Live out Gardener

Private family requires an experienced full-time gardener to join their team in Herefordshire. The home is a rural working estate. The city of Hereford is a fifteen-minute drive away. The principles are a young and discreet and live full time in Herefordshire, with occasional midweek commuting to London for work and some travel abroad. They have family and friends who visit on a regular basis. Applicants will need to be child and dog friendly, but direct duties relating to childcare or animals are not required. Live-out position Please note, the successful candidate will be offered the position subject to a trial period (at minimum one day working on site), extensive reference checks (both written and verbal), advance DBS checks, as well as signing an NDA. Candidates will also need to provide evidence of qualifications held and hold a full UK driver's licence due to the rural location of the property. The Gardens The gardens in questions are that of the The Mynde, a Grade I listed estate in Herefordshire. The new owners are passionate about restoring the gardens back to their former glory with the help of a knowledgeable and sensitive gardener. They are looking for someone who is happy to work with nature, who has longevity for the position in mind (5+ years), and crucially can start as soon as possible. At present, the formal gardens encompassing the main property feature: a historic walled kitchen garden with large greenhouse, cold frames and fruit cages; there is a family garden with herbaceous borders and lawn; an Italianate courtyard with roses; a large pool garden beside an arboretum; and a formal drive with topiary. The majority of the gardens are overgrown, and whilst the original structure of these gardens are still visible, this is very much a transformation project and an energy and passion for restoration and rehabilitation will be required. The family have ringfenced a number of indoor spaces and sheds which can be used by the gardener for their tools and propagation; again, these will need (or are undergoing) renovation in order to be serviceable. In its entirety, the property is a large working farm with a mix of pasture, arable, livestock and woodland. There is an expectation that the successful applicant will be happy to collaborate on an ad hoc basis on wider estate projects when additional man power or botanical expertise is needed. In year 2/3 of the garden project there will be the scope to recruit personnel, and with this in mind the owners are looking for a gardener who has prior experience managing junior gardeners or garden employees or would embrace the opportunity to build their own team when the time comes. All applicants must have at least five years' experience in an estate garden setting and they must possess an extensive knowledge of plant species, soil types, compost management, propagation, pruning, and weeding, as well as good knowledge of kitchen gardens. Candidates will be required to be self-motivated, energetic, hard-working, a team player, physically fit and strong and be someone comfortable working outdoors in all weather conditions. They must also be happy working under the creative instruction of their principles, who have a very clear vision of how they would like the garden to look and feel but need the technical support and horticultural experience of a passionate gardener to achieve these goals. The owners are keen on developing a solely organic environment. Applicants should only apply if they are happy working alongside organic practices and feel comfortable, open-minded and excited by implementing innovative and creative solutions, whether that be for pest control or soil health. Working schedule and times – Normal working hours are Monday to Friday, either 8am – 5pm or 9am – 6pm – Candidates will be required to work some midweek evenings, weekend days or weekends throughout the year and on these occasions their working hours or days off may differ. – Candidates will be expected to take responsibility for any weekend watering that may need to happen over the summer months. Requirements – Fluent English – UK driver's license and confident driver. Own car essential – Past gardening experience in a Private Estate setting – Comprehensive knowledge of plant species, propagation, cultivation, soil types, pruning, weeding and kitchen gardens – Experience and passion for organic gardening – Good attention to detail and time keeping – Flexible and energetic – Team player Responsibilities – Maintenance, upkeep and improvement of the gardens – Cultivation and harvesting of all vegetables and fruit grown – Cutting and delivering cut flowers for the house as instructed – Assisting with seasonal decorations for the house which require plant harvesting eg Mistletoe and holly at Christmas – Creating and upkeeping an effective composting system (working in conjunction with the Stables and other estate staff in order to do so) – Ad hoc errands (eg drop off at train station) as needed – House checks as instructed – Daily pool maintenance in warmer weather