Head Gardener - Accommodation Provided

Head Gardener
Location: Cumbria
Salary: From £35,000 DOE + accommodation available
Hours: Full time

This is a great opportunity to take responsibility for the gardens and grounds of a large private estate, working with an established team and continuing the development of a varied 36 acre site.

The estate includes extensive lawns, pleasure grounds, borders and a Victorian walled garden, alongside a productive kitchen garden supplying produce to the estate's Michelin star restaurant.

What you'll be doing:
As Head Gardener, you'll have overall responsibility for the day to day management, maintenance and development of the gardens and grounds.

• Leading and developing a settled team of full and part-time gardeners.
• Overseeing the maintenance of lawns, borders, pleasure grounds, hedges and wider estate areas.
• Supporting the continued development of the Victorian walled garden.
• Overseeing the productive kitchen garden and working closely with the Kitchen Gardener and Head Chef.
• Providing practical horticultural guidance, training and support to the wider team.
• Planning workloads and making sure standards are maintained across the estate.
• Managing departmental budgets, machinery, health and safety and general garden operations.
• Supporting open days, events and other activity across the estate where required.
• Contributing ideas around future planting, restoration and development projects.

What they're looking for:

• An experienced Head Gardener, Senior Gardener or similar with strong practical horticultural knowledge.
• Previous experience working across a substantial private estate, historic garden or similarly large site.
• A confident people manager who can provide stability, direction and support to an established team.
• Good knowledge across ornamental horticulture, borders, lawns and general estate gardening.
• Experience of productive or kitchen gardening would be useful.
• Someone happy to be visible and involved with the team, whether that is hands on or more focused on guidance and management.
• A practical, organised approach with the confidence to work alongside other departments across the estate.

Why join?

• Take responsibility for a varied 36 acre estate.
• Established and experienced gardening team already in place.
• Opportunity to work across both ornamental and productive horticulture.
• Ongoing investment and development across the estate.
• Kitchen garden supplying produce directly into the estate's Michelin star restaurant.
• Accommodation available as part of the package.
• Salary flexibility for the right person.

Apply now
Send your CV to (url removed) or call (phone number removed) for a confidential chat.