Orchard Gardener

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an Experienced Orchard Gardener to join a passionate, fun, and hardworking team in Oxfordshire. Nestled in the picturesque Oxfordshire countryside, this hotel has been the touchstone of haute cuisine for over three decades. My clients aim is to create a centre of excellence in all of its many facets from the welcome to the service, from the garden to the rooms and not forgetting the unforgettable dining experience each of these facets are part of the overall success. If one part fails, everything fails.

An amazing Orchard awaits the right candidate who can take it to the next level using the very best organic practices. They are looking for an extremely passionate and dedicated Orchard Gardener to join the current team. This role is responsible for maintaining and improving they hotels Orchard and fruit trees to the highest standards in line with the criteria as set by the soil association. They have just under 3000 trees growing a huge variety of apples, pears, nectarines, apricot and quinces that the successful candidate would be responsible for.

Other tasks of a gardener include:

• Pruning trees, shrubs, and hedges, mowing, and cutting grass and lawns, looking after plants and flowers
• Maintenance of green spaces
• Cleaning and weeding
• Irrigation and irrigation system management
• Application of chemical and organic herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers
• Soil management activities
• Sowing, cultivation and propagation of plants, trees, and shrubs
• Supplying plants for parks, private gardens, and green spaces
• Designing and building gardens

Gardener skills and qualifications

• Knowledge of gardening techniques
• Knowledge of plant and flower care techniques
• Ability to use professional mowing, trimming, and pruning equipment
• Strong manual skills
• Precision and attention to detail
• Interpersonal skills and ability to work as part of a team
• Health and physical fitness
• Experience working hands on in and orchard environment
• Understand soil and nutrition and possibly some evidence of training and teaching of others
• Able to drive a tractor onsite would be an advantage but not essential

In return you will be awarded with a generous package which includes a starting salary of £22,440 with over-time available, discounts on the hotel experiences, local discounts including gym membership, restaurants and wellbeing, loyalty and recognition awards, auto-enrolment into the company pension scheme, meals on duty, free car parking, employee assistance programme, life insurance, internet offers including car discounts. Hours of employment are Monday - Friday and maybe the odd weekend may be required if the hotel has a planned event. The ideal start date for this role is 17th May 2021.

If you have a passion for the great outdoors and you are currently looking for a new position, please get in touch ASAP.