Head Gardener

Head Gardener

Our client is seeking a head gardener. It is an exciting time to join our client offering the opportunity to become part of a truly transformational change on the property. Our client is currently seeking to appoint a Head Gardener to join its team. The candidate will be responsible for managing the extensive gardens throughout the estate.

The Role

• Managing and motivating a growing team.
• Managing the daytoday yearround maintenance of the numerous project areas within the Estate.
• Managing the continuing development of the historic estate while working closely with the CEO and the landscape consultants on the design development and implementation of numerous project areas.
• Client review of all future project areas and development of maintenance procedures for each project area.
• Propagating plants and vegetables.
• Management and recording of Invasive weeds and associated treatments.
• Maintaining records for the garden machinery and health and safety.
• Managing the estates horticultural budget staff resources and future landscape project areas in coherence with the Estate manager.
• Ordering plant material and other sundries as necessary.
• Liaising regularly with the estate manager estate CEO and Estate Directors.
• Planting displays in key areas for year round seasonal interest.
• Train and develop the gardening team to enable them to confidently deal with all aspects of their roles.
• Subject to agreed criteria recruitment training set action and targets appraise and manage performance development coaching and general support of all gardening team members to ensure targets are met.
• This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive it is issued as a framework to outline main areas of responsibilities at the time of writing.

The head gardener will be required to manage the staffing resources and will have overall responsibility for the landscape maintenance management and presentation of the key areas as the estate develops over the coming years.
Key Horticultural Project Areas:

1. Lower Realm
2. Middle Realm
3. Upper Realm
4. Courtyard Curtilage
5. The House Gardens & Curtilage
6. Riverside walks and general historic core curtilage trails
7. Farmyard & Campsite Curtilage
8. Adventure Park Curtilage
9. Hotel Westport curtilage & Meadow Gardens
10. Entrances and Avenues
11. Estate properties (Quay Lodge & Orchard Cottage)

Required Skills

• The ideal candidate will be creative and innovative and have a sense of excitement for ongoing and future projects with a flexibility to adapt and develop innovative ecofriendly maintenance techniques.
• They will have a broad knowledge and passion for plants with an understanding of current ideas in planting design and propagation.
• They will be selfmotivated physically fit and able to work efficiently while observing the finer details.
• They will be sensitive towards the historic and biodiverse elements of the estate and landscape.
• They will have excellent leadership skills with a track record and ability to grow and develop the horticultural team as the project areas expand.
• Must have a proven track record for the management and development of plant propagation facilities.
• Experience in the safe operation of landscape maintenance hand tools and machinery.
• Must have a proven track record for the management and development of maintenance strategies and resource allocation over a wide variety of projects.
• A significant ability to manage staffing resources and the development of maintenance procedures.
• Must have a strong proficiency in Microsoft office suite and a strong ability to work with construction drawings.

Preferred Experience & Qualifications

• A recognized level 8 qualification in Horticulture and / or Landscape Architecture and relevant experience of at least 5 years.
• A significant understanding of hard and soft landscaping construction.
• Propagating skills and management.
• Turf maintenance skills.
• Familiarity with glasshouse and polytunnel culture.
• Familiarity with organic principles and sustainable practice.
• Knowledge of Latin plant names.

Excellent package available to the right candidate including accommodation.