The Ruxley Rose award focuses on GCA members’ outdoor plant areas and recognises excellent quality and range of plants.
Peter Burks, Chairman of the GCA, explained: “We’d like to say huge congratulations to our Ruxley Rose regional winners, the standard this year was really high. The South Thames winners were Coolings The Gardener’s Garden Centre in Kent in the Destination Garden Centre category (DGC) and Squires Hersham Garden Centre in Surrey in the Garden Centre category (GC).
“In Wales and the West, Trelawney Garden Centre in Wadebridge, Cornwall (DGC) and The Old Railway Line Garden Centre in Powys (GC) came top. Van Hage Great Amwell in Ware, Hertfordshire (DGC) won in North Thames.
“Van Hage Peterbrough in Cambridgeshire (DGC) and Planters Tamworth in Staffordshire (GC) are the Midlands winners, Armitages Pennine in Huddersfield (DGC) and Cowell’s Garden Centre in Newcastle-upon-Tyne (GC) are the North East winners and Barton Grange in Lancashire (DGC) and Lady Green Garden Centre in Merseyside (GC) are the North West winners.”
The Ruxley Rose competition focuses specifically on GCA members’ outdoor plant areas and is regarded as one of the most prestigious awards.
Peter added: “This year our judging criteria was different, with 50% of the overall mark coming from the spring inspections, which happened earlier this year and 50% from the recent visit.
“A new form was used for the autumn inspections, which looks similar in style to the spring inspection form but it had a number of criteria that were unique to enable the judges to assess creativity and commerciality.
“The top scorers from our regional winners will now be judged nationally by Roger Crookes and the national winners in both the DGC and GC categories will be announced at our conference in January.”
