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Job Description |
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Vacancy title |
Gardener/Horticulturalist Full time, permanent |
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Employer Details |
Stephens House & Gardens 17 East End Road, Finchley, London N3 3QE http://www.stephenshouseandgardens.com/
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Staff organisation |
The appointed gardener/horticulturist will work as part of a small team, with a fulltime apprentice Gardener and part time Garden Supervisor.
In addition, 15 staff (full time and part time) work in Stephens House and Inky’s cafe.
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Employer summary
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Stephens House & Gardens is managed by the Avenue House Estate Trust. The ten-acre gardens are in the residential suburb of Finchley, North London, 5 minutes walk from Finchley Central tube station, on the Northern Line. Nearby bus routes include 13, 125, 143, 326 and 460.
The historic mansion house and gardens were gifted to the people in 1918 by the Stephens family. Rooms in the house are available for hire and the gardens are open to the public.
The gardens were developed as a private residential garden from the late 1870’s and are notable for their design in the Gardenesque style and the outstanding collection of mature specimen trees, particularly conifers. Within the gardens are a large pond, water tower and cistern, a playground, the Bothy walled garden, a bog garden and rockery, the stables buildings including a café and visitor activity centre, and a recently built garden maintenance compound with a glasshouse. Many of the garden features were restored with the assistance of Heritage Lottery funding in 2016.
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Overview of role
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Key
responsibilities of the role include: - Grass cutting and mowing to amenity lawns and seasonal meadow areas - Care of perennial beds, shrubberies, rock garden & bog garden - Care of large pond with aquatic & marginal planting and pump system - Care of trees, from newly planted to mature specimens, including minor tree surgery (high level work is done by arboricultural contractors) - Projects to increase nature conservation - Hedge cutting and weed control - Grounds maintenance including litter collection, gritting and snow clearance - Regular visual inspections of the playground, surface drains and garden buildings (annual playground inspection is done by contractors) - Assisting and working with volunteer gardeners in the walled Bothy garden and elsewhere in the main section of the gardens - Plant propagation to fill gaps in perennial and shrub beds - Assisting house staff with event setting up, controlling vehicle access into gardens, taking deliveries of materials for the gardens etc. - Routine maintenance of gardening equipment and correct storage - Locking garden gates in evening
The Estate Trust’s aim is to keep the gardens properly maintained, attractive and welcoming to visitors. As part of a small team of gardeners you will be involved in all aspects of caring for this interesting and diverse public garden.
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Salary & Conditions
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The Company‘s opening hours are from 7.00am to 6.30pm, Monday to Sunday.
Your normal hours of work are 40 each week to be worked flexibly between the above hours in accordance with the weekly roster. You will be entitled to a paid break of 30 minutes each day. These normal hours of work may be varied to meet the needs of the business.
Typical Hours of work: Summer 10.15am - 6.15pm (30 mins lunch) Winter 7.45am - 4.15pm
Salary: £22,000- £25,000 p.a. depending on experience Benefits: Uniform provided, workplace pension scheme, discount at Inky’s Café in gardens
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Qualifications needed |
· Horticulture Operative (level 2) · Emergency first aid at work · Level 2 award in the safe use of pesticides PA1 |
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Ideal Skills |
- Awareness of health and safety legislation and good practice - Good communication skills - Friendly to garden visitors and volunteer gardeners - Keen to learn and able to get on with people - Ability to use own initiative - Confidence using horticultural tools & machinery |
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Ideal personal qualities |
- Confident about daily travelling time to work and easiness of journey - Punctual and reliable - Good presentation - Enthusiastic/willing to learn about different planting areas and their care - Able to work in a small team - Must be willing to work outside in all weather, in a physically demanding role
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How to apply for this role |
Please email your CV outlining your qualifications and experience to: Helen Bevan, Garden Supervisor, Stephens House & Gardens
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Closing date of applications
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Please apply by Friday 16th September Interviews will be held on Friday 23rd September, with the anticipated start date for the successful candidate in early October. |