An excellent opportunity has arisen for a part-time Experienced Gardener 3 days / week to take responsibility for the maintenance and development of a beautiful private estate in Rawdon, Leeds.

Situated on the south-facing side of the River Aire valley, this six-acre property features two acres of mature Victorian gardens, offering an exciting opportunity for a skilled horticultural professional to maintain established gardens to a high standard while contributing to their ongoing development. The mature gardens include extensive herbaceous borders, rose beds, a cut flower garden, vegetable plots, an orchard, mature trees, lawns, a wildflower meadow, two courtyard areas requiring seasonal planting, a 14-metre Alitex glasshouse and a large recently renovated pond and rockery. The estate also benefits from a dedicated estate yard, a well-stocked tool store, workshop, motorised machinery, kitchen, toilet facilities, office space and parking. The successful candidate will have full access to these facilities and equipment. The property also includes four acres of paddock and woodland, and approximately 150 metres of River Aire bank all of which are maintained by the estate groundsman.

Working alongside a Groundsperson who is available three days per week, the Gardener will take responsibility for the garden’s horticultural management and coordinate tasks where appropriate. The Groundsperson oversees lawn care, hedge cutting, tree maintenance, leaf and compost management, machinery maintenance, including the John Deere Gator and tractor, and hard landscaping, while also providing support with gardening tasks as required. The Gardener must therefore be self-motivated, organised and comfortable managing their workload, planning seasonal priorities and maintaining consistently high standards.

The role will involve the hands-on maintenance and development of the formal gardens, including the extensive rose beds, herbaceous borders, cut flower garden, vegetable plots, wildflower meadow, orchard, glasshouse plants and newly planted rockery. Duties will include planting, pruning, weeding, mulching, deadheading, feeding, watering and managing plant health, alongside propagating plants, pruning fruit trees and shrubs, and maintaining the glasshouse. The Gardener will also manage seasonal containers for the main house and Lodge House, oversee vegetable production for the household and source seeds, bulbs, plants and other horticultural supplies as required.

Ideally, candidates will have ten or more years of experience within private estates, prestigious public gardens or comparable horticultural environments, and be confident working independently as the principal gardener. Candidates should have excellent plant knowledge and strong practical horticultural skills, ideally supported by an RHS Level 3 qualification or equivalent experience. Relevant certifications, such as PA1 and PA6 spraying certificates, would be advantageous. A thorough understanding of plant health, pruning, propagation, soil improvement, pest and disease management, and safe working practices is essential.

The owners take a keen interest in their gardens and are looking for someone who shares their appreciation for quality horticulture and attention to detail. The successful candidate will be comfortable discussing seasonal priorities, recommending improvements and contributing ideas for future planting schemes and garden development.

This is a part-time, self-employed position based in Rawdon, Leeds, working three days per week, typically seven to eight hours per day. Working days and seasonal variations in hours will be agreed with the owners. The successful candidate will invoice monthly for services provided.

SALARY: Circa £30 per hour

LOCATION: Rawdon, Leeds

JOB No: EC76680

If this Experienced 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 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: Experienced Gardener, Leeds, Part time, private estate, self employed, Self Employed Gardener