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GIMA Awards 2026

The GIMA

Awards Return

The GIMA Awards 2026 are back.  The night where the garden industry comes together to celebrate its brightest talent.  Join us for an evening of recognition, inspiration, and celebration with members, customers, and industry peers.

Known as the industry’s must-attend event, the GIMA Awards highlight the best in product innovation, standout marketing, and export success. With 17 award categories, there’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase your achievements to our distinguished judging panel, featuring top UK garden retailers, leading garden media, and industry experts.

If you’ve launched something exceptional in the last 12 months, this is your chance to step into the spotlight and receive the recognition your hard work deserves.

GIMA Awards 2026 Logo

Take a look below at last year’s awards.

GIMA-Awards-green fingers presentation

Bookings Now Open

Secure Your Place!

Get ready for an unforgettable night of networking, celebrations, and celebrity entertainment at the stunning Celtic Manor Resort!  Surrounded by 2,000 acres of breathtaking parkland in the Usk Valley, this is the place to be for the garden industry’s biggest event.

Book your tickets

Gala Dinner tickets are now available for booking.

GIMA Members:

£379 + VAT per person | £3,579 + VAT for a table of 10

Non Members:

£449 + VAT per person | £4,299 + VAT for a table of 10

Price includes dinner & accommodation.

Please contact info@gima.org.uk if you would like to be placed on the reserve list for this year’s GIMA Awards.

Product & POS   Friday, 29th May

Marketing Campaign   Friday, 29th May

Associate of the Year   Friday, 29th May

Supplier of the Year     Friday, 14th August

Export Achievement   Friday, 14th August

Tuesday, 30th June, Warwick Racecourse

Wednesday, 1st July, Warwick Racecourse

Join us on Thursday 12th November, Celtic Manor Resort, Newport, South Wales

Book Now
Cancellation Policy

Headline Sponsor

Thank You to Our 2026 Sponsors

Thank you to all our incredible sponsors for supporting the 2026 GIMA Awards.  Your support helps make this event the highlight of the gardening industry calendar.

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Gardenex Logo -GIMA
CM-Ventures-Logo-sponsor
Hornby George PR logo
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HortWeek Logo
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Hozelock Logo
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Citation Logo
HTA Logo suitable for Featured Image
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Lofa Logo
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APAC Logo
Deco-Pak Logo
Smart Garden Products Logo
View All GIMA Sponsors

Want to put your brand in the spotlight and be part of something special? Sponsorship opportunities are still available!

Get in touch today: info@gima.org.uk

Categories &

Entry Details

The GIMA Awards celebrate excellence in new products, marketing, and export achievements within the garden retail sector. We’re excited to recognise innovation and the key attributes that set your products and campaigns apart, with a strong focus on sustainability.

Entry Guidelines

Entries must relate to products or marketing activities available to all retailers, launched between June 2025 and May 2026. Private label products are not eligible, and each product entry may be submitted in a maximum of two categories. The organisers reserve the right to recommend alternative categories if the entry is deemed more suited elsewhere.

Terms & Conditions

Product Categories

Recognising excellence in products and plants that support healthy, thriving gardens. This includes plant nutrition, growing media, and responsible pest, weed, and disease control solutions.   Incorporating seeds and bulbs, judges will assess effectiveness, innovation, and suitability for modern UK gardens.

Highlighting the tools and accessories that make planting and growing easier, including watering systems, plant supports, protective products, propagation kits, and other practical garden essentials. Entries will be judged on design, functionality, and usability.

Celebrating innovation in domestic garden tools and machinery, including hand tools, powered equipment, lawn mowers, trimmers, and related implements. Entries will be evaluated on design, quality, performance, and relevance to the UK consumer market.

Showcasing products that enhance outdoor living, including garden furniture, BBQs, patio accessories and complementary leisure items. Entries will be assessed for design, durability, consumer appeal, and innovation.

Recognising products that transform outdoor spaces, including garden buildings, fencing, paving, aggregates, decking, greenhouses, arbours, arches, and construction materials. Entries will be judged on design, quality, innovation, and suitability for UK gardens.

Acknowledging the best in functional and stylish gardening apparel, gloves, boots, and any other gardening related gifts or retail products. Judges will assess quality, design, innovation, and consumer appeal.

Celebrating products that support animal care and garden wildlife, including pet health and husbandry products, toys, indoor aquatics, outdoor water gardening, and wild bird care. Entries will be judged on quality, innovation, and suitability for the UK consumer.

Recognising products that enhance garden ambiance, including lighting, fountains, water features, solar solutions, and decorative ornamentation. Judges will assess design, functionality, and consumer appeal.

Showcasing the creativity and quality of decorative pots, planters, and containers for indoor and outdoor use. Entries will be judged on design, durability, and overall impact.

Marketing Categories

Celebrating innovative merchandising and promotional displays, both indoors and outdoors.

This award celebrates outstanding achievement in marketing across all media platforms, including print, PR, social media, TV, radio, and integrated campaigns. Entries are evaluated on originality, execution, impact, and overall effectiveness,regardless of budget, by an independent panel of experts.

Special Achievement

Awards

The ultimate accolade, awarded to the standout winner from all product categories, recognising exceptional innovation, design, and market success.

Celebrating garden and leisure products achieving international success. Entries will be judged on growth, market impact, and export innovation since January 2025.

Sponsored by the Garden Centre Association, recognises excellence in product quality, service, innovation and retailer partnership. Companies may submit one nomination, either by self-nomination or via a GCA member. The award is divided into Large and Small/Medium business categories (as defined by GIMA), with the final decision made exclusively by GCA retailer members through a dedicated voting process.

Based on the information provided in the product & marketing entry forms, the judges will shortlist and select the overall winner of this year’s  sustainability award.

Celebrating the outstanding contributions of GIMA Associate Members, businesses that provide essential support and services to the wider membership.  Voted for by GIMA members.

How To

Enter

To enter the awards simply complete the online entry form for each category you wish to enter.  Once completed, you must then send us your product for judging.  

Closing date for entries:

Product & POS – Friday, 29th May.
Marketing Campaign – Friday, 29th May.
Associate of the Year – Friday, 29th May.
Supplier of the Year  – Friday, 14th August.
Export Achievement – Friday, 14th August.

We’re looking forward to seeing your incredible entries and celebrating the very best in the garden retail industry!

Send Your Products for

Judging

Products or marketing samples should arrive by post or courier to the judging venue, Warwick Racecourse, on Tuesday 30th June. Please ensure your entry is clearly identified with company name, product name & category being entered product to help identify the product being delivered. This is for identification purposes only and will be removed before judging. If you are entering larger items which you need to assemble yourself, please book your slot in advance so we can monitor personnel numbers and ensure safety on site at all times.


Judging Venue

Warwick Racecourse, Paddock Entrance, Hampton Street, Warwick CV34 6HN.

Award winners will be announced at the Gala Dinner on the 12th November, make sure you’re there to hear the news on the night. Book your place at the GIMA Awards Dinner without delay!


Entry Fees:

GIMA Members  £70  + VAT per entry

Non Members.  £140 + VAT per entry

* Supplier of the Year is FREE to enter.

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Cancellation Policy

Cancellations or alterations must be notified to us in writing no later than 30 days prior to the date of the event. Where notice of late cancellation is received (i.e. less than 30 days notice), the original fee/charges as quoted on the booking information/invoice will be due and payable by you.

 

GIMA Award Terms and Conditions

Terms & Conditions of Entry

1. The closing dates are as stated. Extensions must be by prior agreement only and are at the discretion of GIMA.

2. All entries must relate to initiatives and products available to the UK retail market and launched from June 2025 to May 2026 inclusive.

3. All UK and EU based suppliers to the UK garden market are eligible to enter the awards, whether GIMA members or not.

4. Private label products are not eligible for entry.

5. Products may only be entered into a maximum of 2 product categories. Companies may submit several entries per category.

6. Suggested retail prices must be indicated.

7. All entry products and materials remain the property of GIMA unless their return is specifically requested. GIMA may use them for publicity purposes of for donation to charity.

8. Products for return should be clearly noted on the entry form. The supplier is responsible for arranging collection of these items.

9. If entry fee has not been received by the closing date, entries may not be judged.

10. The organisers reserve the right to suggest alternative categories for the entry if it is felt to have been entered incorrectly