A LEADING UK commercial grower has been unveiled this month as the sponsor for the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) annual Ruxley Rose Award (December 2023).

The garden centre with the best overall plantaria will be presented with the accolade at the GCA’s 2024 annual conference in January.

Managing Director, Andy Johnson says: “As a keen GCA Associate Member and a key supplier to garden centres nationwide, we’re delighted to be sponsoring this prestigious award, which highlights not just garden centres with top quality, interesting plants, but those who take the trouble to display them well, to use good signage and information, to support and train knowledgeable staff, who are passionate about plants, and offer engaging and excellent customer care to those that need their advice and assistance.

“Our garden centre commercial sales team are looking forward to seeing everyone at the conference in the Cotswolds in January. We’d like to wish all the garden centres eligible to be entered good luck. We can’t wait to see who wins and to present their award to them. The GCA conference promises to be another great event this year.”

For the first time ever this summer (July 2023), the GCA announced its regional Best Plantaria award winners at its annual Area Award Events. They were:

South Thames

Joint DGC winners were Coolings Nurseries and Newbridge Nurseries (Destination Garden Centre) and Thompson Plants and Garden Welling (Garden Centre).

Midlands

Pacific Nurseries (DGC) and Fairways Garden Centre, Ashbourne (GC).

North East

Cowell’s Garden Centre (DGC) and Langlands Garden Centre, Leeds (GC).

North West

Fron Goch Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Lady Green Garden Centre (GC).

Scotland

Klondyke Mortonhall Garden Centre (DGC) and Klondyke Livingston Garden Centre (GC).

Northern Ireland

Creative Gardens Bushmills (GC)

North Thames

Perrywood, Tiptree (DGC) and Perrywood, Sudbury (GC).

Wales & West 

The Old Railway Line Garden Centre (DGC) and Orchard Park Garden Centre (GC).

After these were announced, the top 10 highest scorers from across the country received a second visit from GCA inspector Alyson Haywood to determine the winner of the overall Ruxley Rose competition, which will be announced at January’s conference.

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, says: “It’s brilliant to have this sort of support from such a key player in the industry when it comes to plants. Wyevale Nurseries is well respected and highly valued by our members and is known to have very high standards in propagation, innovation, plant care and biosecurity.

“The company was voted as our Associate Member of the Year for 2022 by members at the 2023 conference and was presented with the Haskins Stewarts Cup for its contribution to the success of our sector.”

The GCA’s 2024 annual conference will be held at the De Vere Cotswold Water Park Hotel near Cirencester, Gloucestershire from January 28 until 31, 2024 and places can be booked via the organisation’s member area on its website www.gca.org.uk.

Wyevale Nurseries’ product selection is admired across the industry and the talented team regularly introduces new, award-winning plant varieties.

Its main business is to supply garden centres, landscape contractors, local authorities, foresters and landowners with a comprehensive array of trees, shrubs, hedging, herbaceous and specimen plants.

For further details about Wyevale Nurseries, please call 01432 845 200 or visit www.wyevalenurseries.co.uk.