Head Gardener
37.5 hours per week
Salary: £32,000 to £36,000 depending on experience
Furzey Gardens, Minstead, New Forest, Hampshire
Furzey Gardens is a tranquil woodland garden nestled deep in the New Forest, full of rare and unusual plants gathered over past decades. Today’s visitors can enjoy strolling the pathways, discovering ‘magical’ fairy doors, visiting the thatched tearooms and much more.
Managed by Minstead Trust, the gardens are a place championing inclusion, supporting and providing work opportunities for people with a learning disability.
Overview of job role:
The Head Gardener will work closely with the Director of Social Enterprises, Garden & Nursery Team, Day Instructors and Volunteers to support the overall vision for the future of the garden, ensuring an excellent visitor experience, reflecting the historic horticultural importance of the gardens and plant collection.
This opportunity offers real variety, whether undertaking practical tasks in the garden and nursery, or supporting trainees, apprentices and volunteers with daily activities such as garden maintenance, propagation and plant sales. All the while, making Furzey a place where people with a learning disability can enjoy horticulture in the New Forest
You will also be assisting with planning and supervising garden projects across the Furzey Estate including nearby Minstead Lodge grounds. You will be required to work flexibly to cover Furzey Gardens across a 7-day operation.
The Role:
- Responsible for the historic shrubs, trees and new plants within the gardens
- Managing the nursery operation to include plant cutting schedules, grow & sell new plants, readying plants for events
- Overseeing the maintenance at Furzey Gardens, Minstead Lodge event grounds and other residential property gardens
- Working with the immediate garden team, supporting their development and horticultural knowledge & experience to get the best from them
- Responsible for Health & Safety, Risk Management and Safe Work Systems
- Responsible for day to day management of the garden schedules, including tree audits and biodiversity surveys. Ensuring daily tasks are planned and communicated to the team
- Working closely with the New Forest Day Opportunities team; developing strong working relationships with the Day Instructors and their day groups
- Providing plants with the appropriate seasonal care and supporting events with plants for sale
- Creating plans to ensure the monitoring of plant health is recorded and external expertise is acquired when necessary
- Ensuring the grounds are kept in a well-presented manner, ensuring all walkways are clear of debris and litter
- To grow our horticulture network across the South and welcome new contacts
- Continue to grow our relationship with Sparsholt College to secure future work experience students.
What are we looking for?
- RHS qualification and/or Horticulture qualification
- Operational and/or commercial garden management experience
- Experience of working with and supporting people with diverse needs, particularly people who have a learning disability is desirable
- Experience in plant sales, nursery management and delivering business case projects.
- Budget management
- Experience with Microsoft Teams, and basic computer knowledge
- Knowledge of New Forest horticulture and regional plant life
- Understanding of natural fertilizers and plant waste management
- Knowledge of health and safety regulations including evasive plant management
- A love for the outdoors, biodiversity and involving people in your work
What benefits can we offer you?
- 33 days holiday (Inclusive of Bank Holidays)
- A celebration day’s leave for your birthday
- Death in service insurance
- Company pension
- Health care scheme & access to GP appointments
- Employee assistance programme
- Cycle to work
- Free parking
- Enhanced Maternity and Paternity Pay
- Blue Light Card eligibility
- Furzey Garden Membership
- Hanger Farm Membership
- Company sick pay
If you would like to apply for this role download the application form and return the completed form to careers@minsteadtrust.org.uk or fill out the Online Application Form
Click here to discover more about Minstead Trust.
We are not licenced to sponsor employees for visas; therefore, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. You need to have, or be able to obtain, right to work in the UK in order to take up this position.
All staff working for, or on behalf of Minstead Trust, understand their responsibilities in relation to safeguarding adults at risk and know who to escalate concerns to within Minstead Trust.
Due to the nature of this employment, your application is subject to a successful Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS).
No terminology in the advert you have seen is intended to discriminate on the grounds of age, gender, race, colour, religion, disability or sexual orientation, and we will gladly accept applications from all sections of the community.