Simpsons Garden Centre is celebrating an outstanding performance at the Garden Centre Association (GCA) North Area Awards 2026, with its Inverness and Mintlaw teams securing recognition across a wide range of categories.
The awards bring together leading destination garden centres from across Scotland, Northern Ireland, North West England and North East England, making the achievements particularly significant for the Simpsons teams.
Simpsons Inverness was awarded 1st place in the Destination Garden Centre Plant Area category, receiving the prestigious Ruxley Rose Award, while the Inverness Foodhall also achieved joint 1st place in the Destination Garden Centre Foodhall category.
The Ruxley Rose Award recognises outstanding plant areas within the garden centre industry. Simpsons Inverness’ regional success puts the centre forward for the next stage of the competition, with the national winner due to be announced at the GCA National Conference in January 2027.
The Simpsons Foodhall also received significant recognition, securing joint first place for its range of high-quality local produce, specialist foods, gifts and artisan products. The result highlights the centre’s continued commitment to supporting local suppliers while offering customers a diverse and carefully selected food and gift range.
The success continued across both Simpsons locations, with the teams achieving an impressive collection of 1st, 2nd and 3rd place results.
The 2026 GCA North Area Awards results included:
- 1st Place – Destination Garden Centre Foodhall Award, Inverness
- 1st Place – Plant Area / Ruxley Rose Award, Inverness
- 2nd Place – Outdoor Living Award for Best Outdoor Living Retailer, Inverness
- 2nd Place – Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer, Inverness
- 2nd Place – Indoor Lifestyle Award for Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer, Mintlaw
- 2nd Place – Ian Boardman Award for Best Indoor Plants Retailer, Inverness
- 2nd Place – Catering Excellence Award for Best Garden Centre Restaurant, Inverness
- 2nd Place – Barton Grange Trophy for Commercial Innovation and Creativity, Inverness
- 3rd Place – Garden Construction, Inverness
Simpsons Garden Centre Owner, Andrew Simpsons, said, “The teams take enormous pride in everything they do, so to receive recognition across so many categories is a fantastic achievement. These awards are a real testament to the hard work, passion and dedication shown by colleagues across both centres.
“It is a tremendous honour to be recognised alongside some of the leading destination garden centres across Scotland and the North and East of England, and the teams should be extremely proud of what they have achieved.”
The Inverness plant team was particularly pleased with its success in the Ruxley Rose Award.
Plant Area Manager Nicholas said, “The quality of the plant area is the result of a huge team effort, with a great deal of care and attention going into every aspect. Winning 1st place in the Ruxley Rose Award is something the whole plant team can be immensely proud of.”
The awards recognise Simpsons Garden Centre’s focus on creating a destination that offers more than traditional garden retail. From plants and gardening products to outdoor living, indoor lifestyle, local food and dining, the centres aim to provide customers with a true destination to visit..
To find out more about the award-winning offerings at Simpsons Inverness and Mintlaw, or to plan your next visit, explore the full range of products and services online at www.simpsonsgardencentre.co.uk
To view the full list of GCA North Region Award Winners 2026, visit www.gca.org.uk/our-north-region-summer-2026-award-winners