Kitchen & Estate Gardener

Horticulture Jobs, brought to you by HortWeek; Haywards Heath; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Private Estate in West Sussex is seeking a Kitchen & Estate Gardener to oversee the day-to-day maintenance and development of a productive walled garden, glasshouses, orchard and related areas to supply fruit and vegetables year-round.

Working under the Property Owner and Estate Manager, you will help create production and maintenance plans, supervise part-time staff, and ensure high horticultural standards while maintaining broader estate landscapes.

Qualifications

• Deep knowledge of producing fruit and vegetables in a walled garden and under glass, year-round.
• Broad experience in garden, glasshouse, turf, woodland and landscape maintenance, ideally gleaned on a private estate.
• Ability to work at speed while delivering consistently high-quality horticultural outcomes.
• Ideally a Level 2 horticultural qualification (NDH / RHS l2 / HNC).
• A minimum of 3 years hands-on experience as a kitchen gardener.
• PA1 and PA6a Pesticides Application qualification (ideal).
• Demonstrable horticultural skills and the ability to work alone or with small teams.
• Capacity to communicate clearly in both written and oral forms

Responsibilities

• Work under the direction of the PO/GC/EM in relation to all works carried out on the Estate/Gardens/Kitchen Garden or other sites owned by the PO.
• Maintain a high standard of horticulture through the application of specialist fruit and vegetable production skills in order to supply the PO year-round.
• Carry out seasonal duties across the site including the productive gardens, glasshouses, tennis court, swimming pond, turf, woodlands and wider Estate landscape.
• Undertake productive kitchen walled garden tasks including sourcing, protecting, growing, harvesting and storing fruit and vegetables year round.
• Undertake other horticultural tasks as required including grass cutting, edging, pruning, dead heading, training, weeding, planting, glasshouse maintenance, propagation, hedge cutting, hard landscape maintenance, composting, staking and applying pesticides, along with any tasks required by the PO/GC/EM.
• Comply with all current Health and Safety legislation.
• Undertake work related to development projects in the garden and wider landscape.
• Oversee part-time seasonal gardeners, as required.
• When and if called upon to do so, supervise contract workers, taking special note of any health, safety and welfare needs including the preparation of risk assessments or method statements prior to any work commencing.
• Communicate health and safety issues to the PO/GC/EM and take responsibility for stopping work and the work of others if thought to be dangerous or negligent to the person or those nearby, including but not limited to other staff, contractors and visitors.
• Be prepared to work at height.

Skills

Horticultural knowledge

Fast-paced work

Clear communication

Team collaboration

Education

Level 2 horticultural qualification

3 years hands-on experience as a kitchen gardener

Tools

PA1/PA6a Pesticides Certification

Job description

• Title: Kitchen & Estate Gardener
• Employer: Private Estate -Haywards Heath
• Location: Rural West Sussex nr Haywards Heath
• Salary: Competitive Salary
• Hours: Full Time
• Place of Work: Live-out
• Closing Date: 22 October 2026
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Function: Edibles, Gardening Jobs, Horticulture, Maintenance, Ornamentals & Floriculture, Soft Landscaping
• Sector: Countryside, Parks & Open Space, Food production, Groundskeeping & Maintenance, Landscaping
• Seniority: Manager

Job Description

Description and Dimensions of the Role:

The Kitchen & Estate Gardener is responsible, under the direction of the Property Owner and/or the Garden Consultant and/or the Estate Manager (PO/GC/EM), for the day to day maintenance and development of the new productive walled garden, glasshouses, orchard and associated productive areas in order to provide fruit and vegetables for the PO, along with the maintenance of a tennis court, a large natural swimming pond, ornamental gardens, turf, woodland and wider estate maintenance activities as required.

They will work closely with the PO/GC/EM taking direction and assisting in developing fruit and vegetable production and maintenance plans along with work schedules for the ornamental gardens and wider estate. While the work is predominantly horticulturally focused the post holder may be required to undertake other tasks associated with the Estate or other properties/events associated with the PO.

Key Duties And Responsibilities

• Work under the direction of the PO/GC/EM in relation to all works carried out on the Estate/Gardens/Kitchen Garden or other sites owned by the PO.
• Maintain a high standard of horticulture through the application of specialist fruit and vegetable production skills in order to supply the PO year-round.
• Carry out seasonal duties across the site including but not limited to the productive gardens, the glasshouses, tennis court, swimming pond, turf, woodlands and wider Estate landscape.
• Undertake productive kitchen walled garden tasks including but not limited to: sourcing, protecting, growing, harvesting and storing fruit and vegetables year round.
• Undertake other horticultural tasks as required including: grass cutting, edging, pruning, dead heading, training, weeding, planting, glasshouse maintenance, propagation, hedge cutting, hard landscape maintenance, composting, staking and applying pesticides, along with any tasks required by the PO/GC/EM.
• Comply with all current Health and Safety legislation.
• Undertake work related to development projects in the garden and wider landscape.
• Oversee part-time seasonal gardeners, as required.
• When and if called upon to do so, supervise contract workers, taking special note of any health, safety and welfare needs including the preparation of risk assessments or method statements prior to any work commencing.
• Communicate health and safety issues to the PO/GC/EM and take responsibility for stopping work and the work of others if thought to be dangerous or negligent to the person or those nearby, including but not limited to other staff, contractors and visitors.
• Be prepared to work at height.

Knowledge/Experience/Qualifications/Skills

• A deep knowledge of producing fruit and vegetables in a walled garden and under glass, year-round.
• Broad experience of garden, glasshouse, turf, woodland and landscape maintenance, ideally gleaned on a private estate.
• Ability to work at speed while delivering consistently high-quality horticultural outcomes.
• Ideally a level 2 horticultural qualification (NDH / RHS l2 / HNC).
• A minimum of 3 years hands-on experience as a kitchen gardener.
• A PA1 and PA6a Pesticides Application qualification (ideal).
• Demonstrable horticultural skills and the ability to work alone or with small teams.
• Capacity to communicate clearly in both written and oral forms

NB: Candidates selected for interview will have their transport costs (for the interview) covered by the Estate.

PRIVATE ESTATE