Gardener
Gardener Vacancy
The King’s Foundation is a charity founded by King Charles III and was first formed in 1990. Inspired by the vision and values of His Majesty, the Foundation focuses on creating better communities where people, places and the planet can coexist in harmony.
The charity offers education courses for over 15,000 students annually, health and wellbeing programmes for nearly 2,000 people every year, and spearheads placemaking and regeneration projects in the UK and overseas to revitalise communities and historic buildings.
The King’s Foundation is headquartered at its flagship regeneration project, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, and acts as custodian of other historic Royal sites including the Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland, and Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire, which are open to visitors. The Foundation also carries out its work at educational and cultural hubs in London, based at The King’s Foundation School for Traditional Arts in Shoreditch, Trinity Buoy Wharf on the River Thames and the Garrison Chapel in Chelsea.
The work of The King’s Foundation is underpinned by our Founder His Majesty The King’s philosophy of harmony: that by understanding the balance, the order and the relationships between ourselves and the natural world we can create a more sustainable future. We have a diverse and inclusive workplace, creating a welcoming, safe space for everyone. This means that every member of our team can bring their whole self to work. We encourage qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply to and join The King’s Foundation and bring their valuable skills and experiences.
The Foundation is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees, including the provision of workplace adjustments. We do not tolerate discrimination based on protected characteristics (age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership) or other difference such as socio-economic background or social origin.
Highgrove Garden
Highgrove Garden is a highly renowned garden, described as one of the most inspiring and innovative garden in the UK. Begin in 1980 the garden is managed organically and includes a variety of garden features and areas including a walled kitchen garden, a thyme walk, topiary and hedging, a terrace garden, cottage garden, wildflower meadows, Island beds, an arboretum, woodland garden and various water features.
Main Areas of Responsibility:
Carry out practical horticultural tasks such as; mowing, hedgecutting, weeding, mulching, planting, leaf clearing to high horticultural and presentation standards.
To undertake and assist with the seasonal maintenance such as; shrub and specimen tree maintenance, willow coppicing, topiary and ornamental hedge pruning, grass cutting, compost management etc.
Ensure organic and sustainability standards are met
Ensure that all tools and machinery are correctly used, maintained and stored
Assist the Senior Gardeners with the planning of maintenance routines, day-to-day tasks and report on progress
Supervise volunteers, work experience staff and trainees and at times other gardeners
Ensure that all tools and machinery are correctly used, maintained and stored
Comply with all Health and Safety rules and regulations, including taking responsibility for own health and safety and reasonable care for others’ health and safety, to include the safe and compliant use of all garden machinery;
Partake in CPD opportunities to enhance your role
Hours of Work:
40 hours per week plus extra weekend watering and operational duties that are required on a rota / seasonal basis.
Additional Information:
This job involves strenuous physical activity including soil cultivation, plant establishment, maintenance and the use of a range of powered machinery.
What we offer:
The starting salary is c. £24,500 per annum reflecting experience, plus lunches. We also provide certified training on all machinery.
Annual Leave 22 days per year plus bank holidays
Essential Criteria
Previous practical experience in a high quality garden open to the public (3+ years)
NVQ Level 2 or higher or equivalent level of vocational experience/training in amenity horticulture
Full, manual driving licence
Excellent plant identification and maintenance knowledge
Experience working in a range of horticultural settings such as ornamental borders, meadow, arboretum and vegetable garden
Understand current health and safety legislation
Good oral and written communication skills
Good organisational skills and the proven ability to prioritise own work;
Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times and exercise discretion
Desirable Criteria
Competent in the use and care for a wide range of machinery and equipment
Range of machinery certificates
Experience of working to organic principles
Closing Date: Monday 9th December 2024
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
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