A FAMILY-RUN garden centre is celebrating an incredible success after scooping up multiple awards at a national conference.

Perrywood Garden Centre, in Tiptree, picked up five awards at the National Garden Centre Association Conference held in Luton this month.

The annual conference saw the centre named third in the Garden Centre Association’s top 100 UK league table, making it one of only ten garden centres of excellence in the UK and the best in the south of England.

It is a significant achievement for the centre, after being named fourth in last year’s awards.

The centre also received the Ruxley Rose Award for the first time for having the best UK plant area in larger “destination” garden centres with a turnover of more than £4million.

Other awards included first place for the customer service award and second place for the indoor lifestyle award thanks to the popular gift shop.

Owner Alan Bourne said being named number three in the UK was “incredible”.

Mr Bourne said: “There are some fantastic garden centres across the UK and I can only imagine what my late parents would think of this national success, having started it as a very local business selling potatoes and strawberries back in the 1950s.

“For a plantsman like myself, the Ruxley Rose Award for our plant area is particularly special.

“These awards are testament to the continued hard work, passion and dedication of the entire Perrywood Tiptree team and it is a fantastic way to start 2019.”

Perrywood also achieved second place in the catering category for the centre’s coffee shop and restaurant which sells vegan specials and offers free-from menus.

The association carries out an annual inspection of all its members which it uses to compile the rankings table.

Rankings depend on factors including customer service, merchandising, creativity and innovation, quality and range of products.