Assistant Gardener

**ASSISTANT GARDENER AT STILLWATER, PATELEY BRIDGE, NORTH YORKSHIRE**

**JOB DESCRIPTION**

**TITLE**:
**Assistant Gardener**

**SUMMARY**:
**This is an exceptional opportunity to join the team developing a Woodland Garden in North Yorkshire. The Garden sits in the 36 acre grounds of a Victorian Hunting Lodge with existing lakes, cascades and specimen trees. It is a steep wooded valley with a stream running through the base. It has been added to with areas of new trees, shrubs and herbaceous planting. Currently work is in progress on a large cascade, lakeside boardwalk, rockery, woodland shrub planting and extensive bulb plantings. This is all part of a valley wide landscape plan.**

**The Assistant Gardener will work closely with the Head Gardener, who sets the maintenance and horticultural agenda across all seasons and all of its elements, in order to deliver this plan in a timely and effective way. Besides being integral to this extensive long term undertaking, the Assistant Gardener will be encouraged to advance their knowledge and skills so that they can take ownership of particular elements of both the plan and of the site itself.**

**This role is for someone to join the Head Gardener on a permanent basis with other contractors involved for specialist or bigger tasks. They would be expected to be involved in all aspects of the garden maintenance and planting. It is very early stages in the landscape with a lot of arboricultural work still to be carried out so there is the opportunity to be involved with the gardens development and take ownership of certain areas.**

**RESPONSIBILITIES**:
**You will assist and be able to work alone on a number of horticultural tasks including**:

- **Planting trees, shrubs, herbaceous plant and bulbs.**:

- **Weeding and weed management.**:

- **Ground preparation and mulching.**:

- **Use related equipment such as tractor, hedge trimmer, leaf blower and hand tools.**:

- **Pruning of trees and shrubs.**:

- **Propagation.**:

- **Assist with tasks involving chainsaw, boat, winch and spray equipment.**

**SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES**:
**You will possess the following skills and attributes**:

- **Self-starting and ambitious.**:

- **Ability to listen and enquire.**:

- **Passionate about gardens and woodlands.**:

- **Positive, problem-solving attitude and a flexible approach.**:

- **Good horticultural knowledge and relevant experience in the horticultural industry.**:

- **Relevant qualifications RHS Level 2 or equivalent, Chainsaw maintenance, crosscutting and felling upto 380mm and spraying Pa1 and Pa6 desirable.**:

- **Sensitivity to the site environment.**:

- **Physically fit and able to work outdoors in all seasons.**:

- **Full driving licence.**:

- **Conscientious with high work standards.**

**SUPERVISOR AND REPORT**:

- **James Bailey, Head Gardener**

**HOURS OF WORK AND HOLIDAY ALLOWANCE**
- **40 hours per week. Typical work day of 08.00 to 16.00 but this is flexible.**:

- **Holiday entitlement - 25 days per annum plus Bank/Public Holidays.**

**SALARY**:

- **£22,000 annual salary, reviewed every 12 months from start date.**

**PROBATIONARY PERIOD**:

- **An initial probationary period of three months during which the appointment may be terminated by one week’s notice by either party. Following the successful completion of the probationary period the period of notice will be one month.**

**Job Types**: Full-time, Permanent

**Salary**: From £22,000.00 per year

**Benefits**:

- Company pension
- On-site parking

Schedule:

- Day shift

COVID-19 considerations:
All current precautions complied with but nature of role means limited impact on working practices

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Harrogate: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: One location

Application deadline: 23/01/2023
Reference ID: Stillwater/02
Expected start date: 06/03/2023