Full Time Estate Gardener – Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk REF 1201

Estate Gardener / Groundsperson required for small Estate located approx 11 miles from Bury St Edmunds.

We are looking for someone to work either full time or if preferred 4 full days a week. A highly competitive, above industry salary will be offered and there is accommodation available should this be required. The successful person will work closely with the owners running and improving the gardens. This is a wonderful opportunity to work and possibly live in a beautiful area.

Further training and certification will be paid for if desired.

The Estate sits in 125 acres and comprises, gardens, parkland, meadows and woodland. There are c.4 acres of gardens and lawns around the house, and a woodland garden around a very small cricket pitch. In addition there is a 2.5 acre walled garden, largely looked after by two tenants and a team of wonderful volunteers.

Responsibilities will be:-

• Formal borders-pruning, cutting back plants and shrubs, watering, plant feeding, weeding, digging out/stump grinding of self seeded vegetation, mulching, applying wood chip
• Lawns-Mowing, edging, aerating, scarifying, fertilising
•  Walled garden- specific responsibilities alongside the tenants and volunteers – lawn and path maintenance, ornamental replanting and maintenance as required
• Bringing on plants from seed or cuttings
• Driving the min tractor and trailer
• General garden and grounds maintenance not covered above
• General maintenance of machinery and coordinating servicing
• Assisting with set-up and on the day management of the Langham Hall Garden Festival including signage, car parking and ticketing.

Groundsperson/Caretaking:-

• Drives, Car Parks, paths and yards- tidying, raking, brushing and leaf blowing
• Weed control using chemical spray from backpack sprayer
• Tree and hedgerow planting
• Chainsaw use and other powered machines to fell trees
• Wood splitting manually or by machine to provide the hall with logs
• Digger work on ditches, stream, paths and borders
• Basic maintenance of fences
• Organising and booking contractors and suppliers
• Maintenance of swimming pool and tennis court, including chemical application, power washing, leaf clearing
• Ensuring properties on the Estate are secure at all times
• Taking bins to the end of the drive on collection days
• Assisting tradespeople with deliveries
• Any other reasonable task as required from time to time

Optional:-

• Assistance with garden design
• Monitoring and basic maintenance of estate properties and grounds, including chimneys, roofs, rainwater goods and drains, windows and doors, paintwork.
• Organise and booking contractors- painters and bricklayers
• Delivering cars for MOT, basic car maintenance and cleaning
• Occasional dog walking
• Assisting and organising the Langham Hall Garden festival such as promotion, musicians and bar

The Person:-

• Experienced with good horticultural knowledge-RHS qualifications would be an advantage
• Positive and easy to get along with
• Someone who relishes the opportunity to turn the grounds into something even more special and who wants to achieve the highest standards
• Enthusiastic, hard working, practical, reliable, organised and self motivated
• Proactive at spotting issues and fixing them
• Will have a full UK driving licence

Nice to have but not essential:-

• Chainsaw certificate and spray certificates PA1 and PA6
• Small digger driving experience certificates
• Knowledge of countryside stewardships schemes
• First aid at work training
• RHS levels 1-3 qualifications
• Basic computer skills ( Microsoft Word, excel and Outlook)

Please call Jackie 07979 501997