Head Gardener - Horatio’s Garden Sheffield

Head Gardener - Horatio’s Garden Sheffield
Princess Royal Spinal Injuries Centre, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield

We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced Head Gardener for a prestigious role in a new Harris Bugg Studio designed, hospital garden project at Sheffield’s spinal injury centre.  

You will be working closely with renowned garden designers Charlotte Harris and Hugo Bugg and their team, to plant and establish the new garden which is due to open in February 2025. The design of this garden was represented at Chelsea Flower Show last year for which it won both a gold medal and best in show.  

The project has had widespread publicity throughout the fundraising and development stages, and will trail blaze the benefits of gardens and health. 

Horatio’s Garden is a nationwide charity creating and nurturing beautifully designed gardens in NHS’s spinal injury centres. The Head Gardener will be responsible for leading the project and caring for the garden and supporting the patients who use it. You will run a thriving, vibrant sanctuary which meets the needs of the charity’s beneficiaries. 

The fully accessible garden will be a design masterpiece and will include a water feature, garden pod and a large garden room to give patients a warm sheltered place to enjoy the garden in all weather. There will be a large glasshouse, and an area of raised beds for patients where you will lead garden therapy sessions and a dedicated office space, looking out over the garden. 

The Head Gardener will join a team of seven other dedicated Head Gardeners across the charity’s existing projects. You will work with a part-time Garden Administrator and a team of volunteers to nurture the beautiful space for patients and their visitors. Harris Bugg Studio will be closely involved as the garden grows, visiting regularly and offering advice. 

You will be responsible for delivering a therapeutic gardening programme as well as arts activities for patients in the garden, supported by the charity’s Arts Co-ordinator. With the Garden Administrator you will also arrange social events for patients and their families in collaboration with the rehabilitation centre’s team. 

The role is a fantastic opportunity for a confident, experienced gardener with an interest in gardens and wellbeing, and a passion for people as well as plants.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

Essential 

• Practical experience as a gardener, including experience of garden management 
• RHS Level 2 or equivalent Diploma in Principles and Practices of Horticulture 
• Experience of leading and managing teams 
• Experience of working with volunteers 
• Good IT skills, specifically proficient with Microsoft Office 365: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint 
• Excellent communication skills
• Confident public speaker
• Experience in managing budgets and petty cash
• Interest in wellbeing benefits of gardens 

Desirable 

• Post Graduate Diploma in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture 
• Experience of therapeutic activities
• Working in the voluntary sector
• NHS experience or work in a health care setting 
• Digital photography 
• Supplier management and ordering 

Qualities 

• Professional and confident 
• Empathetic and kind
• Calm under pressure  
• Able to meet the physical demands of the job 
• Ability to prioritise and adapt to changing needs of each working day 
• Self-motivated and capable of working with the minimum of direction but understanding the limits of your knowledge and able to seek advice when required 

As a Charity we are committed to creating and promoting a culture that protects and preserves the welfare of the vulnerable people in our care. Our safer recruitment practices support this by ensuring that there is a consistent and thorough process of obtaining and evaluating information from and about candidates including criminal record checks, to ensure that all persons appointed are suitable to work for our Charity. 

APPLICATION 

Please write a one page covering letter, explaining why you would be suited to this role and send this along with a one page CV to kath.moss@horatiosgarden.org.uk 

We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from all sectors of society. 

NOTE: DBS, medical and reference checks will be conducted as part of the recruitment process.