Blue Diamond Awards – GTN Photo Exclusive

H e av e nl y c e le b ra t i o ns f o r B lu e D i am o nd

East Bridgford, Grosvenor, Nailsworth & Matlock Garden Centres scooped the big awards at Blue Diamonds Manchester Cathedral night of celebration in March. GTN Photo Exclusive.

Acongregation of around 600 gathered in Manchester Cathedral on Thursday evening, 10th March, to celebrate the success of the Blue Diamond Group over the past two years.

MD, Alan Roper, led the Blue Diamond event, dancing onto the stage before extolling the efforts of his garden centre teams. “By investing all our profits back into the centres we have rapidly grown in size. We’ll be ahead of Dobbies by 2023! I’m currently working on 4 new acquisitions at the moment too.”

As no awards could be presented in 2021 the main awards for Blue Diamond Garden Centres of the Year were each won by two centres, one the winner for 2021 and one for 2022. East Bridgford & Grosvenor were the Oak Award winners for Destination Centres with Nailsworth & Matlock the Acorn Award winners for Core Garden Centres.

After a glamorous night of celebration in the knave of Manchester Cathedral guests were transported by coach to the “After Party” at Impossible Theatre in central Manchester, where the GTN photos stopped being snapped!

Blue Diamond Awards 2022 The Full Results

Core Garden Centre of the Year - The Acorn Award – 2021 and 2022 • Winners: Nailsworth & Matlock • Nominees: Coton Orchard, Chatsworth, Fryers, Rake, Nailsworth , Harlow, Matlock, 3Shires

Destination Garden Centre of the Year - The Oak Award – 2021 and 2022 • Winners: East Bridgford & Grosvenor • Nominees: East Bridgeford, Grosvenor, Cadbury, Derby, Newbridge, Sanders

Stock Management • Winner: Percy Throwers • Nominees: Sanders, Harlow, Percy Throwers

Home • Oak Winner: East Bridgford - Alistair Bartle • Nominees: Trentham - Andrew Bollington, Evesham - Natalie De Guelle, East Bridgford Alistair Bartle • Acorn Winner: Harlow - Susan Cavey • Nominees: Coton Orchard - Laura Ross, Fermoys - Carole Spain, Harlow - Susan Cavey

Fashion • Oak Winner: Evesham - Alison Turner • Nominees: Brambridge - Lyndsey Smith, Trentham - Karen Locket, East Bridgford - Tracey Bull, Evesham - Alison Turner, Grosvenor - Sarah Williams • Acorn Winner: Newbridge - Rachel Slark • Nominees: Trelawney - Helen Danning, Worcester - Stacey Scott, Newbridge - Rachel Slark

Garden Care • Oak Winner: Derby - Pascel Dorey • Nominees: Derby - Pascel Dorey, Bicester - Cary Powley, Trentham - Natalie Reynolds, Newbridge - Steve Nicholls • Acorn Winner: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill • Nominees: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill, Harlow - Julia Spearman, Hereford - Andrew Lloyd, Wilton - Sharon Grant

Garden Décor • Oak Winner: Grosvenor - Graham Moorcroft • Nominees: Cadbury - Colin Roche, Endsleigh - Dan Corben, Derby - Pascel Dorey, Grosvenor - Graham Moorcroft • Acorn Winner: Matlock - Colin Travis • Nominees: Hereford - Andrew Lloyd, Weybridge - Lee Dyke, Springfields - Jay Turner, Matlock - Colin Travis

Seeds and Bulbs • Oak Winner: Derby - Ellen Radage • Nominees: Derby - Ellen Radage, Percy Throwers - Sam Hall, Newbridge - Steve Nicholls, Endsleigh - Dan Corben • Acorn Winner: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill • Nominees: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill, Wilton - Sharon Grant, Trelawney - Christine Worth, 3Shires - James Helme, Harlow - Julia Spearman, Hereford - Andrew Lloyd

Growing Media • Oak Winner: Cardiff - Perry Carter • Nominees: Cardiff - Perry Carter , Percy Throwers - Sam Hall, Bicester - Cary Powley • Acorn Winner: Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill • Nominees: Lower Morden - Leanne Wilson, Rake - Jake Smith, Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill

Garden Features & Containers • Oak Winner: Grosvenor - Simon Jackson • Nominees: Newbridge - Nick Gregory, Grosvenor - Simon Jackson, Derby - Richard Hind • Acorn Winner: Hereford - Andrew Lloyd Nominees: Hereford - Andrew Lloyd, Wilton Dan Johnson

Living with Light • Oak Winner: Trentham - Edmund Thorne • Nominees: Grosvenor - Sue Gregory, Trentham - Edmund Thorne • Acorn Winner: Fryers - Aaron Piper • Nominees: Springfields - Charley Wright, Hereford - Scott O'Leary-Harris, Harlow - Julia Spearman, Fryers - Aaron Piper, Nailsworth Daniel Underhill, Matlock - Dan Atkinson

Wild Animal • Oak Winner: Derby - Ellen Radage • Nominees: Derby - Ellen Radage, Brambridge - Rob Pettigrew • Nominees: Rake -Jake Smith, Matlock Lauren Abbott, Trelawney -Christine Worth, Coton Orchard - Darrell Mancini, Nailsworth - Daniel Underhill

Pets • Winner: Matlock- Lauren Abbott • Nominees: Matlock- Lauren Abbott, St Peters - Suki Crook Furniture & Outdoor Leisure • Oak Winner: Grosvenor - Sue Gregory • Nominees: Redfields - Loredana Piraino, Melbicks - Adam Mountford, Derby - Jacinta Butler, Grosvenor - Sue Gregory • Acorn Winner: Chatsworth - Tracey Uphill • Nominees: Chatsworth - Tracey Uphill, Matlock - Dan Atkinson, Fyers - Mathew Halford, Orchard Park - Solange Smith

Christmas • Oak Winner: St Peters - Justine Le Mottee • Nominees: St Peters - Justine Le Mottee, Bicester, Derby - Jacinta Butler, Grosvenor - Sue Gregory • Acorn Winner: Chatsworth - Tracy Uphill Nominees: Chatsworth - Tracey Uphill, Harlow Lisa Watling, Fryers - Mathew Halford

Seasonal Plants • Oak Winner: Newbridge - Rhona Chambers • Nominees: Newbridge - Rhona Chamber, Cardiff - Tom Watkins, Sanders - Chester Allen, Percy Throwers - Shelley Haynes, Redfields Anna Lancaster • Acorn Winner: Trelawney - Rachel Parsons • Nominees: 3Shires - Ryan Wintle, Rake - Gita Evertovska, Trelawney - Rachael Parsons, Matlock - Craig Mallet, Orchard Park - Jane Meyer – Edwards, Chatsworth, Coton Orchard

Hardy Plants • Oak Winner: Cardiff - Tom Watkins • Nominees: Fryers - Peter Shirley, Newbridge Lisa Holmes, Cardiff - Tom Watkins, Brambridge - Ben Diggins, Grosvenor - Mark Williams, Le Friquet • Acorn Winner: Trelawney - Mark Johnsson • Nominees: Trelawney - Mark Johnsson, Harlow - Fiona Wotton, Nailsworth - John Moxon, Coton - Jamie Rolling

Indoor Plants • Oak Winner: Le Friquet - Alexandra Robson • Nominees: Endsleigh - Simon Edwards, Le Friquet - Alexandra Robson, Percy Throwers Shelley Haynes, Bicester - Klye Bartram • Acorn Winner: Lower Morden - Katie Ryan • Nominees: Rake - Maria Carney , Harlow Jonathan Feasey, Lower Morden - Katie Ryan