Jobs

JOB PURPOSE
Under the leadership of the Head Gardener, to help conserve and maintain Newhailes House and Gardens to the Trust’s standards, promote the garden to visitors, and play a part in the wider running of the property.

CONTEXT
Newhailes is an 84-acre designed landscape and pleasure grounds consisting of woodland, water gardens, follies, farmland, children’s playpark, and a market garden. The successful candidate will assist and support the property and gardens team in the conservation, care, and presentation of the property’s market garden, designed landscape and estate, ensuring that all areas are maintained to the highest standards and to the enjoyment of all visitors and supporters, whether through delegation to other staff/volunteers, or personal work. The market garden is managed, maintained, and developed to provide produce to sell on site, and for use in the café, contributing to the property’s overall conservation and development, and its enjoyment by visitors and supporters.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
1. Undertake routine, cyclical, and project practical conservation and maintenance of the garden, such as (but not limited to):
• Soil preparation, soil testing, soil improvement, composting, mulching;
• Propagation (from seed sowing, cuttings, grafting), nursery-work, planting out, transplanting, under direction of Head Gardener;
• Management of trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, annual plantings fruit and vegetables;
• Pruning of wall trained fruit, ornamental shrubs, fruit bushes, and hedges;
• Management of turf, such as seeding, feeding, mowing, edging, scarifying, aerating, strimming;
• Weed control, clearing/control of invasive species, and adequate disposal using composting or bonfires dispose of arisings and unhealthy plant material;
• Hard landscaping, maintenance of paths and walk-ways, maintenance of fences and boundaries;
• Leaf-raking, deadfall removal;
• Integrated Pest Management;
• Litter picking;
• Work alongside and support volunteers, providing instruction and ensuring safe and effective task delivery.

2. Assisting with general property and estate maintenance. Activities include:
• Operate and maintain horticultural machinery including tractors, ride-on mowers, strimmers, hedgecutters, chainsaws etc. in accordance with Trust Health & Safety procedures, completing relevant records where required. – pre-start checks, HAVs etc.

3. Assist, as required, with plant records and labelling, or any monitoring or recording of e.g. weather conditions.

4. Assist with education/interpretation activities such as introductory talks and guided walks.

5. On occasion, supervise and work with volunteers, student placements, garden interns, and/or apprentices to ensure they deliver required outputs at the appropriate standard, and gain benefit/satisfaction from their activities.

6. Assisting as required with the general enjoyment of the gardens and wider estate by:
• Responding to general visitor enquiries.
• Answering basic horticultural enquiries from visitors.
• Assisting at events held at the property and within the cluster.
• Assisting with monthly newsletters and articles where appropriate.

7. Undertake other reasonable duties, as may from time to time be required, to ensure the smooth running of the property as required by the Head Gardener/Operations Manager such as set up and breakdown of functions and events.

Application Deadline: Sunday 15/11/2026