Private Estate Gardener | Andover | £38,000

The Opportunity

We are currently recruiting for a Private Estate Gardener to join a welcoming family at their private home in a picturesque village on the outskirts of Andover.

This is a full-time permanent position working Monday to Friday, 8.00am to 4.00pm, offering a salary of £38,000 per annum.

This is a varied, hands-on role for someone who enjoys gardening but is equally happy turning their hand to general maintenance, helping with the family’s animals and taking care of the little jobs that naturally arise around a busy private home.

The family aren’t looking for a horticulturist or someone who wants to create a formal show garden. They want someone who can help them maintain and develop a pretty, relaxed family garden with colour and interest throughout the year.

You’ll be encouraged to bring your own ideas. Whether that’s suggesting a new planting area, introducing seasonal bedding, improving an existing part of the garden or helping establish a future vegetable garden and greenhouse, the family would like someone who enjoys working in partnership with them.

Just as importantly, they’re looking for someone who notices things.

If you see weeds appearing on the driveway, you’ll deal with them. If a section of fencing needs repairing, you’ll fix it. If an area of the garden could be improved, you’ll be confident suggesting what could be done.

This would suit someone who is self-driven, practical and positive, with the initiative to manage their own day while enjoying the variety that comes with working for a private household.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain the gardens surrounding the family home throughout the year
• Cut and maintain lawns
• Weed, prune, hedge cut and carry out general seasonal garden maintenance
• Introduce and maintain seasonal bedding to provide year-round colour
• Suggest planting ideas and improvements for different areas of the garden
• Work with the family to develop the garden while keeping it relaxed, attractive and manageable
• Help establish and maintain a future vegetable garden and greenhouse
• Identify jobs that need doing and take the initiative to complete them
• Carry out straightforward DIY and general property maintenance
• Have a practical understanding of the property, including knowing the location of essentials such as the stopcock
• Feed the family’s poultry, sheep and goats and collect eggs when required
• Visit a family member’s nearby property approximately once a week to tidy and maintain the garden
• Carry out occasional airport runs and other driving duties
• Look after garden tools, machinery and equipment
• Stay at the property occasionally while the family are away to provide a reassuring presence and additional security

Requirements

• Previous practical gardening experience
• Good general knowledge of garden maintenance and seasonal planting
• Comfortable maintaining lawns, beds, borders, hedges and planted areas
• Practical DIY skills and happy carrying out straightforward repairs and maintenance
• Able to work independently and organise your own workload
• Confident using your own initiative rather than waiting to be given every task
• Comfortable making suggestions and bringing your own ideas to the garden
• Comfortable around poultry, sheep and goats
• Full UK Driving Licence essential
• Own vehicle essential due to the rural location of the property
• Trustworthy, reliable and discreet
• Physically fit and comfortable working outdoors throughout the year

Skills & Qualities

The personality fit is particularly important to the family.

They’re looking for someone who is:

• Self-driven and able to see what needs doing
• Positive with a genuine can-do attitude
• Practical and resourceful
• Friendly, lively and personable
• Laid-back in approach while still confident enough to express their own opinion
• Comfortable suggesting new ideas rather than simply waiting for instructions
• An excellent communicator
• Happy working collaboratively with the family
• Equally comfortable putting their head down and getting on with the job independently
• Reliable, trustworthy and respectful of the family’s privacy
• Looking for a stable, long-term position

Property Maintenance
This is not a skilled builder or tradesperson position.

The family simply wants someone who is practically minded and competent with everyday DIY and maintenance.

This could include repairing a fence, replacing chicken wire, hanging pictures, painting a garden bench or dealing with other straightforward jobs as they arise.

For anything requiring a qualified tradesperson or specialist contractor, this would not be your responsibility.

Occasional House Sitting
The family would ideally like the successful candidate to stay at the property occasionally when they are away, primarily to provide security and a presence at the house.

This isn’t frequent. As an indication, the family travelled approximately three times last year for around five days on each occasion.

A self-contained studio annexe, separate from the main family home, is available for your use when staying at the property. 

Working Hours

Monday to Friday
8.00am to 4.00pm
Full-time Permanent

What’s On Offer

• £38,000 per annum
• Monday to Friday working
• 00am to 4.00pm hours
• Full-time permanent position
• Beautiful rural working environment within a private household
• Varied role combining gardening, practical maintenance, light animal care and occasional driving
• Freedom to bring your own ideas to the garden
• Opportunity to help develop a vegetable garden and greenhouse
• Opportunity to create an attractive family garden with seasonal colour throughout the year
• Self-contained studio annexe available when staying at the property during family holidays
• Stable, long-term opportunity with a welcoming family
• A role where you’re trusted to use your initiative and take ownership of your work

How to Apply

This role is being recruited by Halmer Group on behalf of our client.

If you’re an experienced gardener who enjoys variety, can turn your hand to practical jobs and likes the idea of taking ownership of a private family garden, we’d love to hear from you.

Please submit your CV outlining your relevant gardening and practical experience.

All applications will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Due to the volume of applications we receive, if you have not heard from us within 14 days of submitting your application, please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

Reference: 860