Estate Head Gardener

• Near Banbury
• £40,000 to £45,000
• Monday to Friday
• Private Medical
• 20 days holiday + bank holidays
• Pension

We are delighted to be working with a private family estate in North Oxfordshire, who is looking to recruit an experienced Estate Head Gardener to lead the horticultural care of this exceptional estate, working closely with the owners and alongside a small, dedicated garden team.

The gardens are a thoughtfully curated blend of ornamental and productive spaces: formal hedging and topiary give structure, while wildflower meadows, orchards, a nuttery, wetlands, and flowering shrub walks offer a naturalistic charm.

This is a unique opportunity to join a team who share a genuine passion for organic and regenerative horticulture. The gardens are run according to organic principles, with biodiversity and sensitivity to the landscape at the heart of every decision.

• Maintaining the estate’s extensive and varied gardens, from walled gardens and orchards to gravel gardens and ornamental borders
• Regular tasks such as weeding, mulching, planting, deadheading, fertilising and pruning
• Keeping the gardens to the highest aesthetic standards, with attention to border detail, formal lawns, topiary and hedging
• Supporting new design plans introduced by a creative design studio
• Mentoring and supporting junior team members
• Applying organic, regenerative gardening methods throughout, from soil health to pest control
• Collaborating with the estate’s cut flower garden team and assisting with flower production as needed
• Helping with planting schemes and seasonal transitions in line with the estate’s broader vision
• Using and maintaining tools and machinery, and keeping accurate garden records

• A passionate and experienced gardener, with at least 3 years at Head Gardener or Senior Gardener level on a private or historic estate
• A Level 3 horticultural qualification
• A team player with a positive, proactive approach
• Strong plant knowledge, especially with perennials, shrubs, climbers and productive crops
• Exceptional pruning and border maintenance skills
• Experience with a range of garden machinery and power tools
• A genuine interest in sustainable gardening and biodiversity
• A full, clean UK driving licence

• Confidence driving ride-on mowers or SWB/LWB vans
• Experience managing freelance gardeners during busy periods
• A curiosity for cut flower growing, this is a lovely element of the estate’s work