Estate Gardener (Dodington Park Estate)

Dodington Park Estate is on the boundary between South Gloucestershire and the county of Bristol, balanced on the Cotswold Escarpment. At the centre of the estate is Dodington House, an 18th Century Georgian mansion which is currently being used as a private home.

We are currently looking for a Gardener to join an established team of 5; when you come to work at Dodington Park, you’ll be joining a team of dedicated employees who work towards the renovation and maintenance of the house and surrounding estate, where we always strive to achieve the highest possible standards of work and craftsmanship.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the Gardens team to achieve the highest standards of horticulture to help ensure that the gardens are beautifully presented and maintained.
• Garden maintenance, as directed by the Gardens Team Lead.
• Typical duties include the following:
• Grass care and maintenance / lawn mowing.
• Propagation, growing and maintenance of greenhouse and container plants.
• Planting and maintenance of seasonal flower displays.
• Some involvement in design, where possible.
• Weeding.
• Planting out.
• Watering plants (including weekend watering, on a rota system).
• Plant feeding.
• Pruning, including roses and climbers.
• Training and staking of plants.
• Planting, including herbaceous planting.
• Spraying – pest, disease and weed control.
• Biocontrol.
• Picking and harvesting.
• Leaf clearance.
• Hedge maintenance and topiary.
• Vegetable/fruit/herb growing.
• Temporary floral displays.
• Planters, pots and bedding plant care.
• Care of house plants and orangery plants.
• Helping organise deliveries.
• General garden maintenance.
• Involvement in garden projects, as directed by the Gardens Team Lead.
• Any other ad hoc duties.

Person specification / Core Competencies:

• Skilled gardener/horticulturalist with a wide range of experience in high-quality settings, including the tasks listed above.
• Relevant qualifications desirable (e.g. RHS level 2 and/or Diploma or higher – or equivalent).
• Good plant knowledge.
• Garden and planting design experience/training desirable.
• Keen eye for detail.
• Appreciation and understanding of colour and form in the garden.
• Experience in temporary floral displays, floristry and container growing is desirable.
• Spraying certificate desirable PA1 & PA6 (training will be provided where necessary).
• Knowledge of biological control and sprays is desirable.
• Able to work in a tidy, safe manner and maintain tools and equipment.
• Confident communication skills, with the ability to interact with different individuals.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Computer literate.
• Professional manner.
• Proactive and flexible approach to work.
• Willing to take responsibility and ownership for tasks and garden areas.
• Strong sense of discretion, appreciating the confidentiality of the work.
• Ability to work autonomously, whilst possessing strong teamwork skills.

Benefits

• Discretionary bonus scheme.
• Pension scheme.
• Life assurance.
• 27 days holiday (plus bank holidays).
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Charitable Giving via payroll (Give as You Earn).
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Employee Assistance Programme.
• Access to product discounts.
• Free parking.

To increase your chances of being shortlisted, please submit a covering letter in addition to your CV clearly addressing how you meet the criteria outlined above and including details of your required package.