Lead Kitchen Garden & 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

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.