Gardening jobs in Kempsey

• Location: Private Estate Near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
• Salary: £50,000 per annum
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 9:00am–5:00pm/ 8:00am–4:00pm Seasonal
• Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time
• Accommodation: Live-Out
• Start Date: As soon as possible

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and passionate Head Gardener to take ownership of an established private garden at a beautiful country estate.

The owners are looking for someone with the horticultural knowledge, creativity and vision to bring the garden to life, developing it into a beautiful, productive and predominantly organic space.

This is not simply a traditional garden maintenance role. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to put their own stamp on the garden, introducing new planting schemes and creating dedicated areas for organic vegetable growing, cut flowers and seasonal propagation, alongside establishing a greenhouse and sustainable composting system.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys creating as much as maintaining, has a genuine passion for organic horticulture and is excited by the prospect of taking an established garden forward and realising its full potential.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Take the lead in the day-to-day management, maintenance and horticultural development of the gardens and grounds.
• Develop and implement a long-term vision to enhance the existing garden, introducing new planting schemes and productive growing areas.
• Introduce and establish organic gardening practices, prioritising soil health, biodiversity and sustainable growing methods.
• Design, create and maintain raised vegetable beds and a productive kitchen garden, including seasonal planting and crop rotation.
• Establish and manage a dedicated cut flower garden.
• Bring the existing greenhouse into productive use, overseeing propagation, seed sowing and seasonal growing.
• Establish an effective composting system and manage the recycling of garden waste.
• Maintain existing borders, lawns, beds and planted areas to a consistently high standard throughout the seasons.
• Plan and oversee seasonal gardening activities, including planting, pruning, propagation and general horticultural maintenance.
• Manage soil preparation, plant nutrition, irrigation and organic pest and disease control.
• Operate and maintain gardening machinery and equipment safely and effectively.
• Work closely with the Estate Manager, taking responsibility for horticultural matters and coordinating gardening activities alongside the wider estate maintenance.
• Plan, prioritise and manage day-to-day workloads, taking a proactive approach to seasonal requirements and the ongoing development of the garden.
• Lead, manage and support the Gardeners’ Assistant, delegating tasks, overseeing standards of work and providing guidance and direction as required.
• Coordinate additional gardening support as the team develops.

The Ideal Candidate

The successful candidate will be an experienced Head Gardener or Senior Gardener with a proven track record of managing and developing private gardens or country estates.

They will have strong horticultural knowledge, previous experience leading a gardening team and the confidence to take ownership of an established garden, identifying opportunities for improvement and bringing forward ideas to realise its full potential.

This is a hands-on position requiring someone who can combine excellent practical gardening skills with strong leadership, organisation and the vision to develop a beautiful, productive and predominantly organic garden.

Skills & Qualifications

• Previous experience as a Head Gardener, Senior Gardener or in a similar position of responsibility.
• Proven experience managing, leading and motivating a gardening team, including delegating tasks and overseeing day-to-day workloads.
• Confident managing and supporting junior gardening staff, ensuring work is carried out efficiently and to a consistently high standard.
• Strong practical horticultural knowledge and a genuine passion for developing gardens.
• Experience working within private estates, country gardens or large private gardens.
• Good understanding of organic gardening, sustainable practices and soil management.
• Experience establishing and maintaining productive vegetable gardens and growing spaces.
• Knowledge of seasonal planting, propagation, pruning and general garden maintenance.
• Ability to work independently, plan ahead and manage seasonal workloads.
• Creative flair and the confidence to bring forward ideas and implement new planting schemes.
• A practical, hands-on approach with excellent attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with the existing Estate Manager and wider estate team.
• RHS Level 2 or equivalent horticultural qualification.

Please note: Due to the nature of this position, we are primarily seeking candidates with relevant Private Household / Estate Management experience. Applicants without this experience are unlikely to be contacted for further information.

Pay: From £50,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person