A new award has been created in honour of celebrated horticulturalist Charles Notcutt.

East Anglian Daily Times: Charles Notcutt.Charles Notcutt.

The Charles Notcutt Retail Plant Supplier of the Year Award will be presented as part of the Garden Retail Awards in February.

Mr Notcutt, who died in 2015 at the age of 81, was instrumental in the growth and success of Notcutts Garden Centres, a Woodbridge-based family business with 18 centres nationwide.

He was also the first chairman of the Garden Centres Association and president of The Institute of Horticulture.

In 1993, he was awarded an OBE for Services to Horticulture and in 1997 received the prestigious Victoria Medal of Honour, one of only 63 at any one time, reflecting the number of years Queen Victoria reigned.

The Charles Notcutt Award will recognise the efforts of outstanding plant suppliers to retail trade, and will be presented by his daughter, Caroline Notcutt, vice chairman of Notcutts Garden Centres.