Horticulturist

Description

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18 th
-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 88 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life.

The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes.

Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About the Position

This position is a key member of a crew within the Landscape Department responsible for maintaining historic gardens and landscapes to the highest horticultural standards. Assist Lead Horticulturist with the maintenance and management of all specified areas to include the proper cultural practices for all plants, including heirloom, modern varieties, fine gardening, plant conservation, landscape restoration, soil management, and hardscape maintenance.

Essential Functions :

• Responsible for maintaining the overall health and appearance of the gardens and landscape in specified areas, keeping them pristine and safe. Responsible for planting, pruning, shearing, weeding, and amending the soil. Maintains a variety of hardscapes (shell, gravel, bank-run, etc.) and a variety of plants (trees, shrubs, herbs, vegetables, perennials, and seasonal flowers).
• Attend daily briefing meetings to prioritize work and perform all work in a timely and efficient manner to ensure efficient completion of projects and garden-related activities. Work with little direction or supervision and solve problems in a timely manner.
• Interact positively and professionally with fellow staff members and Colonial Williamsburg visitors, answering questions and giving directions. Assist with giving talks and tours to garden clubs, garden programs and special guests.
• Responsible for following the best management practices for the cultivation of trees, shrubs, ground covers, vines, turf grasses, perennials, annuals and herbs. This includes planting, watering, fertilizing, grooming, pruning and soil management. Remains informed of current techniques and practices in the horticultural field.
• Responsible for the identification, control and treatment of weeds, diseases, and pests. Coordinate with IPM Specialist to ensure the safe and proper use of insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides.
• Observe OSHA guidelines to assure specified areas are safe for employees and visitors. Ability to operate large equipment such as, but not limited to, tractors, loaders, dump trucks, snowplows and similar machinery.
• Guide the work of interns and volunteers in daily gardening activities and provide directions to ensure efficient completion of garden-related activities and special projects. Assure interns and volunteers have the proper tools and equipment and the proper training to use and maintain all tools and…