At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the maintenance and enhancement of stunning gardens in iconic Kensington Gardens.
- Company: Join The Royal Parks, a charity managing London's beautiful green spaces.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, pension scheme, and health benefits.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on nature while working in a prestigious heritage landscape.
- Qualifications: Significant horticultural experience and strong plant knowledge required.
The predicted salary is between 34743 - 39000 £ per year.
We are now looking for a Head Gardener for Kensington Gardens with a passion for plants and horticulture and a strong interest in gardening and managing nature in a prestigious heritage landscape. The Royal Parks (TRP) is a charity created in March 2017, managing over 5,000 acres of diverse parkland, rare habitats and historic buildings and monuments in eight Royal Parks across London.
The Role
Working through a climate resilience lens, with a greener gardening approach, the delivery of the Horticulture Vision places horticulture on a pedestal in the world of public parks like never before. As Head Gardener, you will lead the ongoing maintenance, enhancement and development of the gardens, lawns, borders and landscaped areas, ensuring they are presented to the highest standard throughout the year. You will plan and deliver seasonal planting programmes, oversee pruning, propagation, irrigation and plant health activities, and implement best-practice methods for the control of pests, diseases and weeds. The role involves supervising and supporting gardening team members and external contractors, managing horticultural records, budgets and resources. You will promote a strong culture of health and safety across all gardening operations while contributing innovative ideas and recommendations for future garden improvements, restoration projects and long-term landscape development.
Additionally, you will:
- Supply and maintain sufficient tools, equipment and materials for gardeners and volunteers
- Monitor the performance of the landscape maintenance contractor
- Support initiatives including the Apprenticeship scheme, Biodiversity and Sustainability
- Carry out all work with the utmost care and respect for people, place and environment
About You
To be considered as a Head Gardener, you will need:
- Significant practical horticultural experience, ideally within a large estate, private garden, historic property or similar environment
- Strong plant knowledge and an understanding of seasonal garden management
- Experience leading or supervising a team
- Relevant horticultural qualifications (RHS, NVQ, City & Guilds or equivalent) are desirable
- Excellent organisational and planning skills
- A proactive, flexible and hands-on approach
- A commitment to delivering outstanding standards and attention to detail
The Royal Parks is strongly committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and is an equal opportunities employer. We value diversity and encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.
Please note interviews will be held on Friday 4th September 2026 at our Kensington Gardens Office.
The Benefits
- Salary of £34,743 - £39,000 per annum, depending on experience
- 26 days' annual leave plus public holidays, increasing to 29 days after 3 years' service
- Pension scheme (3% employee contribution; up to 10% employer contribution)
- Private medical insurance and healthcare cash plan
- Employee assistance programme and access to mental health first aiders
- Learning and development opportunities
- Cycle to work scheme
- Offices in a beautiful location
The Royal Parks is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk from harm, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment and follow the organisation's policies and procedures.
Head Gardener employer: The Royal Parks
The Royal Parks (TRP) is an exceptional employer, offering a unique opportunity to work as a Boundary Wall Surveyor in the heart of London’s iconic parks. With a strong commitment to heritage conservation, TRP fosters a supportive work culture that values employee growth through learning and development opportunities, alongside competitive benefits such as generous annual leave and a robust pension scheme. Working in such a beautiful and historic environment not only enhances job satisfaction but also allows you to make a meaningful impact on the preservation of significant public assets.
