Home Stores of Excellence 2025
GCA Home Store Competition Results
The annual GCA Home Store Competition honours excellence in the home store retail garden industry, offering recognition to stores that consistently deliver quality products, inspiring displays, and exceptional customer service. The 2024 competition ran from October to mid-December, during which over 90 stores nationwide were evaluated by regional judging teams. This year’s format included a single grading round, with awards presented based on the following score thresholds:
- Gold: 85% – 89%
- Silver Gilt: 80% – 84%
- Silver: 75% – 79%
- Bronze: 65% – 74%
Home Store of the Year 2025: Builders Warehouse Strubens Valley
Runner-Up: Builders Warehouse Zambesi
2nd Runner-Up: Builders Warehouse Boksburg
To be eligible for departmental awards, stores had to achieve a minimum score of 80% in the relevant department. The top-scoring store in each category was named the Departmental Winner.
Departmental Winners
Best Garden Care Department: Builders Warehouse Zambesi
- “Exceptional service and attention to detail—transformed our garden into a lush, vibrant space.”
- “Reliable, knowledgeable, and consistently delivers top-tier results.”
- “Their passion for plants shows in the quality of their work.”
Best House Plant Department: Builders Warehouse Fourways
- “An impressive, extensive department layout.”
- “Well-curated and competitively priced selections.”
- “Sets a strong benchmark for plant quality.”
Best Outdoor Colour Department: Builders Warehouse Northriding
- “Attractive displays and excellent product range.”
- “Cross-merchandising is exceptionally well executed.”
- “Clear pricing and signage aligned to plant needs.”
Best Food Gardening Department: Builders Warehouse Northriding
- “Strong focus and consistently high-quality plants.”
- “Cross-merchandising is highly effective.”
- “An impressive and well-managed edibles section.”
Most Waterwise Department: Builders Express Robindale
- “Clear messaging and creative displays promoting waterwise gardening.”
- “Recycling area is informative and beautifully presented.”
Best Staff” Chamberlain Centurion
- “Professional appearance with embroidered uniforms and name tags.”
- “Exceptionally friendly and helpful staff.”
- “A team that radiates enthusiasm and positivity.”
Congratulations to all the winners for setting the bar high and leading the way in customer experience and gardening excellence!
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Garden Centres of Excellence 2024
Garden Centres and Home Stores who achieved a grading of over 90% in the GCA Garden Centre Evaluation, was awarded the accolade of “Garden Centre of Excellence”.
Congratulations to the following independent garden centres and home stores:
Independent Garden Centres:
- Concrete & Garden Creations
- Eckards Garden Pavilion
- Heckers Garden Centre
- Plant Paradise Garden Centre
Home Stores:
- Builders Warehouse Port Elizabeth
Garden Centres of Excellence 2023
Garden Centres and Home Stores who achieved a grading of over 90% in the GCA Garden Centre Evaluation, was awarded the accolade of “Garden Centre of Excellence”.
Congratulations to the following independent garden centres and home stores:
Independent Garden Centres:
- Concrete & Garden Creations
- Eckards Garden Pavilion
- Heckers Garden Centre
- Plant Paradise Garden Centre
- Stodels Nurseries Bellville
- Stodels Nurseries Menlo Park
Home Stores:
- Builders Express Hillcrest
- Builders Express Northmead
- Builders Express Robindale
- Builders Warehouse Port Elizabeth
Garden Centres of Excellence 2022:
Garden centres and home stores who participated in the evaluation and achieved a minimum of a Gold grading at least twice in the *past three years’ evaluations were announced as Garden Centres of Excellence 2022.(*since no evaluation took place during 2020 & 2021, this list was compiled using historical info. Going forward the list will automatically be identified through the evaluation process that will take place in that specific year)
Based on the above criteria, we are delighted to announce the Garden Centres of Excellence 2022:
Home Stores:
- Builders Express Durban North
- Builders Express Hillcrest
- Builders Warehouse Cape Gate
- Builders Warehouse Port Elizabeth
Independent Garden Centres:
- Concrete & Garden Creations
- Eckards Garden Pavilion
- Greener Tidings
- Greenside Kwekery
- Heckers Nursery
- Plantland Menlyn
- Plantland The Wilds
- Stodels Bellville
- Stodels Milnerton
- Stodels Somerset West
Garden centres & Home stores identified as Garden Centres of Excellence will be entered into the Garden Centre & Home Store of the Year 2022 Competition that will be moderated by Dawn Collard and another evaluator for transparency and objective results.
Good luck to all participants!