Skip to main content

This job has expired

Groundsman/Gardener

Employer
Oppenheimer Generations (UK) Limited
Location
Near Reading, Berkshire
Salary
Between £20-22,000, depending on experience plus benefits
Closing date
2 Oct 2019

Privately-owned Estate near Reading, Berkshire requires a Full-time Groundsman/Gardener

This 30-acre, historic estate originally designed by Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll requires a Groundsman/Gardener to work in the landscape areas of the garden. These areas include a wild flower meadow, fine and amenity lawns, mixed borders, water courses, developing woodland and orchards.

This is an exciting opportunity for a Groundsman/Gardener to integrate into the team. We are looking for a skilled and enthusiastic person who can turn their hand to all horticultural tasks and help to achieve our goals of presenting an immaculate garden using best horticultural practices alongside an organic-based philosophy. The successful candidate will be employed in the Landscape areas of the garden and report to the Senior Groundsman. They must be keen, energetic and flexible in their approach and continue to develop their skills. While the focus of this position is to work in the landscape areas, it is expected that the successful candidate will spend time working in the different areas of the garden which include a series of garden rooms within a formal setting and a one-acre Walled Garden and Glasshouse. Although we are a privately-owned, family estate, we present the garden each year to 20 charitable garden tours from May until September so high standards have to be met throughout the year.

The successful candidate will need the following:

  • Current full UK Driving License
  • Level two qualification in Horticulture or Turf maintenance or equivalent.
  • Minimum of two years full-time experience, training or equivalent.
  • Knowledge of Health and Safety practices and Risk assessments.
  • To be physically fit and able to produce and maintain a high standard of work
  • Competent in the use, maintenance and H&S issues of a wide range of landscape and horticultural machinery and tools including strimmers, scarifiers, hedge-cutters, ride-on and pedestrian mowers and tractors.
  • Knowledge and experience of the theories and best practices of maintaining fine and amenity turf.
  • An ability to work autonomously and to take responsibility for their own schedules as the work becomes routine.
  • A critical eye of their own work and willingness to learn more in order to improve.
  • Be able to assist with occasional extra duties around the estate such as clearing water courses, fencing and moving furniture for events.
  • Good plant knowledge and ability to recognize and diagnose plant health issues
  • Broad range of horticultural knowledge and skills such as edging, pruning, propagation, deadheading, cultivation and planting.

Desirable qualities include:

  • An interest in wildlife
  • Competent in the use of multi-attachment machinery
  • Spraying Certificate
  • Chainsaw Certificate
  • Competent on Ladders
  • Knowledge of woodland and conservation practices
  • Specialist plant knowledge and horticultural interests
  • Advanced horticultural skills such as pruning Wall Climbers and Roses, Fruit pruning, P&D knowledge and propagation techniques

Salary is between £20-22,000 depending on experience with a flexible benefits system, 26 days annual leave and pension contribution. Remuneration is reviewed annually at the end of the year.

Please send a covering letter and CV to Tim.Stretton@opp-gen.com

Get job alerts

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

Create alert