An exciting opportunity has arisen for a qualified and highly skilled Head Gardener to join a
country estate in North Warwickshire to manage and work alongside a small but
experienced team in growing and developing gardens that have huge potential. The
candidate needs to have had experience as a Head Gardener at other similar gardens.

The gardens, originally designed by Capability Brown, are mainly located within 27 acres of
‘Pleasure Grounds’ that extend away from the main house. Within these are herbaceous
borders, a rose garden, a newly restored and productive walled garden, wild-flower
meadows and lakes. The owner has a deep passion for gardening and a background in
garden design and the family are seeking an enthusiastic and knowledgeable candidate who can work closely with them to continue the garden’s development.

This position would suit a diligent gardener with excellent attention to detail and experience of supervising a team and volunteers. Proven management skills with the ability to inspire,be a positive team player and having excellent communication skills are crucial for successfulcandidates. Additionally, a solid understanding of health and safety practices is required.

There are a number of large and exciting projects in the pipeline and previous experience in
project management, liaising with contractors and various different people who would be
involved, to deliver the projects to a high standard is important.

Candidates must have excellent plant knowledge and experience in all gardening practices,
including the use of common garden machinery. Chainsaw and digger certificates would be
advantageous.

The Estate is currently undergoing an evolution working towards sustainable methodologies that are aligned with its core pillars of stewardship, sustainability, connectivity and wellness. The ambition is to improve soil health and create a sustainable environment, allowing nature to thrive. The focus is to grow high quality, highly nutritious food, while also making space for wildlife to flourish and this ethos is carried through into the gardens. This role gives the individual an exciting opportunity to become a vital part of a wide, established team in working towards this goal.

The successful candidate will need demonstratable experience in:

• productive gardening using no-dig and chemical-free methods
• the growing and production of cut flowers
• planting and maintaining herbaceous borders
• care and maintenance of wildflower meadows
• plant propagation from seeds and cuttings
• fruit tree training and pruning (orchard, espaliers and step-overs)
• shrub / topiary pruning and maintaining
• pest and disease control within an organic setting
• creation and maintenance of compost
• engaging with members of the public and conducting garden tours for private parties
• use of various garden machinery
• assembling, programming and maintaining various irrigation systems

Role to include but not limited to:

• Heading the garden enterprise with the ability to create and coordinate budgets and
  introduce and implement ideas for the garden to produce an income
• You will be responsible for a small team of gardeners including their holidays,
  performance, development and training needs.
• Liaising with other members of the estate team and contractors.
• The Head Gardener will be responsible for ensuring that all works are carried out in
  accordance with best practice and that work is undertaken to the highest of
  standards and is delivered in accordance with any HSE guidelines. This includes
  undertaking and documenting risk assessments.
• Liaising with the owners who have a keen interest in the garden and its development
  Ensuring all mechanical and irrigation equipment is maintained and kept in good
  working order.

Although the position is predominantly based on a 40-hour working week, flexibility is
required to cover weekends and Bank Holidays as required for the purposes of watering,
managing the poly-tunnels, and open days. The position is live-out but could be offered on a live-in basis if accommodation was required. This role is a wonderful opportunity to work
within a progressive vibrant, historic estate, within a close-knit team, and for owners who
have enormous passion for their gardens and are always looking to create change and
progress.

This private advert for a Head Gardener 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, head gardener, Live Out