Senior Gardener

Job Description

The team at Farnborough Hall are looking for a Senior Gardener to join their team.Hours: 37.5 hrs pwDuration: permanent contractSalary: £24,371 - £31,112 pa (dependent on experience)What its like to work hereFarnborough Hall and garden is surrounded byan important Grade 1 listed parkland and wider estate. The formal areas of the garden surrounding the Hall include well-manicured lawns, small herbaceous borders and a beautiful rose garden with perpetual flowering roses laid out as a parterre and surroundedby box hedging. The Green Terrace is over a mile long and is an important feature in its own right set out to the west with a laurel hedge way scalloped with bastions and planted with Lime trees providing beautiful views across the 18c parkland to the Doubleplanted Oak avenue, cascade and serpentine, with temples and a hidden obelisk at the extremity. The terrace is a flush of early spring bulbs and later blue bells which adorn the pathways. On the return walk the Green trees and shrubby provide that feelingof secret garden with darkness and light as you meander single file along the back drop of the terrace to discover a hidden gem of a Game larder and views back across the once productive walled garden and steeple of St Bastions church. What youll be doingAsSenior Gardener youll be working alongside the historic family, helping to manage the beautiful gardens, wider estate and woodland together with the tenant farmer, who also has a tenancy which includes the farm and parkland.This is a varied and unique role.By leading a small team of core volunteers youll have an opportunity to grow that number in order to develop the volunteer experience on the wider estate which includes vast water features, veteran trees and woodland, as well as the garden. Were lookingfor someone to support on leading garden walks/tours whilst ensuring that our core offer maintains National Trust standards. You may be called upon to work across the portfolio of gardens helping and assisting other members of the team in these unique areaspassing on your skills and gaining lots of other experience.A truly exciting position with an opportunity to get involved in supporting the garden plan which includes maintaining the horticulture aspects of the green terrace and formal gardens whilst takinga wider view across the parkland and maintaining the avenues of recently planted trees and care for the informal water features as laid out in the 1772 parkland plan. Being involved and working with consultants and other team members with the next stage ofthe parkland stewardship scheme. Ensuring compliance and health and safety is also reviewed along the way. Youll have the chance to work alongside the GM, Head Gardener, Facilities Manager and the consultancy team to play your part in the future offer atFarnborough.The Senior Gardener is supported by an Assistant Gardener and a team of volunteers.Who were looking for Significant practical experience in horticulture supported by relevant qualifications Have supervisory experience from a similar role Excellentknowledge of plants Competent with the use and maintenance of garden machinery including chainsaws, tractors, hedge trimmers, pedestrian and ride on mowers Knowledge of relevant health and safety legislation and practice