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Sole Gardener - Live In - EC5947

Employer
English Country Gardeners
Location
Suffolk
Salary
£25,000 - £27,500 + Accommodation
Closing date
4 Mar 2019

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Contract Type
Permanent
Hours
Full Time
Function
Gardening Jobs
Sector
Horticultural Specialist

A very attractive opportunity has arisen for a skilled and experienced Sole Gardener to take own responsibility for a beautiful private garden in Suffolk, on a live-in permanent basis.  The position would suit a physically fit and knowledgeable gardener with demonstrable experience at Head/Senior level.  Applicants must have excellent horticultural knowledge, and preferably, academic horticultural qualifications at Level 3 or above.  The opportunity exists for a housekeeper to take on some part-time work and as such, suitable couples are encouraged to apply.

The 25-acre private home comprises a well-established formal garden of approximately 5-acres, surrounded by 20-acres of fields and paddocks that are utilised and managed by local farmers on short-term lets.  The 5-acre formal garden includes spring and summer herbaceous beds/borders, an espalier tree-lined frontage, a rose garden, kitchen garden, expansive lawns, hedges and a 1.5-acre orchard.  The garden houses a large polytunnel which will require some tidying before its full potential is realised. The large perimeter hedges are cut by a local farmer, though the internal hedges are extensive and managed by the Sole Gardener and property owner over the course of a full week, twice annually. 

Applicants should hold a recognised academic horticultural qualification at Level 3 or above and/or extensive experience at Senior/Head/Sole Gardener level on horticulturally-diverse private estates.  Possession of spray certificates (PA1/PA6) would be beneficial, and a full UK driving licence essential.  The Sole Gardener should be competent with the operation and basic maintenance of garden machinery and will instinctively adhere to excellent health and safety standards at all times.

Suitable candidates must be able to confidently and autonomously manage all aspects of the above whilst maintaining excellent standards of cleanliness, attention to detail and efficiency.  The property owner is a keen gardener and enjoys pruning the roses as well as working on other aspects of the garden when time allows.  For this reason, it is particularly important that applicants are friendly in character, positive in outlook, presentable and sociable, genuinely passionate about their trade and sensitive to the considerations associated with working and living on a private property/home. 

While the owner is realistic about the work load, the applicant must be proactive and able to work unsupervised and to identify areas where efficiency can be improved and to make positive suggestions as to work schedules and maintenance.

The Sole Gardener should be flexible insofar as estate gardening is concerned, i.e. be able to manage/assist with common minor estate duties such as taking care of the owner’s two Spaniels when they are away, and other such duties as they arise. 

This position is offered with a two-bedroom cottage, suitable for a couple or small family (pets are welcome within reason).  The cottage benefits from its own private garden at the front and rear, including access to the 1.5-acre orchard.  The cottage is provided free of charge in addition to the generous salary.  The Sole Gardener will also have use of their own area of kitchen garden, if desired. 

SALARY:        £25,000 - £27,500 + Accommodation

LOCATION:    Suffolk

JOB No:         EC5947

If this Sole Gardener vacancy is of interest, please apply or contact Mark Read on 01233 733510 or info@englishcountrygardeners.co.uk.

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.

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