Gardener jobs in Rochester

JOB TITLE: Gardener

REPORTS TO: Gardens and Grounds Manager

DEPARTMENT: Gardens and Grounds

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LOCATION: Leeds Castle is a stunning, 900-year-old moated castle, set in 500 acres of Grade II listed parkland, situated in the beautiful Kent countryside. The Castle has been open to the public through the Leeds Castle Foundation since 1974 and continues her story as a glamorous retreat and popular visitor attraction.

Within the Grounds there are six key gardens these include The English Country Style Culpepper Garden, The Mediterranean Lady Bailey Garden, Castle Island, The Pavilion Borders, Woodland Walk and The Cascade Garden alongside these key areas there are also other areas of horticultural display.

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PURPOSE: To maintain the Gardens to a high Standard.

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KEY TASKS

· Maintenance of the decorative borders and Garden areas.

· Supervise volunteers

· Care for plants within gardens and greenhouse

· Maintain good housekeeping in the areas in which gardeners work.

· Seasonal Gardening Tasks.

· Summer watering is a requirement that gardeners will take in turns from May to September and may take course during the weekend which time in lieu is given.

· Gardeners may be required to care for our propagation and standing out area alongside other duties.

· On occasions gardeners will be require to work alongside the grounds team, other Leeds Castle departments and external contractors.

· Some weekend work may be required during busy periods.

· Gardeners are required to work outside in all weathers and seasons.

· The Gardeners are to follow the directions of the Gardens and Grounds Manager whom they report to and the Grounds supervisor along side supervisors or managers that are recruited for the department in future.

· Gardeners are required to keep and maintain good records on the workings of the garden.

· All gardeners are required to work with a team and supervise assistant gardeners, volunteers and work experience.

· To care for gardening equipment and maintain it where needed.

· Clean and Care for areas such as workshops and behind the scenes areas.

· Are required to use garden machinery such as hedge cutters, lawn mowers, chippers, leaf blowers and strimmers.

· May be required to work on the edge of water or in ponds, lakes and streams to maintain plantings in and around water.

· Label Plants and mark out areas of new plantings

· Correctly separate compostable and none compostable material before sending plant waste to the compost.

· Treat plant health problems where needed.

CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES

· Excellent organisation, communication and team building skills.

· Follow Company regulations in Health & Safety and maintain a safe working environment.

· To ensure personal standards of presentation, performance and attendance beyond reproach at all times.

· To ensure that high horticultural standards are maintained within the Gardens.

· To work as part of the gardening team to meet core objectives.

· Gardeners at Leeds Castle are required to work in all areas of the gardens and grounds on the estate this includes main garden areas, display areas along with different attractions and various projects on the estate.

· Beside the day-to-day seasonal tasks within the garden, staff will be required to work on different projects and works within the estate.

· Garden tasks within the garden are to be delivered to a professional standard at all times.

· Excellent house keeping of the various areas of the gardens is required and gardeners must be seen to care for their workspace and surroundings.

· Gardeners will continue to learn new skills and build on their knowledge throughout the time working in the gardens and should be able to demonstrate this.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE required

· At least one year’s professional experience and a full RHS Level 2 qualification or equivalent.

· Knowledge of plant pests and disease and good plant knowledge of a diverse range of plant types including perennials, shrubs and trees.

· A good knowledge of weed identification is a must.

· Previous experience with tasks such as formative pruning, restorative pruning, hedge cutting, lawn mowing, leaf blowing, planting, border preparations, training of plants such as roses and climbers along with border restoration.

· Ability to work with a team and supervise assistant gardeners, volunteers.

· Good interpersonal skills.

· Ability to problem solve and come up with solutions within the gardens.

· UK Driving Licence

In addition to your main areas of responsibility, the values and behaviours that are required from all our people for the successful delivery of our vision and strategy are summarised below:

WELCOMING: Everyone is treated as a valued guest BEHAVIOUR: We welcome our guests with warmth & the personal touch, going the extra mile to make sure guests have a fabulous experience, while keeping them safe. We are inclusive, welcoming people of all races, genders, ages, sexualities & abilities. We build connections with communities & partner organisations to reach those who experience barriers to visiting.

SURPRISING: We are a living, breathing heritage site, a place that uses its assets with joy. We look at life through a different lens, seeking surprising hidden stories & new approaches BEHAVIOUR: We are curious, think laterally & always look for the Leeds Castle ‘twist’ to make us stand out. We are agile, flexible & open to change.

ENDURING: As estate custodians, we understand our assets, think long-term in caring for & improving them & leaving a healthy, positive legacy for future generations. BEHAVIOUR: We manage finances for the long-term, investing wisely & monitoring payback. Staff spend charitable funds prudently, always seeking best value. We minimise environmental footprint & work towards net zero carbon emissions. We plan regular maintenance & capital projects to protect our assets, doing the job properly & once. Our decision making is ethical, transparent & has integrity.

NURTURING: We continue the estate tradition of looking after our people & communities. BEHAVIOUR: We respect different skills, experience & views. We work as one team, supporting & developing staff, recognising this is a lifestyle, not just a job. We take ownership of challenges & opportunities, successes & failures, always learning from experience. We are a good neighbour & partner, with a positive influence in Kent and beyond.

All candidates will be recruited against the above criteria regardless of their sex, racial, ethnic or national origin, disability, age, sexuality or responsibilities for dependents. We value a diverse workforce and celebrate our differences

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: £23,454.00-£25,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Bereavement leave
• Company events
• Company pension
• Discounted or free food
• Employee discount
• Enhanced maternity leave
• Enhanced paternity leave
• Free flu jabs
• Free parking
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Private medical insurance
• Sick pay
• Store discount

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Application question(s):

• Do you have RHS level 2 Gardening Qualifications or equivalent?

Experience:

• Gardening: 1 year (required)

Licence/Certification:

• Driving Licence (required)

Work authorisation:

• United Kingdom (required)

Work Location: In person