Garden Centres

Garden Centre Members

The Garden Centre Association was formed in 1966 as a forum for like-minded individuals to meet and exchange ideas. The principles differ little today. It is still a forum and catalyst for communication between members from the garden retail and supplier community.

We welcome applications from garden centres that wish to join the GCA and who share our values. GCA members, large and small, set the benchmark for high retailing standards within the industry which others can only aspire to. The Association can state, proudly, that it represents the leading garden centres within the UK and worldwide as part of its membership of the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA).

garden-centres

Garden Centre Benefits

Annual Inspections

Annual Inspections are carried out by independent industry experts at all GCA member centres. They are carried out in spring – between March and June – and the inspector’s visit is unannounced. At the end of the inspection the inspector will spend approximately 45 minutes with you and your team giving you detailed feedback from the visit. A full report will be available for you to view online, together with a link to download photographs, within a few days of the visit.

The annual inspection scores are used to determine several awards, both at area level, which are presented at area meetings in July and national level, which are presented at the conference in January. These include the prestigious ‘Garden Centre of the Year’ and ‘Destination Garden Centre of the Year’ titles.

Note: the first ‘membership inspection’ (equivalent to an annual inspection) which must be passed prior to membership approval, is by appointment, not unannounced, to ensure that the key management team are available on the day. Membership Inspections are not included in the awards process.

GCA GROW

GCA GROW – Garden Retail Online Workshops – is the GCA’s e-learning initiative which is available to all GCA members. For a very modest joining fee and small annual subscription, members can participate in GCA GROW. The subscriptions cover the costs of site support and on-going development.

The package has been developed by the GCA and delivers training specifically for the needs of garden centres. The package is available, via the internet, to all staff at participating centres.

GCA Annual Conference

GCA Annual Conference attracts 300+ delegates and is held each year at the end of January. The conference is an opportunity to meet with the owners and senior management of member centres and suppliers (Associate Members), over a 2-3 day period.

The programme includes a number of high profile and diverse range of speakers, covering not only garden centre retailing and improving our standards but the wider retail landscape and subjects such as catering, the economy, innovation, effective team building, human resources and the current key business issues. You are guaranteed to leave the conference having been inspired and motivated for the season ahead!

Summer Workshops/Study Tours

Summer Workshops/Study Tours are organised from time to time. In 2016 the GCA launched its ‘Plant Area Forum’ an event held to bring together plant managers and buyers to enable them to discuss best practice, discover new ideas and opportunities whilst learning from each other’s successes.

Barometer of Trade

Barometer of Trade gives members the opportunity to compare and benchmark their monthly sales performance. To participate fully, you can request login details which enable you to input your sales figures each month and then compare them to all the other participating centres individually or by product category or by turnover band.

You can view the current summary report online at any time. The summaries are updated on the 20^th of each month.

Area Group Meetings

Area Group Meetings are organised on a regular basis by your Area Chairman (who also sits on the Executive Committee) and they are open to all members and you can choose to attend other area group meetings if you wish. Do not hesitate to contact the GCA Office if you would like to attend a meeting prior to joining the Association

GCA Website

GCA Website is available to the public explains the advantages of visiting a GCA centre to customers and has a search facility to help them find their nearest garden centre and a link to your website. The members’ pages include calendars of events as well as access to inspection information and the Barometer of Trade plus details of the conference and a booking facility

The GCA Exchange

The GCA Exchange is a private forum available to garden centre members and an online facility to interact with fellow members. You can ask any question and a reply is guaranteed! All posts are seen by the members of the Exchange but they are confidential to the members of the Exchange community.

There are many and varied topics discussed by the members using the Exchange. Information about meetings, relevant events and press coverage is also posted here. It is a completely free service; all you need to do is contact the GCA Office to obtain login details to join in.

Publications

Publications such as the Directory of Members, the GCA Yearbook and the Best of British Magazine are produced annually. The directory is the members’ ‘bible’ with details of all members (garden centres and suppliers) and other useful information.

The GCA Yearbook is a buyer’s guide and includes information on the wider horticultural industry. The Best of British magazine is available at the GCA Conference and is subsequently mailed to all members. It showcases the winners of the annual GCA awards and features highlights and innovations from the inspectors’ visits the previous spring.

Display items

Display items provided include membership boards (physical and digital artwork) to promote your membership of the GCA in your centre and reinforce your quality and expertise.

International Garden Centre Association (IGCA)

International Garden Centre Association (IGCA) membership is an automatic benefit of GCA membership. Each year a member country hosts an International Congress, which includes tours of garden centres and places of interest. It is a great opportunity to see how our industry is progressing worldwide and to meet garden centre owners from every part of the globe.

Insurance packages

Insurance packages are available to members via one of our Associate Members; they are tailored to the needs of each individual business at competitive rates

Reduced rate subscription

Reduced rate subscription to Horticulture Week, a leading trade magazine.

Gardenforum

Gardenforum is ‘The Information Hub for Garden Retail’ and as a GCA member you receive free registration and a free annual subscription, for as many of your team as you wish.

Forum of Private Business (FPB)

FORUM OF PRIVATE BUSINESS (FPB)

Founded in 1977 and representing around 25,000 UK-based private businesses. The FPB fights for fair treatment of private businesses and provides support to enable its members to grow profitably.

As a GCA member you receive a 25% discount on full FPB membership. FPB would be on hand to help you join, which would include how to work out holiday entitlement, signpost to a resource like business debt line or gov.uk and supply a template on how to manage your fire risk assessment etc.

Associate members

Associate members offer a wide range of products and services that are relevant to garden centre operators and through the GCA there is the opportunity to find new suppliers that will be dealing with other garden centres.

Applying for membership

Garden Centre membership is termed ‘Full Membership’. This applies to a single site or one site from within a group if you have two or more centres. You can apply for membership for your additional centres too. Such centres are termed ‘Subsidiary Members’ and an application form for Subsidiary Membership can be obtained by contacting the GCA Office.

Applications are welcome from any company that has at least 12 months trading history and feels able to meet the initial inspection standards. Applicants are invited to discuss joining the GCA with a current member or the GCA Office. The application can be completed online or a form can be downloaded and then sent by email or post to the GCA Office.

We will agree a convenient date for your membership inspection and subject to passing this, your application will be placed before the Executive Committee, for approval, at the next scheduled meeting.

Information Pack Apply Online Download PDF Form

What does it cost?

The annual membership includes your inspection fee. For your initial application, there is an inspection fee element which is non-refundable.

The cost of your initial membership will be pro-rata, depending upon the time of year your application for membership is made:

Applications received before and approved at:-

March Executive Committee meeting – full year’s fee (current year)
June Executive Committee meeting – inspection fee plus half of the balance of the annual fee (current year)
September Executive Committee meeting – inspection fee plus half of the balance of the annual fee (current year)
November Executive Committee meeting – full year’s fee (following year). However, there will be an additional inspection fee due the following January to enable your centre to be inspected in spring.

Full Membership Fees 2026

	Full Year	Half Year
Inspection Fee	£495.00	£495.00
Balance of Membership Fee	£655.00	£328.00
Total	£1,150.00	£823.00

Terms and Conditions

Once you have become a member, each subsequent year of membership runs from 1st January to 31st December.

The membership fee for each calendar year is determined, annually, at the Association’s AGM in January.

The initial membership fee must be paid prior to approval of the application by the Executive Committee. Once approved, all invoices issued to members, whether for future annual memberships or other services provided, are due within 30 days of the date of invoice. Invoices relating to conference/event attendance are due prior to the start of the event.

If at any time in the future you wish to resign your membership, this must be done in writing to the Chief Executive by 30th November in the year prior to renewal, otherwise the following year’s subscription, at the rate set at the AGM, will become due and your membership will continue for a further year.

The above fees do not include VAT, which will be applied at the current rate

Visits and inspections

Member garden centres receive annual inspections and the inspection report is available online within a few days of the inspection taking place together with a link to the photographs, taken by the inspector, that form part of the report.
A member garden centre will be given a minimum of four weeks’ notice by the GCA of the exact dates of the ‘inspection window’. The inspection window will fall in the months of March to June, under usual circumstances and the inspection will take place during normal business hours. (Membership inspections can be arranged throughout the year, not just within this window).
The actual date and time of the inspection will not be given beforehand and the inspector will make an unannounced visit. The inspector will make himself/herself known upon arrival at the centre prior to undertaking the inspection. Members cannot ‘turn away’ the inspector.
If a member’s garden centre is considered at any time to fall below the minimum standards required, with a score less than 50%, the member will be notified in writing with a view to helping him or her rectify any failure. The Committee has the right to withdraw membership if failures are not rectified within three months of notification.
If a member’s plant area should fail to reach the required pass mark of 50%, regardless of whether the overall centre mark exceeds 50%, they will be notified in writing with a view to help them rectify any failure; should they continue to fail in that department the Committee reserves the right to withdraw membership.

By joining the Garden Centre Association, you agree to the terms and conditions and any variation in the future, as published on our website.

Withdrawal of GCA logo and display materials

Upon cessation of membership for any reason, the garden centre concerned will no longer use the name or logo of the Association or make mention any of its initiatives, products or services in any form whether electronic or physical (This includes, for example, stationery, advertisements, emails, websites, social media and material within the centre) or for any other purpose. Access to all member benefits will be withdrawn (This includes, for example, the Barometer of Trade, the GCA Exchange and GCA GROW).

Responsibilities

To support the aims and objectives of the Association with particular emphasis on achieving, maintaining and improving standards.
To offer a minimum of one year guarantee of container grown, hardy plants.
To welcome and allow other members to visit and look around your centre.

General requirements for membership

a) Membership is open to any person, firm or corporation being:

The owner or operator of one or more garden centres, which comply with the standards determined by the Executive Committee.
The company needs to have been trading for at least 12 months
A member of the Horticultural Trades Association.

b) Members must offer to the public at the appropriate season throughout the year:

A comprehensive range of good quality garden and houseplants. All plants should be suitably labelled, displayed, well maintained and available for immediate sale.
A wide range of garden equipment and sundries.

c) All members must operate and display a plant guarantee not less favourable than the following:

“Members of the Garden Centre Association guarantee the free replacement or credit of any container-grown hardy plant which dies, providing it has received reasonable care, bears the member’s garden centre label and is presented for examination with proof of purchase within one year”

d) Staff must be sufficient in number and adequately skilled to provide a good service to the public and must include trained horticulturists.