Amore Ristorante e Pizzeria on Glasgow’s Ingram Street has won the coveted Robertson Silver Spade award for the city business with the best floral display.
The spade is the top honour in the annual ‘Let Glasgow Flourish’ awards, presented to commercial or other organisations within the city which ‘create and maintain an arboreal or floral display of a high standard which enhances the local area’.
The awards were launched in 1983 by The Incorporation of Gardeners of Glasgow and the Robertson Silver Spade was first awarded in 1992. The awards are available for projects from simple hanging baskets and window box displays to larger impressive and ambitious plantings.
This year’s judging was across the city and took in the city centre, east end, west end, south side and Merchant City areas.
Amore received the top accolade for its ‘magnificent floral displays, which focus on the red, white and green of the Italian flag’.
Amore Ristorante e Pizzeria general manager Romano Perella said: “We’re delighted to have won The Robertson Silver Spade Award at the Let Glasgow Flourish Awards.
“We want to make the exterior of the restaurant colourful and entice dinners from both home and abroad to try our wonderful restaurant. Our floral displays brighten up Ingram Street and we’re happy to play a part in making Glasgow a flourishing and welcoming place for local, national and international visitors.”
Other award winners include a number of hospitality businesses across the city. The DRG Group won gold, silver and bronze awards for their floral displays in their city centre venues, including Barolo, Amarone and The Citizen.
Last year’s winners, Meze Meze, won a gold award, along with Mharsanta, La Vita, The Corinthian Club and The Merchant Chippie. Silver award winners included Ardnamurchan, Sloans, The Islay Inn and The Ubiquitous Chip.
Stephen Docherty, Deacon of The Incorporation of Gardeners, said: “Congratulations to Amore Ristorante e Pizzeria for winning The Robertson Silver Spade and to all the businesses who were awarded bronze, silver and gold awards today.
“This year is the 850th anniversary of the city and never has there been a more important time for it to look its best. We’re delighted that so many of our businesses play their part in enhancing their outdoor areas and entrances with beautiful planting and floral displays.”
Competition judges – who are all volunteers associated with The Incorporation of Gardeners – explored businesses throughout Glasgow during the first two weeks in August 2024, while the flowers were in full bloom, and awarded points for each display they found.
The awards ceremony, in Glasgow’s Trades Hall, was attended by representatives from the Incorporation and the wider Trades House crafts and associated organisations, and the awards were presented by Lord Provost of Glasgow Jacqueline McLaren.
