Skip to main content

This job has expired

Head Gardener

Employer
West Dean College
Location
Chichester, West Sussex
Salary
Competitive Salary, accommodation options available
Closing date
7 Jan 2019

Head Gardener

Competitive Salary

Accommodation options available

West Dean College of Arts and Conservation is an internationally recognised College, part of the Edward James Foundation, a charitable educational trust located on the 6,400 acre West Dean Estate in beautiful West Sussex countryside near Chichester.  As well as being a respected educational institution specialising in practice-based arts and conservation, the historic house and collections, the stunning grounds and gardens are open to the public, and the year round events and exhibitions make West Dean truly unique.

We are seeking an experienced Head Gardner to lead the Gardens team, with responsibility for ensuring that the Gardens provide a versatile, inspiring and relaxing environment and surroundings for the College, and that West Dean Gardens maintains its status and success as a heritage garden and visitor destination.

West Dean Gardens have been creatively inspired by the rich heritage and setting, and lovingly restored over the last 28 years.  They cover a wide range of gardens and landscapes including: an impressive collection of working Victorian Glasshouses, a walled kitchen garden, a 300 foot Edwardian pergola, a sunken garden, a wild garden, herbaceous borders and the inspiring arboretum, which is the resting place of Edward James.

This is an exciting opportunity and will require someone with significant practical experience.  In particular the following is essential:

  • Experience in the management and cyclical maintenance of a high quality plantsman’s garden or a large garden over 75 acres open to the public,  
  • Experience in the cultivation of a wide range of trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants and with their associated craft skills
  • Experience in the cultivation of an ornamental kitchen garden, historic orchards and productive glasshouses
  • Experience in the care and management of historic glasshouses
  • Experience in the maintenance and restoration of historic gardens

In addition, the successful candidate will have had recent experience of managing and leading a team of diverse skills and levels of experience, have excellent communication skills and will have completed RHS Level 4.

For the full job description, person specification and terms and conditions of employment, or for further information, please email katharine.osborne@westdean.org.uk or visit

https://www.westdean.org.uk/about/work-for-us.

Closing date for applications is 7th January 2019

At The Edward James Foundation we take privacy very seriously and are have reviewed all our records and processes to ensure that we are fully meeting the data protection standards introduced by the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) on 25 May 2018.  Full details regarding how we collect, process and store personal information about you is available on our website:  https://www.westdean.org.uk/about/work-for-us

Get job alerts

Create a job alert and receive personalised job recommendations straight to your inbox.

Create alert