Head Gardener

Longleat Enterprises Ltd; Warminster; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 38,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 days holiday incl. bank

Unlimited free entry to Longleat

Discounts on food and beverages

Life assurance

Employer pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Flexible working schemes

Job summary

Longleat Enterprises Ltd. seeks a Head Gardener to lead and manage the gardens and grounds of the estate. This hands-on role requires outdoor work throughout the year, overseeing turf, hedges, and bedding while maintaining presentation and guest experience.

You will report to the Head of Facilities, guide a team of skilled horticulturists, and ensure high horticultural standards across formal and historic grounds for a prestigious estate visited by guests year-round.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 3, RHS Level 3 or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience leading a team in horticulture.
• Extensive knowledge of plants and gardening practices.
• Knowledge of health and safety legislation and risk assessment.
• Full clean driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Curate and maintain the gardens and grounds to high standards.
• Lead and supervise the gardening team across seasons.
• Oversee turf care, hedge trimming, bedding, and landscape tasks.
• Ensure safety and compliance with policies and procedures.

Skills

Plant knowledge

Team leadership

H&S knowledge

Driving licence

Garden machinery

Education

NVQ Level 3 / RHS Level 3

Tools

Garden equipment

Job description

About the role:

We are looking for a dedicated and hardworking individual to lead our gardening team as Head Gardener. This hands‑on role involves working outdoors year-round, carrying out a wide range of gardening, grounds maintenance, and horticultural tasks. You will help maintain the highest standards of presentation, conservation, and guest experience across the grounds.

What does this role entail?

Reporting to the Head of Facilities as the Head Gardener, you will be responsible for planning organising and managing a team who carrying out a wide range of grounds and gardens maintenance duties in an outdoor environment throughout the year.

Your work will involve all aspects of horticulture, including grass mowing, hedge trimming, bedding maintenance, and the clearance of leaves and litter, ensuring that all outdoor areas are maintained to the highest standards of presentation and guest experience.

You will assist with both hard and soft landscaping tasks and be expected to operate in accordance with company policies, procedures, and health and safety guidelines. Daily responsibilities will also include turf care, such as mowing, aeration, and repair of damaged areas, as well as the upkeep and cleanliness of your work areas and equipment.

Key duties will include:

• Curating the gardens at Longleat so that its history and artistic integrity are conserved and presented in an exemplary manner, and documented to according to the Longleat Estate Heritage Management Plan.
• Managing and maintaining the presentation of the formal gardens day‑to‑day to ensure the lawns, borders, hedge maze, horticultural displays.
• Leading a guest focused culture with exemplary standards of garden and landscape maintenance, presentation, interpretation and promotion.
• Responsible for the day to day running of the garden and supervision of staff, to ensure that appropriate horticultural standards are maintained, guided by the conservation management plan.
• Ensure that exemplary standards of horticultural husbandry and plantsmanship, as befit a prestigious Estate such as Longleat, are employed and presented to the public throughout the gardens.
• To assist with the development of a planned 12 month planting programme to ensure we always look at our best for our guests this will include achieving key deadline dates through the year.

About you

• NVQ level 3, RHS Level 3 or equivalent practical experience
• Experience of leading a team in a specialist field with the ability to coach mentor and develop a team
• Extensive knowledge of plants, gardening practices and use of garden machinery for formal hedge trimming / grass cutting
• Sound knowledge of H&S legislation, formal training in manual handling and Risk Assessment
• Full clean driving licence

Your contract

This is a permanent 39 hour contract, working 5 days out of 7 with working hours to vary over a 7 day rota basis, including weekends, evening and bank holidays as required. The earliest start time is 8am, and the latest finish time is 5pm, varying in accordance with opening times. Positions available for immediate start.

A little about us

At Longleat we offer a day out like no other, our guests are invited to step into the Thynn family home where they will find the finest example of Elizabethan Architecture. They are also immersed into the wild side, where they can visit over 120 species of animals by car, foot, train, bus, and boat.

With a core business welcoming around 1 million guests every year, we are passionate about providing unforgettable experiences that bring family and friends together to create memories that will last a lifetime.

Why join the Longleat team?

In this unique work environment, you will be surrounded by historic landscapes and listed buildings, all whilst listening to our lions roar and wolves howl. You will even have the opportunity to visit our adorable Koalas and cheeky meerkats during your lunch break.

You will receive attractive benefits that include:

• 29 days holiday inclusive of bank holidays, rising to 31 days at 5 years’ service.
• Unlimited free entry to Longleat for our employees
• Complimentary tickets to Longleat and Cheddar Gorge and Caves, 18 per annum pro rata
• 50% off Membership for Friends and Family
• Discounts on food and beverages and retail merchandise
• Discounts on VIP Experiences and Accommodation
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Employer contributory pension scheme
• Life assurance scheme
• Perks at work
• Range of flexible working schemes