Gardener

As a Gardener for the National Trust, you’ll be a hands‑on member of the garden team, involved in every aspect of gardening at Montacute House. Responsible for day‑to‑day maintenance, and the highest standards of horticulture, you’ll also play a vital role in improving the experience of visitors to the garden and wider estate.

Salary: £14.16 per hour Contract: Permanent Hours / working pattern: Part‑time, 30 hours per week. The working pattern is flexible for the successful candidate; however, four consecutive days would be preferred.
Interview: week commencing 23rd November 2026 This role is required to work with vulnerable groups including children and any offer of employment or volunteering is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check

Working at Montacute offers the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of horticultural activities, from maintaining our famous wibbly wobbly hedges to helping deliver wider garden improvement projects as we work towards becoming more climate‑resilient while preserving the character of the gardens.

The gardens form part of Montacute's Grade I listed house, garden and parkland and are among the most significant historic gardens in the region. They combine formal design with expansive parkland views and contain a wealth of historic features that have evolved over centuries. Highlights include the iconic wibbly wobbly hedge, the North Garden with its raised promenade, the historic site of the former parterre, vibrant herbaceous borders, orchards, meadows and the East Court, which provides the impressive setting for the approach to the house.

The garden team cares for a diverse range of spaces, balancing the conservation of a nationally important historic landscape with the challenges of modern horticulture. This means you'll have the chance to work on everything from traditional gardening techniques and specialist pruning to planting projects and initiatives aimed at improving biodiversity and climate resilience. The role is ideal for someone who enjoys practical, hands‑on work and spending time outdoors in all seasons.

There will be opportunities to develop a broad range of horticultural skills, use and maintain a variety of tools and machinery, and play an active part in caring for and improving the gardens.

You'll be joining an established and experienced team of four, supported by a fantastic volunteer team. Our volunteers bring a huge range of skills, knowledge and life experiences, creating a friendly and supportive atmosphere and helping us present the gardens to the highest standard. No two days are the same, and there are plenty of opportunities to learn new skills, contribute ideas and play a meaningful role in the future of the gardens.

You’ll be helping to keep the garden in tiptop condition every day. This might involve daily checks to make sure all areas are safe for people visiting, routine tasks such as weeding, pruning and mulching, and using machinery such as hedge cutters, leaf blowers, lawnmowers and tractors. Other duties might include propagation, cutting flowers for the house, preparing plants for sale, tree safety work and garden design and restoration.

You may be involved in recycling and managing waste, along with the rest of the garden team.

• an enthusiastic horticulturist and hands‑on gardener,
• who’s worked with hard landscaping before knowledgeable about plants, with a great eye for detail.
• experienced with machinery, including tractors, chainsaws, rotary and cylinder mowers, and with some knowledge of maintenance
• a driver with a full licence
• able to manage a demanding outdoor role
• good at talking to, and getting on with, all kinds of people equally…