Sole Gardener
An excellent opportunity has arisen for a Sole Gardener to join the garden and grounds of a beautiful grade two listed property located near Uckfield in East Sussex. The historical property was refurbished five years ago and require a skilled gardener with additional handyman qualities to assist in the ongoing maintenance and development of the estate.
The luscious grounds total eighty-three acres with approximately fifty acres of ancient woodlands which feature private pathways and two acres of formal gardens which surround the main property. The fields, which comprise of twelve-acres of dog fields, are maintained by a local farmer. The stunning formal gardens feature a mill pond, a paved terrace, a lake, a formal walled garden, a water meadow, lawns, paddocks and incorporate features such as wisteria, mixed shrub and flower beds, wildflowers and are enclosed by an abundance of established trees. The extensive natural bluebell woods require occasional clearing however, are predominantly left to thrive in their existing state.
Our client seeks a highly skilled Groundsperson / Gardener to help maintain the gardens on a year-round basis. Applicants should ideally possess an academic horticultural qualification, such as an RHS level 2 or equivalent, combined with previous experience working in a similar role. As such, excellent plant knowledge and technical skills are essential for this position. General maintenance duties will include but are not limited to pruning, planting, weeding, mowing, strimming and edging.
In addition to gardening responsibilities, the successful candidate will be expected to be fully competent in maintenance and groundsman activities, which include but are not limited to, fence work, pointing of York Stone paths, sweeping of pathways and clearing of debris from the lake. As such, this is a physically demanding position which requires a fit and strong individual who is also flexible in their work to provide assistance around the estate when required. Management of external contractors will be an additional feature of this position and therefore previous experience in doing so will be advantageous for prospective candidates.
Applicants should be confident working at height, physically fit and with a ‘can do’ attitude. A self-motivated individual with a strong work ethic, ability to work to their own initiative and willingness to work to consistently high standards are qualities which are essential for this role.
A full, clean UK driving license, previous experience in the use and maintenance of a wide range of gardening machinery including PA1 and PA6 spraying certification, are a requirement for this position. Previous experience and licenses for the use of chainsaws are advantageous for this role however, external contractors are to be used for large tree works. The Estate is well equipped with machinery, which the gardener should be capable of maintaining between services.
This position comes with the option of a beautiful one bedroom converted stable on site, with rent and rates to be discussed with the client as part of the overall package. The hours of work for this position are 8.30am-4.30pm, Monday-Friday with a thirty-minute lunch break and the role provides four weeks of paid holiday.
SALARY: £30,000 – £35,000
LOCATION: Near Uckfield, East Sussex
JOB No: EC44635
If this Sole Gardener vacancy is of interest, please apply or contact Bevan Andrews on 01233 733510 or info@englishcountrygardeners.co.uk.
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Thank you for the interest you have shown in this Sole Gardener vacancy. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications that we receive, it is not possible to respond to every one. Therefore, unless you hear from us within the next 14 days, your application for this Sole Gardener vacancy will have been unsuccessful.
