Lancashire's Barton Grange Garden Centre on the A6 honoured at Garden Centre Association’s national awards

Lancashire’s Barton Grange Garden Centre on the A6 is celebrating after placing third at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) awards for Destination Garden Centre of the year 2026.

The GCA represents more than 200 garden centres nationwide and each year rewards the centres that set the benchmark for high retailing standards within the industry.

The awards recognise quality standards, not only of products and departments, but also people and services.

It follows an intensive annual audit, which records scores from more than 200 garden centres throughout the UK.

Scores from the audit are collated to reveal regional winners, all of whom are revisited and re-audited in the rigorous assessment process.

Among the categories reviewed by the audit are the centre’s product range and quality, disabled facilities, sustainability, garden care department, houseplants and seasonal plants.

The popular garden centre, located on the A6 between Preston and Garstang, is no stranger to collecting accolades having previously been named Destination Garden Centre of the Year at the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) 2024 awards.

As well as winning the overall top accolade, the family-run centre was also named runner-up in the Plantaria (Ruxley Rose) prize for its outstanding outdoor plant area displays and the GIMA Award for Best Garden Products Retailer.

Last year it was also rated by the Daily Mail as the 13th best garden centre in the UK - earning an overall rating of 8.5 out of 10.

The huge garden centre, which boasts a cafe opened its doors in 2008 and has been wowing customers ever since with its spectacular garden displays.