Senior Gardener - (Part-Time 3 days / week) - EC5805

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a driven and hands-on senior gardener for 3 days a week for a beautiful Estate situated at the centre of the country between Birmingham and Coventry.

The Hall sits within a landscaped deer park with lakes; the Parkland extends to about 275 acres. The formal planting mainly exists in the large, mixed borders that wrap around the terraces. On the terraces are 2 beds bordered with lavender and planted with roses. There is a millennium rose garden and a thinner herbaceous bed along the southern wall of the Walled Garden. There is also a wild flower meadow and rolling lawns leading to the Hall Pool that are broken up by various species of trees and rhododendron bushes. The Walled Garden extends to about 5 acres and is made up of a large paddock, a central compartment filled with the ruins of Victorian glasshouses and the southern third, which currently holds two large banks of solar panels that are in the process of being relocated.  

One of biggest priorities for the family is to reinstate the southernmost section of the Walled Garden to be productive as well as ornamental. This will principally be to  provide fruit and veg for the house and Estate but with the ultimate aim of  providing local chefs and restaurants, provide a venue for ‘food and gardening’ with courses held at the Estate and used as an additional attraction for events held at the Estate. The gardens will also need to provide cut flowers for the Hall and its associated businesses.

The owner has a background in garden design and the successful candidate will need to work closely with the owner on both the design and implementation. Future projects will include the renovation of the rose garden, tree planting, bulb planting, planting of espaliered fruit trees on the outer wall of the Walled Garden, creation of a terrace garden outside the conservatory and creation of parterre within the terrace.

The role will be to oversee and be involved in all aspects of the garden. This includes the Grounds, Walled Garden and proposed flowers beds and formal area to be created. He / She will be expected to coordinate both programs of work and agree annual and capital budgets to ensure the delivery of the vision. He / She will be reporting to the owner and the estate senior management team who will approve an agreed programme and schedule of works that will be prepared by the senior gardener. A weekly meeting will detail work planned for the week and the senior gardener will detail duties to be undertaken by individual team members. The senior gardener will be responsible for ensuring that all works are carried out in accordance with best practice and that work is undertaken to the highest of standards and is delivered in accordance with any HSE guidelines.

The ideal candidate will have excellent horticultural knowledge and plant identification skills. He / She should have a working knowledge of pest and disease control and will hold a spraying certificate (PA1/PA6). A chainsaw certificate would be an advantage but not essential - the client would be willing to provide training if required. Propagation knowledge and experience is essential for the forward moving of the garden developments. A full clean driving licence is essential.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a passionate senior gardener who is looking for a long term and rewarding role on a beautiful Estate. Someone to take ownership of the gardens, and work closely with the owners and the wider team.

SALARY:        Circa £32,000 pro rata

LOCATION:    Between Birmingham and Coventry

JOB No:          EC5805

If this Senior Gardener vacancy is of interest, please apply or contact Sara Yassin on 01233 733510 or info@englishcountrygardeners.co.uk.

Thank you for the interest you have shown in this Senior 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 Senior Gardener vacancy will have been unsuccessful.