Senior Gardener

Horticulture Jobs; Bath; On-site; GBP 34,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Standard holiday allowance

Pension contribution

Job summary

Belcombe Court is seeking a Senior Gardener with an artist’s eye to join a small, close-knit team. The role involves enhancing borders, experimenting with planting combinations, and managing pot displays, kitchen and cutting gardens, glasshouse, and propagation.

You’ll have 3–5 years post-qualification experience, RHS Level 3 or equivalent, and a strong focus on organic, sustainable gardening. A full driving licence is required, and the role is full-time with a salary range of £34,000 to £40,000.

Qualifications

• Three to five years’ post-qualification experience in a garden of similar standing.
• Experience with herbaceous perennials and mixed borders.
• Experience in productive growing and propagation.
• Knowledge of health and safety legislation.
• Full driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Improve borders with new planting ideas for colour, texture and year-round interest.
• Oversee pot and container displays, kitchen and cutting gardens, glasshouse and propagation.
• Raise vegetables from seed and manage organic weed/pest control, composting and mulching.
• Coppice on site to produce plant supports and materials.
• Maintain the wider garden to a high standard with the team; assist lawn mowing and hedge cutting.
• Work in a physically demanding environment and follow health and safety practices.

Skills

Plant identification

Communication

Health and safety

Teamwork

Observation and design intuition

Education

RHS Level 3 or equivalent

Tools

Glasshouse management

Propagation techniques

Organic gardening methods

Job description

Senior Gardener – Belcombe Court

Are you a gardener with an artist’s eye? Belcombe Court is looking for a senior gardener with real creative flair to join our small, close-knit team.

Winner of the Historic Houses Garden of the Year Judges’ Prize2024, and the inspiration behind the book A Garden Love Story (Pavilion/HarperCollins), our garden is a special place, and we’re looking for someone to help shape its next chapter.

You’ll be responsible for improving our borders, bringing fresh ideas forplanting combinations, colour, texture and year-round interest, and thenrolling up your sleeves to bring them to life. Your responsibilities will also include our pot and container displays, the kitchen garden and cuttinggarden, the glasshouse, and propagation, including raising ourvegetables from seed.We garden organically and as sustainably as we can, so you’ll manageweeds and pests by organic methods, look after our composting andmulching, and coppice on site to produce our own plant supports andmaterials. Alongside this, you’ll help maintain the wider garden to thehigh standard it’s known for, working closely with the rest of the teamand contributing to lawn mowing and hedge cutting. The garden andscope of work are physically demanding, so a good level of fitness isessential.

About you

You’ll hold an RHS Level 3 qualification or equivalent, with three to fiveyears’ post-qualification experience in a garden of similar standing. You’ll combine excellent plant identification skills with significant practicalexperience, particularly of herbaceous perennials and mixed borders,productive growing, glasshouse management and propagation, and you’ll have a real flair for pot planting. You’ll share our commitment to organic, sustainable gardening, andbring a sound understanding of health and safety legislation and goodpractice, with experience of putting it into action. A good communicatorwith a positive, can-do attitude, you’ll enjoy working as part of a teamand have the confidence to share ideas and take ownership of projects. Afull driving licence is required.

What we offer

A full-time position, five days a week, 8am–5pm, with a salary of £34,000to £40,000 depending on experience, standard holiday allowance and apension contribution. Please note, no accommodation is available withthis role. Above all, the chance to work in an award-winning garden withgenuine freedom to experiment and see your ideas take root.