An exceptional opportunity has arisen for a highly experienced horticultural professional to take ownership of a prestigious recently established 28-acre private estate in Guernsey. This unique Head Gardener position combines hands-on horticultural expertise with leadership, strategic planning, and estate management responsibilities across a richly diverse gardens and grounds. This is a rare opportunity to shape and manage one of the Channel Islands’ most distinctive private estates.

The diverse and evolving gardens feature a South African garden, cider orchard, heritage orchard, wildflower meadow, woodland, vegetable garden, English country garden, specialist orchid collection, productive cut-flower gardens, and greenhouse facilities, including a planned second large-scale greenhouse development.

Working closely with the Estate Owner and Garden Designer, the successful candidate will bridge the gap between horticultural vision and practical delivery, ensuring that every aspect of the estate is maintained and developed to an exceptional standard. The role requires a hands-on approach, combining leadership with practical horticultural expertise across all areas of the gardens and grounds.

The Head Gardener will lead, manage, and motivate a dedicated gardening team, overseeing daily operations, workload planning, performance standards, and ongoing professional development. The successful candidate will oversee the long-term evolution of the estate, including the planning, establishment, and management of future horticultural developments, such as the new large greenhouse project.

The role will involve maintaining and enhancing specialist horticultural areas across the estate, including orchard management, woodland care, wildflower meadow development, orchid cultivation, vegetable and cut-flower production, greenhouse management, and the ongoing care of South African and heritage planting schemes. Operational management responsibilities will include budget oversight, procurement, Health and Safety compliance, machinery maintenance schedules, and ensuring the estate operates efficiently to the highest horticultural standards.

A strong commitment to sustainability is essential. The successful candidate will implement environmentally responsible horticultural methods, prioritising biological and mechanical approaches rather than chemical interventions, while promoting biodiversity and long-term ecological resilience throughout the estate.

The Head Gardener will also oversee external contractors where required, ensuring all works are completed safely, professionally, and to the required standard. Seasonal planning responsibilities will include succession planting, year-round colour planning, planting schedules, and ensuring continued visual interest across the estate throughout all seasons.

Accurate record keeping will form an important part of the role, including maintaining plant inventories, garden journals, maintenance logs, and providing regular written and verbal updates to key stakeholders.

For the right candidate, there is significant scope to expand the position to include Regional Gardens Manager responsibilities across five hotel properties within the Channel Islands. This commercial element would involve setting horticultural standards across multiple sites, working closely with hotel teams to enhance guest experience through exceptional landscape presentation, and ensuring consistency of garden quality and brand standards throughout the portfolio. This additional responsibility offers an exciting opportunity for a horticultural professional looking to broaden their impact beyond private estate management into commercial horticulture and hospitality landscaping. The expanded Regional Gardens Manager responsibilities may require regular travel between hotel properties across the Channel Islands.

Applicants should hold a minimum RHS Level 3 qualification or equivalent horticultural training and demonstrate proven experience managing large private estates, heritage gardens, specialist plant collections, or complex commercial horticultural environments. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent leadership skills, excellent communication skills are essential, alongside commercial awareness. Candidates will possess strong technical expertise and have practical experience operating and maintaining estate machinery, including tractors, chippers, and powered hand tools, is essential. A full driving licence is required.

Accommodation may be provided for the successful candidate if required, depending on individual requirements and circumstances.

As part of the offer process, the successful candidate will be required to undergo background screening, including a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check where applicable, and enter into a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to ensure the privacy and confidentiality requirements of the estate are maintained. Due to the private nature of the estate and the close proximity to the owner’s residence, professionalism, discretion, and confidentiality are critical requirements of the role.

SALARY:  £65,000 per annum

 LOCATION:  Guernsey, Channel Islands

JOB No:  EC73285

If this Head Gardener vacancy is of interest, please apply below,  call Sara Yassin on 01233 733510 or email info@englishcountrygardeners.co.uk

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Thank you for the interest you have shown in this Head 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 vacancy has been unsuccessful.

We are proud to work with:

• the Professional Gardeners’ Guild
• the RHS
• the WFGA – offering the WRAGs Scheme
• Arne Maynard Garden Design
• Historic Houses
• the HBG Training Programme

Tagged as: Guernsey, head gardener