Head Gardener

Head Gardener Job Near Inverness

Greycoat Lumleys client are seeking an experienced Gardener to join their team. The client has an organic drink manufacturing business, an organic farm, two bars, a hostel, and a

garden that is increasingly opening to the public, a garden design business, and a furniture

restoration business.

We want to develop a strong and fruitful relationship within the community and work with

local charities to bring bereaved, ill children, or children with special needs to the farm for

horticultural therapy.

Tours through garden touring companies and local wildlife education centres mean we have

about a five hundred visitors to the garden annually and we would like to increase the

number of visitors we have. Education of our visitors and our volunteers is part of our raison

d’etre.

We have about 20,000 visits to our shop.

In 2021 we will be converting the farm buildings into workshops, volunteer accommodation

and a cafe.

The Garden

The garden is divided into two distinct areas;

• the commercial vegetable operation, with currently 160sq metres of Keder

greenhouse, and five acres of land. The land is mostly given over to vegetable

production with a small section used for growing plants for the ornamental garden.

The vegetables are grown for use in the bars and the house.

• the three acre ornamental garden around the house

The current head of vegetable production is leaving in October 2020 and the successful

candidate will take over that position and will also take over the management of the

ornamental gardens.

We are looking for someone who has had already been a head gardener and also has

experience growing vegetables commercially ideally using bio-dynamic methods. We will be

converting to a no-dig system so ideally the successful candidate will have either direct

experience of no-dig or a keen interest in no-dig gardening.

Good administrative, record keeping and organisational skills are necessary, as is an easy

open manner with those under your authority and a desire to bring on and educate the

young people who come here to help.

The Head Gardener will be responsible for the upkeep of all machinery, equipment and

tools.

In addition to the head of vegetable production there is an experienced gardener, as well as 2 - 4 volunteers throughout the year apart from a month from mid-December to mid-January.

The staff all meet once a week to discuss upcoming activities.  There is a group lunch once a week.  There is a real sense of working together.

Start:               ASAP

Salary:             £30k gross annual salary

Accommodation:       2 bedrooms property on the estate. 

                                    Temporary accommodation initially before the cottage is ready.

Annual holiday: 28 days including bank holidays

Hours: 8.00am - 5.00pm – must be flexible

Job Number: 50643

Due to the high volume of applicants, we will only get back to candidates we are taking to

the next stage.