The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery – all images by Frankie Thomas Photography

The Muddy Awards are over for 2025 – and what a year it’s been! Here’s what happened when our amazing local winners came together to celebrate.

The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025

The sun was shining, the sky was blue… and smiles all round for the 21 worthy winners who nailed it to win the best in their category. 2025 saw over 20,000 businesses nominated across the Muddy counties, and a yet another record number of votes from our readers, with over half a million votes cast.

I know we say it every year, but this year’s was the most popular Muddy Awards to date reaching over 11 million people nationally in eight weeks, with half a million votes and nominations cast.

The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025 - group shot of winners — Muddy Cornwall Awards winners 2025, with Editor Rachel and Commercial Manager Laura at the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery

Thank you to all of you who voted and made the awards possible. It’s our biggest pleasure to meet and support brilliant local businesses and then tell you about them so you can enjoy them too!

The Orangery Duchy of Cornwall Nursery — The Orangery at Duchy of Cornwall Nursery

We partied at the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery near Lostwithiel – if it looks familiar, it might be because we loved it so much the last few years that we were delighted to head back again this year – and what a gorgeous evening it was. This year we opted to try a new space, their beautiful Orangery restaurant, opened by none other than the Prince of Wales, Wills, himself back in 2023.

The Orangery The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025

Frankly, the whole thing was once again a blast from beginning to end. Getting to meet inspirational, creative people – after all finding brilliant local businesses is right at the heart of Muddy and we really do love it. Running a business requires great effort and to make it a successful one that brightens up our daily lives, adding to our community, is no mean feat. So it’s an honour to be able to celebrate this on behalf of hard-working business owners across Cornwall.

Muddy Cornwall Editor Rachel Buchanan — Editor, Rachel (Blouse by TEIJA, trousers by MARAZUL, hair by A.B. Stylist Fades & Waves)

The Orangery at The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025

Once everyone had arrived I said a few words and thank yous, and then it was down to the serious business of toasting, celebrating and handing out the certificates!

Once again our woman behind the camera for the day this year was Frankie Thomas, one of Cornwall’s 30 under 30, and food, interiors and hospitality photographer. Thanks to her, all our winners have some fab photos to use – and if you’re looking for someone to help you bring your brand to life through images, she’s who you need.

tiny gimlets at The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025

We drank a stunning selection of drinks – including tiny garden gimlets (rhubarb or lemon) from the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery team, coastal spritz and palomas by Pentire Drinks, and a gorgeous rosé wine, served by Gina, chosen by Wild Wine Woman Debbie who runs Wild Wine School, which was sailed to the UK on a boat!

Pentire Drinks and Wild Wine School wine The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025

The Nursery also provided a delicious Kitchen Garden themed vegetarian canapés for all our guests, thanks to chefs Chris and Harry, which was a real summer treat.

canapes and chef Harry The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025

drinks and canapes The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025

All the winners took home a goodie bag to say thank you. Goodies included Seed Ball tins from the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, plus drinks from Sharp’s Brewery, Firebrand Brewing Co and Pentire to continue the celebrations back home!

goodby bags The Duchy of Cornwall Nursery winners drinks party Muddy Cornwall Awards 2025 Seed Ball tins from the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery, plus drinks from Sharp's Brewery, Firebrand Brewing Co and Pentire

But there would be no party with no awards, and no awards with no readers to vote for their most loved indie businesses, so it’s a big heartfelt THANK YOU from me to you for taking the time to give your local favourites a pat on the back and showing your support for the Muddies. We’ve got a voucher for an afternoon tea at the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery for one lucky reader to say thank you for all your votes. Head to Reader Treats to enter – it will be live very soon.

And last but very much not least, thank you to the team from the Duchy of Cornwall Nursery – Claire, Karl, Naomi, Vikki, Jen, and the rest of the team, who pulled out all the stops to put on a brilliant event. I couldn’t recommend them more highly – they are not ‘just’ a garden centre. Book a table at The Orangery restaurant, come to one of their gorgeous evening events, or workshops, or use the space for your own.

I also just want to take the opportunity once more to say a massive CONGRATS to everyone who found themselves nominated, a finalist and eventually a winner. It really hit home to me how much talent, character and good-feeling there is here in Cornwall.

The 2025 Muddy Awards! It’s a wrap

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