Eckards has been recognised as one of the best garden centres in South Africa and one of the top garden centres in Gauteng by the Garden Centre Association (GCA) and the South African Nursery Association (SANA) for over a decade.

Eckards is officially the number one garden centre is South Africa having come First in the Garden Centre of the Year 2026 National Competition.

Having consistently featured on the SANA top garden centres in South Africa list for the past 25 years is a huge achievement as an independent garden centre.

Eckards has won the Garden Centre of the Year for Gauteng South regional competition for the past five years of the competition. Together with our top GCA Grading Results over the years we really have had cause for celebration here at Eckards.

The Eckards team also won the Best Garden Centre Staff of the Year 2026 National from the GCA Competition held annually. An award they have received consistently and more than any other garden centre since the inception of the competition.

We are super proud to have won a number of Awards over the years. Awards would be nothing without our team who are on the forefront of making Eckards the best it can be.

We are truly blessed to work with such a passionate team and for the support from our customers and local community.

As a locally owned and owner run business, we know just how valuable the support is and are extremely grateful.

Eckards is an Award-Winning Garden Centre

South African Garden Centres of Excellence

Eckards has been awarded GCA Garden Centre of Excellence status by the Garden Centre Association (GCA) and the South African Nursery Association (SANA) annually since 2022. An award that puts us in the top ten garden centres in South Africa and as one of the best garden centres in Gauteng and one of the Best of Ekurhuleni, which we are super excited about.

Eckards GCA Garden Centre of Excellence 2026

GCA Departmental Awards 2026

• Best Garden Centre Staff National
• Best Outdoor Colour National
• Rand Water Most Waterwise Nursery National

  Did you know that Eckards has been around for almost 60 years? Read more about our story.

The Eckards Awards Wall

• 2026 1st Place National Garden Centre of the Year
• 2026 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
• 2024 2nd Place National Garden Centre of the Year
• 2024 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
• 2023 3rd Place National Garden Centre of the Year
• 2022 2nd Place National Garden Centre of the Year
  
• 2021 Pandemic Hiatus
• 2020 National Garden Centre of the Year Medium
• 2020 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2020 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
  
• 2019 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2019 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
• 2019 Garden Pavilion of the Year
• 2018 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2018 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
• 2018 Garden Pavilion of the Year
• 2017 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2016 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2016 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
• 2016 Garden Pavilion of the Year
  
• 2015 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2014 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2014 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
• 2014 Garden Pavilion of the Year
• 2013 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2013 Garden Pavilion of the Year
  
• 2012 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
• 2011 Gauteng South Garden Centre of the Year
• 2011 GCA Best Garden Centre Staff National
• 2007 Garden Pavilion of the Year
• 2006 Garden Pavilion of the Year
  

Garden Centre Association Grading Awards

The GCA competition started on a national basis in 2000 and as part of the Association project to improve the standards and level of professionalism in the retail garden centres of SANA.

Part of that was the grading of garden centres based on a rigorous evaluation form and subsequent grading results.
The Grading side of the competition ended in 2022 when the competition was adapted to the current format and Garden Centres of Excellence replaced it.

Eckards grew and from 2010 to 2021 was awarded Gold Grading Status by the GCA.