Gardener
Osborne House, Isle of Wight
Who We Are and What We’re Looking For
Heritage is for everybody, and we are here for heritage.
Heritage lives in places and people, memories and stories, artefacts and traditions. It can connect us all to the past, and to each other. It can make us happier, strengthen every community, and help shape society for the better. Everybody should be able to enjoy the benefits it brings.
That's why, as a charity, we care for over a million objects and hundreds of historic sites in every part of England, from international icons to local treasures. And it's why we open them up, share their stories and find new ways for everybody to enjoy, learn, play and create.
We’re now looking for a passionate and skilled Gardener to join our team at Osborne House. In this full-time, permanent role based on the stunning Isle of Wight, you’ll help care for one of the most prestigious historic gardens in the country — bringing to life the horticultural legacy of Queen Victoria’s beloved seaside retreat and delighting over 250,000 visitors each year with vibrant, beautifully maintained landscapes.
As a Gardener, you will:
- Provide efficient, high-quality, skilled maintenance for our gardens
- Ensure the best possible visitor experience
- Develop and broaden your horticultural knowledge and skills
- Maintain flowers, shrubs, walled gardens, woodland gardens and parks
- Conduct non-specialist propagation and plant production
Our Benefits
- Salary of £22,915 per annum
- Comprehensive training and CPD
- The opportunity to progress your career
- Apprenticeship opportunities
- Flexible hours
- Opportunities to go to some of our great live music and history events
- Free access to all English Heritage sites for you and up to six friends and family members
- 25% discount in our shops and cafes
- Corporate subscriptions/memberships to gardening organisations
- Enhanced maternity/paternity/shared parental leave
- 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays rising to 28 days after 3 years
- Options to buy additional leave
- Matched pension contributions up to 10%
About You
To join us as a Gardener, you will need:
- Basic craft gardener skills and horticultural knowledge
- Familiarity with the cultivation of a broad range of trees, shrubs, bulbs, glasshouse, annual and herbaceous plants and their associated craft skills
- An NVQ Level 2 in amenity horticulture or equivalent
Next Steps
The closing date for this role is Monday 21st April 2025.
Please select the apply button shown to submit your CV along with a cover letter, outlining how you meet the essential requirements for the role.
Interviews will be held on the week commencing 5th May 2025, in person, at Osborne.
Why Join Us?
At English Heritage, we care for over a million objects and hundreds of historic sites in every part of England, from international icons to local treasures. And it’s why we open them up, share their stories and find new ways for everybody to enjoy, learn, play and create.
At Osborne, our commitment to preserving heritage goes hand-in-hand with creating vibrant, living landscapes that inspire visitors of all ages. Recent investment in the grounds reflects our ambition to celebrate the estate’s rich horticultural history while shaping an environment that feels welcoming, inclusive and full of life. With exciting opportunities ahead to nurture this special place, it’s a truly rewarding time to join our team and grow your career in a setting like no other.
Forget the stereotypes. It takes thousands of people from every background to care for England’s heritage and open it up for everybody to enjoy. We`re looking for every type of person with every kind of skill and experience, and we`re committed to making sure that English Heritage is an equitable, diverse and inclusive place to work. You can connect with others through our EDI networks as a member or ally. These include Ethnic Diversity, Faith & Belief, Social Equity, LGBTQ+, Neurodivergence, Age, Disability and Gender Health and Wellbeing.
Other organisations may call this role Horticulturist, Estate Gardener, Groundskeeper, Garden Maintenance Specialist, Skilled Gardener, or Maintenance Gardener.
So, if you’re ready to grow your career as a Gardener, please apply via the button shown. This vacancy is being advertised by Webrecruit.
