Horticulturist
Job in
Wheaton, DuPage County, Illinois, 60189, USA
Listing for:
McCormick Foundation
Full Time
position
Listed on 2026-02-05
Job specializations:
Salary/Wage Range or Industry Benchmark: 60000 - 80000 USD Yearly
USD
60000.00
80000.00
YEAR
Job Description & How to Apply Below
Position: Horticulturist I
Organization Overview
Cantigny, stewarded by the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, is a signature cultural and recreational destination in Chicago’s western suburbs. With nearly 500 acres of gardens, museums, programs, and golf, Cantigny offers an exceptional platform for community engagement and storytelling.
Position Summary
The Horticulturist position contributes to the creation and implementation of gardens and seasonal displays. The primary duty is maintenance of landscape and horticultural areas, including container displays and holiday events, to high horticultural and aesthetic standards. This hands‑on position supervises a small crew of seasonal garden technicians and volunteers. The role participates in public programs and events and supports educational activities and interpretation to provide a rich visitor experience.
Key Responsibilities Install and maintain annual and perennial displays – both in‑ground and containers – for garden zone of responsibility. Communicates needs for woody plant maintenance with Ornamental Forester and Garden Design Manager and then actively performs appropriate installation or maintenance per the collaborative resolution and guidance.Responsible for weeding, watering, pruning, planting, monitoring for and managing pests, and applying chemicals and soil amendments for specific needs of aforementioned garden zone of responsibility. Path/hardscape safety and aesthetics are also monitored on a daily basis.Assists in supervision of seasonal staff and volunteers on a daily basis. This includes managing schedules, preparing tasks, and ensuring quality of work and use of time when these staff or volunteers are needed in the garden zone of responsibility. Provides training on the usage of tools/machinery, work technique and safety.Supports marketing and communication initiatives, including social media content needs, and effectively collaborates with communications team, for example by providing photos and descriptions of plants in bloom for public announcement.Contributes to design, installation and breakdown of seasonal events, such as Christmas at Cantigny, Fall Fest, and/or Spring events, indoor and outdoor components across the park, particularly (but not exclusively) in the designated zone of garden responsibility.Assists in placing and tracking herbaceous plant material orders and shipments. This position keeps an updated list of orders for living plant material, contribute in tracking budgets, and assists with processing invoices for material received.Maintains an active record of living plant material within designated zone of responsibility. This includes tracking and editing Excel documents when plant material fails, or new material is added, and adds appropriate signage for plant material as necessary. Communicates with Plant Recorder to ensure overall living plant records are updated/current and as accurate as possible. Assist with professional, neat and accurate presentation of plant signage orientation in beds.Assists in monitoring water features in garden zone of responsibility and maintains those features to control algae, aquatic weeds. This includes the use of beneficial microbial cultures and pond dyes to ensure high water quality.Communicates and collaborates with greenhouse staff to ensure and monitor crop success. Participates in greenhouse walk-throughs to maintain health and scouting regimens for crops used in annual and perennial displays.Assists in any horticulture programs for members and guests. This includes periodic instruction or verbal interpretation through tours, lectures, and special event demonstrations.Monitor and scout garden zones daily to make recommendations and maintain communication with supervisor concerning path safety and aesthetics, plant health, garden maintenance, and priority tasks. This includes monitoring for pests and applying pesticides when necessary (Use of IPM practices is required).Contributes to an annual phenology documentation of plant flowering or other notable foliage highlights of living plant material in aforementioned designated garden zones.Periodically assists with light duty of…
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