Perrywood Tiptree, Poplars and Pennells named GCA summer 2025 East region winners

Garden centre staff throughout the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) East region are celebrating today after picking up awards at a presentation at British Garden Centres, Northampton yesterday evening (Thursday, July 17, 2025).

The Garden Centre of the Year winners were Perrywood Tiptree (below) in the Destination Garden Centre (DGC) category, Poplars (top) in the Garden Centre (GC) category and Pennells Grimsby for the Local Garden Centre (LGC).

Peter Burks, GCA CEO, said: “Our East regional awards meeting was highly informative and brilliant fun. It was lovely to see so many people there. I’d like to thank all our member garden centres and their teams who attended.

“We’re very grateful to our excellent hosts for the afternoon and evening – the team at British Garden Centres, Northampton. We all received a brilliant warm welcome from them and we’re very grateful for their hospitality.

“We’re also very grateful to our Inspector, Colin Farquahar for his presentation and very useful insights discovered during his visits to this area’s centres. Members were taking down his invaluable insights so they could chat them over with their teams back at their centres.”

Colin was responsible for inspecting member garden centres in the East area across a 12-week period where he made unannounced visits.

He explained: “I was delighted this year to get the East region to inspect. Each centre showed off plenty of good practice, as well as offering quality plants and gardening and lifestyle products that were displayed well. This was all enhanced by good customer service. Every member should be proud of their 2025 results.”

The full results, including runners up, where relevant, for the East region GCA area awards are as follows for the DGC, GC and LGC categories:

Garden Centre of the Year:

DCG

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
2. Scotsdales Garden Centre
3. Blue Diamond, Bicester

GC

1. Poplars Garden Centre
2. Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury
3. Meadow Croft Garden Centre

LGC

1. Pennells Garden Centre, Grimsby
2. Pennells Garden Centre, Sleaford
3. British Garden Centres, Charlbury

The Dick Allen Award for Most Improved Centre:

1. British Garden Centres, Tring
2. Hertfordshire Garden Centre
3. Blue Diamond, Bicester

Customer Service Award for Best Customer Service:

1. Poplars Garden Centre
2. Bell Plantation
3. Aylett Nurseries

The Paul Cooling Award for Environment and Sustainability:

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
2. Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury
3. Meadow Croft Garden Centre

The Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity:

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
2. Poplars Garden Centre
3. Meadow Croft Garden Centre

Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer:

DGC

1. Scotsdales Garden Centre
2. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
3. Blue Diamond, Great Amwell

GC

1. Poplars Garden Centre
2. Meadow Croft Garden Centre and Webbs Millets Farm – JOINT RUNNERS UP
3. Aylett Nurseries

LGC

1. British Garden Centres, Charlbury
2. British Garden Centres, Horncastle, British Garden Centres, Harrow, and Pennells Garden Centre, Grimsby – JOINT RUNNERS UP
3. British Garden Centres, Hitchin

Ian Boardman Award for Best Indoor Plants Retailer

DGC

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
2. Blue Diamond, Great Amwell
3. Blue Diamond, Bicester

GC

1. Aylett Nurseries
2. Meadow Croft Garden Centre
3. Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury

LGC

1. Pennells Garden Centre, Grimsby
2. British Garden Centres, Upminster
3. British Garden Centres, Harrow and RHS Hyde Hall – JOINT THIRD PLACE

The Award for Catering Excellence for Best Garden Centre Restaurant:

DGC

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
2. Blue Diamond, Bicester
3. Scotsdales Garden Centre

GC

1. Meadow Croft Garden Centre and Poplars Garden Centre – JOINT FIRST PLACE
2. Thetford Garden Centre
3. Thurrock Garden Centre

LGC

1. Rutland Nursery
2. Pennells Garden Centre, Sleaford
3. Pennells Garden Centre, Grimsby

Food Hall/Farm Shop Award

DGC

1. Blue Diamond, Bicester
2. Blue Diamond, Great Amwell

GC

1. Coton Orchard Garden Centre
2. Poplars Garden Centre
3. Bell Plantation

LGC – please note there is only garden centre in this category

1. Pennells Garden Centre, Sleaford

The GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer:

DGC

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
2. Blue Diamond, Great Amwell
3. Scotsdales Garden Centre

GC

1. Poplars Garden Centre
2. Aylett Nurseries
3. Bell Plantation and Meadow Croft Garden Centre – JOINT THIRD PLACE

LGC

1. British Garden Centres, Upminster
2. British Garden Centres, Horncastle
3. British Garden Centres, Hitchin

Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer:

DGC

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
2. Blue Diamond, Great Amwell
3. Blue Diamond, Bicester

GC

1. Poplars Garden Centre
2. Squires Garden Centre, Shepperton and Sunshine Garden Centre – JOINT RUNNERS UP
3. Blue Diamond, Peterborough

LGC

1. Pennells Garden Centre, Grimsby
2. Rutland Nursery
3. Pennells Garden Centre, Sleaford

Plantaria (Ruxley Rose):

DGC

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Tiptree
2. Blue Diamond, Bicester
3. British Garden Centres, Brigg

GC

1. Perrywood Garden Centre, Sudbury
2. Poplars Garden Centre
3. Aylett Nurseries

LGC

1. British Garden Centres, Charlbury
2. Pennells Garden Centre, Grimsby
3. RHS Hyde Hall