Gardener – Vacancy

An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Gardener (live out) to join the small team on a historic estate near Tetbury in the Cotswolds. This role would suit a formally qualified and well-rounded gardener with at least 3-5-years’ practical experience on private estates and/or horticulturally diverse gardens.

Garden Description:

The current 12-acre garden has been professionally developed since 2016 by the present owner in collaboration with a renowned garden designer. It includes formal lawns around the house, shrub, roses and herbaceous borders, topiary specimens, woodland garden and parterre/courtyard garden.  The large walled garden is planned around heated glasshouses which are used for both the production and display of flowering pot plants (mainly pelargoniums) throughout the year for use in the main house, as well as the propagation of plants used in the garden borders and seasonal pot displays.

photo by Leanne Punshon

The main areas within the walled garden have been extensively developed to display mixed ornamental borders, fruit, vegetables and seasonal cut flowers borders. Outside the walled garden a long avenue border is dominated by groups of Cornus kousa and bold herbaceous plantings. A castellated Garden Folly with seating on a slope above the walled garden gives an impressive panoramic view over the garden and the wider landscape.

photo by Leanne Punshon

photo by Leanne Punshon

Recent improvements to the garden include the renovation of the Woodland Garden and the renovation of borders is ongoing throughout the gardens with extensive replanting completed in the last two years. A new water feature has been installed as a focal point within the walled garden and a Winter Garden developed adjacent to the Woodland Garden. A further 32 acres was extensively planted last year with trees to form a Parkland valley with wildflower meadows.  The spectacular views outside the main garden make this a picturesque location to work.

photo by Leanne Punshon

The garden is designed to put on a large display of tulips in the spring followed by extensive herbaceous displays of naturalistic style planting throughout the main seasons and more traditional mixed plantings of ornamental shrubs, old fashioned roses and climbing roses.

photo by Leanne Punshon

The garden is open twice per year under the NGS and sometimes opens to support other special charity events.

Main Areas of Responsibility:

To undertake and assist with the hands-on seasonal maintenance and development of beds, borders, paths and structures, including completing main duties within the Walled Garden, glasshouses and/or wider ornamental grounds. The gardener will have the opportunity to contribute to the beauty and upkeep of our prestigious gardens under the supervision of the Senior Gardener, who in turn reports to the Head Gardener.

Tasks will mainly include the following depending on season and operational requirements:

• Maintenance of extensive herbaceous plantings to include dead-heading, staking, tying-in, division, feeding and irrigation.
• Maintenance of paths, ornamental and design features.
• Wide use of garden tools, equipment and machinery.
• Shrub and specimen tree planting and maintenance.
• Vegetable seed sowing, cultivation and harvesting.
• Care and maintenance of soft, cane and top fruit.
• Topiary trimming, maintenance and development.
• Grass mowing and renovation maintenance.
• Weeding and mulching of ornamental borders
• Leaf clearance
• Seasonal bulb and container planting displays
• Seasonal pruning of roses and climbers
• Assisting with greenhouse management and maintenance
• Assisting with irrigation systems and water features
• Assisting with the management of composting of waste on site and recycling.
• Pest and disease control through organic methods where possible
• Assisting with the provision of cut flowers, pot plants, fruit and vegetables for the main house.
• Comply with all Health and Safety rules and regulations ensuring own and others’ Health and Safety at all times.
• Any other duties as requested by the Head Gardener and/or Senior Gardeners

 Person specification:

Essential

• Hold a recognised horticultural qualification equivalent to RHS level 2 theory and practical or equivalent/above.
• Wide range of relevant horticultural practical experience, (3 to 5 years) ideally within a private estate garden setting.
• Personal pride in a high standard of workmanship with a pro-active approach.
• Full understanding and experience of the operation, maintenance and health and safety of a wide range of horticultural machinery.
• Flexibility, reliability and enjoyment of working as part of a team and/or working unsupervised.
• Good organisational skills, interpersonal communication skills and the proven ability to prioritise own work.
• Good plant knowledge and identification.
• Extensive knowledge and practical experience in a wide range of horticultural skills.
• Physically fit, having a broad experience of working with herbaceous borders, formal and informal lawn areas, kitchen gardening, cut flowers, and glasshouse maintenance operations.
• Personal pride in a high standard of workmanship with a pro-active approach.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times and exercise discretion.
• A current driving licence.

Desirable:

• A good understanding of the principles of organic gardening.
• Extensive practical experience in the use of grass cutting machinery including ride-on and pedestrian
• Extensive practical experience in the cultivation of cut flowers, vegetables and indoor flowering pot plants displays
• Lantra machinery certification.

Additional Information:                  

The job involves carrying out demanding and repetitive physical tasks.

Further training provided for the right candidate

Working Hours: Standard working hours are Monday to Friday, with 40-hours/week being expected, however some flexibility may be required at times to reflect seasonal demands).  Extra weekend watering duties are required on a rota basis. Part Time can be considered.

Annual Leave: The position is offered with 20-days holiday per annum plus bank holidays.

Salary; Up to £30,000 DOE

Reporting to: Head Gardener

This private advert is being managed directly by the employer. English Country Gardeners are not involved in the hiring process and are therefore unable to share any additional information on this role. If you have any questions regarding this position, the best course of action is to apply for the job which will open a line of communication with the employer.

If you would like to view more information on the Professional Gardeners Guild, please click here and the Royal Horticultural Society, please click here

For more gardener roles please click here

Tagged as: full time, Gardener, Gloucestershire, Part time, Private Advert