Jobs

KEY PURPOSE

Arduaine needs a capable, motivated, and knowledgeable First Gardener to work closely with the Head Gardener and help lead a small, dedicated team of gardeners and volunteers in an exciting period of redevelopment and restoration for this garden and nationally important plant collection.

CONTEXT

Arduaine Garden was established in 1898 by Ethel and James Arthur Campbell and is renowned for its nationally important collection of Rhododendron species, many of which were collected at the beginning of the last century. Arduaine grows a broad range of plants from all around the world including many tender plants which thrive in the garden’s mild climate, influenced by warm Atlantic currents. The garden covers 20 acres, divided into two main areas, a semi formal garden of shrub beds, mixed borders, lawns and ponds and an informal woodland garden.
In 1971 the garden was acquired by nurserymen, Edmund and Harry Wright. The brothers greatly improved the infrastructure of the garden and added to the existing Rhododendron collection before donating the garden to the National Trust for Scotland in 1992.
The garden regularly attracts 15000 visitors a year, though it is temporarily closed to facilitate the completion of the Shelterbelt Restoration project and additional arboricultural work relating to the project.
The Shelterbelt Restoration Project at Arduaine is in its final year and 1000 mature Japanese Larch have been removed after an outbreak of Phytophthora ramorum. The felling stage is expected to be completed by the end of 2022 and site preparation is already underway for the restoration of the garden shelterbelt, after which the garden will be intensively redeveloped and replanted to improve Arduaine’s nationally important collection of Rhododendron’s and diverse botanical collection.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Key Purposes of the job will be met by:
1. Ensuring the conservation and practical maintenance of the garden and policies – whether through delegation to other staff/volunteers, or personal participation – in terms of:
a. Practical horticulture (e.g. including managing trees and shrubs, herbaceous, pond plants and bulbs; turf care; pest/disease/weed control; composting and soil improvement; hard-landscaping and path care; soft landscaping and planting preparation; glasshouse care and plant propagation);
b. Garden Restoration/ Development (e.g planting and establishing newly introduced trees, shrubs and herbaceous; contributing to planning and design of new plantings and hard landscaping; processing of timber with training to use garden sawmill; use of pesticides to control regen for establishment of new plantings; use of chainsaw to process logs, stumps and brash for replanting.
c. Plantsmanship (e.g. the identification, knowledge and understanding of this high calibre plant collection, including recording [using Iris database], and labelling of individual plants and recognized collections);
d. Interpretation (e.g. through the development and delivery of events such as introductory talks, presentations, guided tours or practical demonstrations and workshops, garden trails, digital media and contribution to guide-books or leaflets) to include the impact of various forms of Phytophthora at the property.
2. Ensuring an appropriate management regime of the garden and policies that includes the management of:
a. Staff, Apprentice and volunteers (e.g. assisting in recruitment, induction, direction, development, performance management) such that they are fully equipped, organised and motivated to undertake their duties to the required Trust standards;
b. health, safety and the environment in line with stated Trust policies and approaches to ensure the health and welfare of staff/volunteers;
c. machinery and equipment (e.g. ensuring timely and appropriate repairs, purchases and servicing) and its use (e.g. training, risk assessments and HAVS logs);
d. recognition of the Trust’s Environmental Policy with respect to sustainable gardening activities, including energy, water, peat & pesticide-use;

e. customer service and care from garden staff/volunteers, and in the broader sense of facilities and “visiting experience”, to ensure that the properties’ reputation for excellence is maintained and enhanced;
f. administration to enable gardening activities to be undertaken and recorded efficiently;

3. Supporting the Head Gardener Operations manager & Visitor services manager strategically and practically with the operation of the property.

Application Deadline: Friday 30/09/2022