Horatios Garden are seeking an enthusiastic head gardener for this exciting role in a new Tom Stuart-Smith designed hospital garden project at London’s only spinal injury centre. This high-profile garden is due to open in August and will trail blaze the benefits of gardens and health. The project has had widespread publicity throughout the fundraising and development.

The garden is a contemporary masterpiece with two interconnected gardens – a woodland reflective garden with three water features, dense herbaceous planting and birch trees and a more gregarious social garden filled with vibrant planting.

Garden rooms designed by renowned architect Stephen Marshall give patients warm sheltered places to enjoy the garden in all weather. There is a large accessible greenhouse, an area of raised beds for patients to get involved with gardening and a warm contemporary head gardeners office looking out over the garden. Go to www.horatiosgarden.org.uk/the-gardens/londonappeal/ for more details about the project.

The Head Gardener will join a team of four other Head Gardeners across the charity’s existing projects. They will work with a volunteer co-ordinator and a team of trained volunteers to nurture the beautiful space for patients of the spinal injury centre and their visitors. Tom Stuart-Smith will be closely involved as the garden grows, visiting regularly and offering advice.

The role is a fantastic opportunity for a gardener with an interest in gardens and wellbeing and a passion for people as well as plants. 

The post is available immediately to coincide with planting the garden. Flexible working considered. Salary depending on experience approx. £32,300 FTE

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Practical experience as a gardener, including experience of garden management
• Empathic, kind and have a love of people
• Experience of leading and managing teams.
• Able to manage budgets and petty cash.

Desirable

• RHS Level 2 Diploma in Principles and Practices of Horticulture.
• Post Graduate Diploma in Social and Therapeutic Horticulture.
• Experience of therapeutic activities.
• Management of, and working with, volunteers.
• Good IT skills, specifically proficient with Microsoft Office 365: Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint,
• Supplier management and ordering.
• Working in the voluntary sector.
• NHS experience or work in a health care setting.

Qualities

• Able to meet the physical demands of the job.
• Willingness to show commitment and flexibility in working practice.
• Self-motivated and capable of working with the minimum of direction but understanding the limits of your knowledge and able to seek advice when required.