "The Ruxley Rose competition focuses specifically on our members' outdoor plant areas and is regarded as one of our most prestigious awards.

"This year we have changed our judging criteria. Now 50% of the overall mark comes from the spring inspections, which have already taken place, and 50% will come from the judges' visit in autumn.

"There is a new form that will be used for the autumn inspection, which looks similar in style to the spring inspection form but it has a number of criteria that are unique to enable the judges to assess creativity and commerciality."

The judging begins in all areas in September. There will be one or two regional judges for each area and each judge will put forward two finalists, one in the Destination Garden Centre category and one in the Garden Centre category, to go through to the national final.

"Our members that reach the national final will then receive a second visit from the national judge. The overall winners for each category will be announced at our annual conference in January," Mr Burks added.

Judges will be looking at the quality, range and presentation of plants, layout and flow, merchandising and stock management, signage, point-of-sale material, promotions and staff interaction with customers.