If you want a career in Gardening, we can offer you some of the most beautiful outdoor spaces in the UK to work in as well as one of the largest plant collections in Europe.

What it's like to work here

This country house, romantic garden and fairy-tale castle are set within a beautiful wooded estate. Scotney Castle is a big growth property in the region, with the team working to improve the visitor experience and facilities. Family-friendly activities at the site include a natural play trail, den building and summer adventures. You'll need your own transport to get here, however this is an exciting time to join the team within a fast-changing and innovative location.

There are regular garden tours for visitors to get involved in and a beautiful walled garden selling local produce and plants. This is A Site of Special Scientific Interest with green-winged orchids and rare plants abound in the wild grass meadows.

What you'll be doing

You’ll love working outdoors and understand that our gardens and grounds are as significant as our mansion houses, collections and our historical places. Our visitors tell us how much they enjoy the peace and tranquillity of our well-kept outdoor spaces, which makes your role vital in making sure our visitors have an amazing experience.

We don’t just need you to manage our beautiful gardens, although this is an important part of the role; we’d like you to help manage the team too. As the Senior Gardener in our team, we’d like you to lead by example, with exceptional gardening skills, but you’ll also understand how to manage the workload for this team, and deliver exceptional training to new staff and volunteers.

Who we're looking for

To be successful in this role you should be able to demonstrate the following:

• Significant practical experience in horticulture supported by relevant qualifications

• Have supervisory experience from a similar role

• Excellent knowledge of plants

• Competent with the use and maintenance of garden machinery including chainsaws, tractors, hedge trimmers, pedestrian and ride on mowers

• Knowledge of relevant health and safety legislation and practice

The package

Benefits include flexible working whenever possible plus free parking at most locations. You’ll be entitled to discounts in high street stores and cinemas, National Trust shops and NT cafes, and have free entry to NT properties for you, a guest and your children (under 18).

Your health and wellbeing is important to us and is supported through generous annual leave and the option to buy additional days (minimum contract length applies), a cycle to work scheme, subsidised health cash plan and confidential access to a free support service 24 hours a day should you need it.

Your future financial health is helped by an employer matched - up to 10% of basic salary - contributory pension scheme and you can further your career with training and development tailored to you.

All of this and the opportunity to give something back to your community with up to 5 days of paid volunteering per year!