The Garden Centre Association: Quality guaranteed
The GCA is part of the South African Nursery Association (SANA). Where SANA has a broader scope and plays a bigger role in South Africa’s gardening industry, the GCA is aimed at maintaining the quality of the garden centre customer experience.
Our membership includes leading garden centres, home stores and retail nurseries across South Africa that offer plants, gardening products, outdoor living items and expert advice. As a national association, GCA is committed to promoting high retail standards, quality products and a trusted shopping experience for every gardening enthusiast.
To spread the word and the knowledge of both the GCA and SANA, Life is a Garden (LIAG) was established. While it is essentially a marketing division, its scope has grown organically until the website has become a one-stop guide to gardening in South Africa, where readers can find their closest GCA-approved garden centre, gain knowledge on plants and gardening, as well as discover fun projects for the garden and learn how to garden responsibly.
The monthly newsletter has become eagerly anticipated by gardeners around the country, full as it is with helpful tips and hints, news on new releases and ideas on how to get the best out of your garden, no matter the season.
The key objectives of the GCA are to ensure that each and every member garden centre constantly strives to improve nursery standards and is guided in this goal by the National Association.
Why support a GCA Garden Centre?
• GCA members are dedicated to maintaining professional retail standards and continually improving the customer experience.
• Members are committed to offering healthy, high-quality plants and reliable gardening products.
• GCA garden centres promote responsible gardening practices and stay informed on current environmental and biodiversity legislation, including the management of invasive plant species.
• Many members support sustainability initiatives such as recycling programmes, water-wise gardening, composting and eco-conscious product choices.
• GCA centres are passionate about growing the love of gardening in South Africa by sharing inspiration, seasonal advice and practical knowledge through in-store guidance and social media communities.
While the business of a nursery is selling plants, a GCA Garden Centre is more than just a commitment to selling healthy, good-quality stock. It is also a promise to look after the environment, both in terms of not selling alien invasive plants, and in terms of environmentally friendly initiatives such as recycling projects. It is also a pledge to impart knowledge to staff members and the gardening public, because a knowledgeable gardener is a successful gardener, and successful gardeners will keep on gardening. The GCA’s job doesn’t end after handing out its respected green and yellow sign, though. To hold onto that sign and everything it stands for, all GCA centres need to achieve certain levels and prove this when they are regularly evaluated. This ensures that the GCA signs outside the garden centre door are accurate, up-to-date, relevant and continue to stand for excellence in the industry.
As part an international gardening community, the GCA is also an active member of the International Garden Centre Association, which allows South Africa’s nursery industry to learn from the best in the business, and to share our own expertise with the rest of the world.
This international gardening community meets annually for a week-long congress held in a different host country every year. Here business is discussed and contacts made, but more importantly, garden centres are visited so that each member country is aware of best practices and the high standards that are achieved globally. By sharing knowledge, standards are improved in every member country.
The result of all of this is that garden centres of the GCA are amongst the best in the world, continually improving and offering world-class service to every member of the public who walks through their doors.
Below please find a list of GCA members in South Africa:
EASTERN CAPE
Independent Garden Centres
Floradale Nurseries East London 043 748-2414
Floradale Nurseries Port Elizabeth 041 368-5169
Home Stores
Builders express Beacon Bay 043 102-0032
Builders Express East London 086 099-4196
Builders Express Jeffrey’s Bay 086 099-4178
Builders Express Newton Park P.E 086 099-4192
Builders Express Uitenhage 086 000-9518
Builders Express Walker Drive P.E 086 099-4190
Builders Express Walmer P.E 086 099-4183
Builders Warehouse Port Elizabeth 086 000-8900
FREE STATE
Independent Garden Centres
All Seasons Garden Centre 073 724-3705
Alma Kwekery 057 392-1940
Bruwer Kwekery 051 433-2072
Greenside Kwekery 051 451-3042
Urth Garden Centre 051 451-1913
Home Stores
Builders Express Bethlehem 058 801-0240
Builders Warehouse Bloemfontein 086 000-8909
GAUTENG NORTH
Independent Garden Centres
Plant Paradise Garden Centre 012 998-5480
Plantland Akasia 012 942-8714
Plantland Cornwall Hill 012 667-6330
Plantland Menlyn 012 348-7121
Plantland The Wilds 012 991-3061
Safari Tuinsentrum 012 807-0009
Soleil Ludwig Roses 012 807-2091
Home Stores
Builders Express Cherty Lane 012 007-6235
Builders Express Lynnwood 012 003-5000
Builders Express Raslouw 086 000-8976
Builders Express Wonderboom 076 502-4814
Builders Express Wonderpark 086 099-4185
Builders Warehouse Centurion 086 000-9528
Builders Warehouse Erasmus Park 012 003-6770
Builders Warehouse Gezina 086 000-8907
Builders Warehouse Silverlakes 012 007-3300
Builders Warehouse Woodlands 086 000-8915
Builders Warehouse Zambesi 086 000-8909
Chamberlains Centurion 012 653-9600
GAUTENG SOUTH
Independent Garden Centres
CND Nursery 010 035-5212
Colourful Splendour Honeydew 011 794-5733
Colourful Splendour Nursery 011 447-5817
Crisanra Kwekery 016 982-2987
Eckards Garden Pavilion 011 453-8573
Hecker Nursery 011 894-3643
Lifestyle Home Garden 011 792-5616
Ludwig Roses Egoli 081 715-5110
Nicolas Plants Northriding 011 704-1938
Schaffler’s Garden Nursery 011 786-0323
Stodels Garden Centre Ferndale 010 448-8310
Stodels Nurseries Bryanston 011 463-5773
Sunkist Garden Pavilion 083 325-2997
Thyme Square Garden Centre 011 949-4210
Home Stores
Builders Express Bedfordview 010 271-2580
Builders Express Bryanston 086 099-4179
Builders Express Carnival 086 000-8935
Builders Express Cedar Square 086 000-8999
Builders Express Craighall Park 010 003-6000
Builders Express Cresta 010 055-6267
Builders Express Florida Glen 010 003-5206
Builders Express Greenstone 086 000-9526
Builders Express Lambton 086 099-4184
Builders Express Noordheuwel 086 999-0536
Builders Express Northmead 010 271-3680
Builders Express Norwood 086 099-4189
Builders Express Robindale 010 595-3586
Builders Express Southgate 010 594-0401
Builders Express Sunward Park 010 596-6300
Builders Express Vereeniging 010 056-0901
Builders Warehouse Bedworth Park 086 000-8914
Builders Warehouse Boksburg 086 000-8923
Builders Warehouse Edenvale 086 000-8902
Builders Warehouse Fourways 010 003-4200
Builders Warehouse Gleneagles 086 000-8901
Builders Warehouse Kempton Park 086 000-8912
Builders Warehouse Midrand 012 003-9121
Builders Warehouse New Market 086 099-4181
Builders Warehouse Northriding 086 000-8906
Builders Warehouse Rivonia 086 000-8913
Builders Warehouse Strubens Valley 086 000-8905
KWAZULU-NATAL
Independent Garden Centres
Blackwood’s Home of Gardening 033 342-2191
Finding Neverland Nursery 083 766-3340
Grovida Retail Store 031 205-2872
Halls Garden Pavilion 031 903-6737
Hingham Nursery 031 564-3062
Illovo Nursery 031 916-2491
Ludwig’s Star Roses 081 380-8496
The Farmyard Nursery 082 452-9857
The Potting Shed 031 893-7973
Home Stores
Builders Express Amanzimtoti 031 904-7300
Builders Express Ballito 032 947-2605
Builders Express Durban North 031 940-0145
Builders Express Hillcrest 031 765-7711
Builders Express Margate 031 007-6200
Builders Express Park Rynie 086 000-8952
Builders Express Pietermaritzburg 033 342-5410
Builders Express Pinetown 086 099-4195
Builders Express Springfield 071 187-4347
Builders Express South Coast 039 315-0350
Builders Express Umhlanga 031 566-3650
Builders Warehouse Newcastle 086 000-8932
Builders Warehouse Richards Bay 035 940-0600
Builders Warehouse Riverhorse 086 000-8917
Builders Warehouse Rossborough 031 941-1550
Builders Trade Depot Marburg 086 000-8956
LIMPOPO
Independent Garden Centres
Greenvalley Garden Centre 082 200-5825
Retsini Nursery 015 295-4461
Woodlands Garden Centre 078 894-3215
Home Stores
Builders Express Mokopane 015 414-0011
Builders Express Thohoyandou 015 414-0093
Builders Warehouse Polokwane 086 000-8911
MPUMALANGA
Independent Garden Centres
Appelblaar Kwekery 015 793-1596
Concrete & Garden Creations 013 745-8386
Germinator Nursery 082 441-3171
Imbali Garden & Lifestyle Centre 073 666-1568
Ninfa Tuinsentrum 013 243-5626
White River Garden Pavilion 013 750-0719
Home Stores
Builders Express Boabab 066 000-7872
Builders Express Middelburg 086 000-8926
Builders Warehouse Emalahleni 086 000-8918
Builders Warehouse Nelspruit 086 000-8910
Builders Warehouse Secunda 086 000-8971
NORTHERN CAPE
Independent Garden Centres
Pro Plants 053 244-0044
NORTH WEST
Independent Garden Centres
Geelhout Gardens 014 597-4382
Happy Hub 082 315-8642
Sittig Nursery 012 259-0900
The Aloe Farm 071 162 6790
Home Stores
Builders Express Mafikeng 018 414-0001
Builders Express Potchefstroom 086 000-8990
Builders Express Hartbeespoort 012 003-0157
Builders Warehouse Klerksdorp 086 000-8930
Builders Warehouse Rustenburg 086 028-4533
WESTERN CAPE
Independent Garden Centres
Cape Garden Centre 021 988-4137
Cape Garden Centre George 044 023-0121
Cape Garden Centre Somerset West 021 858-1157
Cape Garden Centre Stellenbosch 021 855-0334
Ferndale Nurseries 021 794-5175
Landscape Art Garden Centre 083 380-1544
Ludwig Roses Winelands 021 884-4552
Starke Ayres Garden Centre 021 685-4120
Starke Ayres West Coast Village 021 554 8450
Stodels Nurseries Bellville 021 919-1106
Stodels Nurseries Bergvliet 021 794-2221
Stodels Nurseries Kenilworth 021 671-9050
Stodels Nurseries Milnerton 021 528-4000
Stodels Nurseries Somerset West 021 852-7400
Super Plants Tokai 021 715-4666
Tulbagh Kwekery 023 230-0694
Vredendal Kwekery 021 988-4137
Home Stores
Builders Express Hermanus 086 000-8965
Builders Express Kenilworth 086 099-4187
Builders Express Knysna 044 382-3055
Builders Express N1 City 086 000-8988
Builders Express Paarl 086 000-8943
Builders Express Stellenbosch 086 099-4197
Builders Express Vergelegen 021 753-9060
Builders Express Vredenburg 086 000-8945
Builders Express Willowbridge 086 099-4193
Builders Express Worcester 086 000-8986
Builders Warehouse Cape Gate 086 000-8925
Builders Warehouse City 086 000-8921
Builders Warehouse Constantia Berg 086 000-8919
Builders Warehouse George 086 000-8929
Builders Warehouse Helderberg 086 000-8922
Builders Warehouse Table View 086 000-8924
Builders Warehouse Tygerberg 086 000-8920
The Building Company (BUCO) 021 065-4316