The Old Railway Line Garden Centre in Three Cocks has been named Best Garden Centre in the Midlands, Wales and The West at this year’s prestigious Garden Centre Association (GCA) regional awards.

The independent, family-run business, based between Brecon and Hay-on-Wye, picked up six top accolades at the ceremony, held at Pugh’s Garden Village in Wenvoe. Alongside the overall title, the centre was recognised for Best Customer Service, Best Farm Shop, Best Indoor Lifestyle Retailer, Best Garden Products Retailer, and received the Ruxley Rose Award for Best Plant Area.

The team also celebrated high placements across several other categories, securing second place in Outdoor Living, Catering, Indoor Plants, and Innovation and Creativity, and third place for Sustainability and Environmental Practices.

Liam Cleary, Garden Retail Director, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be named Best Garden Centre in the region. Our team works really hard to make sure every visitor has a great experience, so to be recognised across so many categories feels amazing. We’re especially pleased with this award after all the effort and investment that went into creating our new entrance and plant area earlier this year.”

Joe Aldworth, Marketing & Ecommerce Director, added: “We’re so pleased to be recognised by the GCA again, especially after such a challenging but rewarding year. These results really highlight the variety and quality of what we offer – from our plant area and farm shop to the tearoom, pet department, restaurant, and gift department. It’s a real credit to our amazing team, who work so hard to keep standards high right across the board. And of course, a huge thank you to our loyal customers – everything we do is for them.”

The award comes during a particularly exciting period for the business, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this January. Founded in 1990 by Mark and Christina Cleary on the historic site of the old Brecon to Hereford branch of the Midland Railway, the garden centre began as a modest plant stall in an 8x6ft roadside greenhouse. Over the decades, it has blossomed into one of the country’s top-performing garden centres.

In April, the Cleary family welcomed the public to the grand opening of the centre’s new Plant Area and Entrance. The updated facilities include a covered area for all-weather shopping, expanded retail space, and a new entrance hall featuring a display of the family’s history.

The garden centre’s green credentials were also on show: the new roof collects rainwater to irrigate plants, while innovative flood benches water from the base to reduce waste and improve plant health.

The grand opening drew crowds from 8am, with TV horticulturist David Domoney cutting the ribbon to officially launch the new space.

The GCA represents over 200 of the UK’s leading garden centres, carrying out annual, unannounced inspections at each site. Centres are assessed on a broad range of criteria, including customer service, retail standards, plant quality and environmental responsibility.

More information about the Old Railway Line Garden Centre can be found at www.oldrailwaylinegc.co.uk or by calling 01497 847055.