Gardener required – (incl. part Kitchen Garden focus)

A Private Estate in Preston Candover (near Basingstoke) are looking for an enthusiastic, positive, all-rounder to join their small Garden team to help maintain and develop around 8 acres of much loved and beautiful private gardens. Around half of this role will be devoted to taking pride in maintaining and enhancing the walled kitchen garden to grow a variety of nutritious vegetables, salads and fruit crops as well as assisting in plant propagation. 

The main garden contains a very wide horticultural range including woodland and water, perennial borders, bulbs, topiary and hedges, shrubs and a lovely collection of trees. The gardens have strong design elements and planting details which you will help to maintain.  The Kitchen Garden includes frames and a large glasshouse which supports further production and a range of house plants.

This role will work closely with the other 3 full time Gardeners and Head Gardener in all aspects of the garden’s maintenance and presentation.

Working hours: Full time (39 hours/week) Monday to Friday. Weekend cover and watering duties on a rota.

Contract: Ideally Employed but Freelance will be considered with pay rate to reflect this.

Accommodation: Newly refurbished, 2-3 bedroom house (in the village) is available for employees (from September 24) with rent of £25/month. Council tax is paid by the employer with utilities the responsibility of the employee.

Essential requirements:

• Good horticultural knowledge including plant husbandry, propagation and care and working in a greenhouse. RHS Level 2 (or similar) or proven experience at this level is essential.
• At least 3 years’ experience and a love of growing vegetables, salads and fruit.
• Good experience of general garden maintenance of a variety of garden beds and borders.
• Physically fit and able to perform all general gardening tasks, all day, and happy to work outside in all weathers.
• A friendly team player with a positive and flexible approach
• If you live on site or nearby you will be asked to cover watering and greenhouse duties on a rota basis with others in the team – roughly a few hours over one weekend a month.
• An existing right to work in the UK and be able to communicate effectively in English.
• This role is in a rural location and if you don’t live on site you will need your own reliable transport to get to work as public transport is limited in the area. Please ensure the location is workable for you BEFORE applying.

In return we offer:

• A salary up to £27,000 per annum (depending on skills and experience)
• A 2-3 bedroom house in a beautiful village with good schools nearby
• 24 days holiday a year (plus Bank Holidays)
• Support for Training and Development.
• 2 weeks Company Sick Pay (after Probation)
• A beautiful place to work and a supportive team
• An immediate start is available and ideally we’d like a start as soon as possible.

**This is a relisted vacancy – Please do not apply for this role if you applied for it in July-August.**

If you are a new applicant – Click on Apply to send your CV and confirm:

• your skills and experience
• whether you are wanting to work on an employed or freelance basis
• whether you are interested in accommodation as part of the package (or not)
• when you’d be available to start
• two professional references will be taken up prior to a start or any paid trial day.

Deadline for applications: Sunday, 22nd September 2024.

If you would like to discuss the role before applying please call Natalie at New Forest HR on 07802 626128 (weekdays). 

This private advert is being managed directly by the employer. (English Country Gardeners/horticruitment) 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: all-rounder, general gardener, kitchen garden, propagation