Head Gardener (Home Park Private

Advert closing date: 3rd September 2026

Competitive salary + discretionary bonus | Excellent benefits including 28 days holiday + bank holidays | Private medical | Choice of pension schemes

We are looking for an experienced, practical and inspiring Head Gardener to lead the care, presentation and development of gardens and landscaped areas across Home Park.

This is a significant leadership role for someone who combines strong horticultural expertise with excellent people management, operational planning and a genuine passion for caring for outstanding landscapes. You will play a key role in maintaining high horticultural standards, enhancing biodiversity, supporting seasonal impact and ensuring an exceptional experience for visitors, residents and stakeholders.

At The Crown Estate, we actively manage a diverse portfolio across England, Wales and Northern Ireland to create lasting and shared prosperity for the nation. Our work is guided by long-term stewardship, responsible investment and a commitment to creating environmental, social and financial value.

Windsor Estate is one of the country’s most unique and important environmental and ecological sites. It includes parkland, forests, farms, lakes and gardens, with a rich history, rare wildlife and nationally significant landscapes. As an operational estate, it brings together heritage, conservation, commercial activity, public access, events and day-to-day estate management.

Home Park is 728 acres of park, gardens and farmland surrounding Windsor Castle. Our purpose is to ensure the health, beauty and longevity of this historically important landscape through the management, development, cultivation and maintenance of various plant species, trees and landscapes. The area includes Frogmore Gardens, a formal garden area in the grounds of Frogmore House, as well as other gardens including the South Front borders, the Rose Walk, the Nuttery and the Walled Garden.

It also includes orchards, sports grounds, wildflower meadows, tree avenues, ponds, lakes, river frontage and parkland areas surrounding the walls of Windsor Castle.

As Head Gardener, you will lead the planning, maintenance and development of gardens, lawns, borders, hedges, glasshouses, woodland, orchards and landscaped areas. You will ensure high standards of horticulture throughout the year, with strong seasonal interest, excellent presentation and a focus on sustainable practice.

You will lead, motivate and develop the team, setting clear expectations, planning work programmes and supporting a positive, inclusive and high-performing team culture. You will also manage machinery, equipment and horticultural assets, ensuring they are available, safe, compliant and well maintained.

The role will involve planning and delivering annual and long-term work programmes, overseeing planting schemes and improvement projects, managing contractors and suppliers, and working collaboratively with colleagues across the Estate. You will ensure health and safety compliance, contribute to budget and resource planning, biodiversity initiatives, events and stakeholder engagement.

You will bring strong horticultural knowledge and proven experience managing gardens, estates, parks or historic landscapes. You will be confident leading teams, planning operational work programmes and maintaining high standards across complex or high-profile outdoor environments.

You will have a practical, hands-on approach and be comfortable balancing day-to-day delivery with longer-term landscape development. You will understand plant health, soil management, pest and disease control, irrigation, sustainability and biodiversity, and you will be committed to safe working practices.

We are looking for someone who is organised, calm under pressure and able to prioritise effectively. You will be a confident communicator who can build strong working relationships with colleagues, contractors, visitors and stakeholders. A supportive, solution-focused leadership style and a genuine commitment to developing others will be important.

You will need:

• A relevant horticultural qualification, such as HND, ND/NVQ Level 3 or RHS Level 3, with proven experience or equivalent practical expertise.
• Proven experience managing gardens, estates, parks or historic landscapes.
• Strong horticultural knowledge, including plant science, garden design principles and grounds maintenance.
• Experience planning and delivering operational work programmes.
• Proven people management capability, including performance management and team development.
• Experience managing contractors and monitoring delivery against safety, quality and performance standards.
• Strong understanding of land-based health and safety practices, including risk assessments and safe systems of work.
• A full manual driving licence.
• Emergency First Aid at Work…