Horticulture Apprentice
THE GARDEN BUSINESS LTD
Corsham (SN13 9FN)
Closes in 21 days (Friday 17 July 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 26 June 2026
Contents
Summary
The Garden Business are offering a fantastic opportunity to join their team as a Horticulture Apprentice. This is an excellent opportunity to work alongside our retirement village gardening team to develop new skills and knowledge.
- Wage
-
£16,640 to £26,436.80, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Pay increase on successful course qualification.
Permanent position offered
- Training course
- Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, 8.00am to 4.00pm.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Saturday 1 August 2026
- Duration
-
2 years
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
The apprentice will work alongside our Head Gardener and the team and will get involved across all aspects of the garden and overall village, including:
- Mowing and strimming of the village
- Mowing of sports surfaces
- Pruning and hedge maintenance
- Maintenance of shrubs and borders
- Planting, plant care and maintenance of plants and shrubs
- Supporting the team with vegetable planting, maintenance and harvesting
- Winter gardening projects
Where you'll work
The Pavilion
Roundwood Way
Corsham
SN13 9FN
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
WILTSHIRE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY CENTRE
Training course
Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- (Core) Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
- (Core) Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
- (Core) Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
- (Core) Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
- (Core) Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
- (Core) Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
- (Core) Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
- (Core) Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
- (Core) Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
- (Core) Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
- (Core) Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
- (Core) Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
- (Core) Install turf for situation.
- (Core) Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
- (Core) Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
- (Core) Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
- (Landscape construction) Measure and set out an uncomplicated site in preparation for landscape construction activities.
- (Landscape construction) Use free hand cutting and or bench cutting of hard landscape materials using abrasive wheels.
- (Landscape construction) Repair constructed landscape features (simple and noncomplex) for example re-grouting, re-sanding, damaged fencing.
- (Landscape construction) Construct paved feature for example path, patio or shed base. Including setting levels, sub bases, laying bases, finishing.
- (Landscape construction) Construct vertical landscape features including fences, ornamental vertical features, and walls.
- (Landscape construction) Install drainage in landscaping.
- (Landscape construction) Construct horizontal landscape features (excluding paving).
- (Horticulture) Propagate plants by cuttings and seed sowing (this might be indoors or outdoors). Including selection of suitable growing media and or soil.
- (Horticulture) Provide aftercare to recently installed turf and maintain established turf or species rich meadows including irrigation, maintenance, monitoring health and protection from use.
- (Horticulture) Identify if plants are suitable to site, purpose and aesthetics.
- (Horticulture) Maintain soft landscapes for example - staking or support, division, seasonal clearance, and re-planting.
- (Horticulture) Monitor and control plant pests, pathogens, and disorders using basic control methods (including application of chemicals or organic equivalents).
- (Horticulture) Plant herbaceous and seasonal planting (for example bedding, herbs or bulbs).
- (Horticulture) Prune plants to achieve healthy growth and form (including natural habit and formal or trained form).
- (Core) Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
- (Core) Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
- (Core) Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
- (Core) Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
- (Core) Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
- (Core) Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
- (Core) Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
- (Core) Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
- (Core) Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
- (Core) Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
- (Core) Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
- (Core) Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
- (Core) Install turf for situation.
- (Core) Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
- (Core) Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
- (Core) Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
Training schedule
Wadswick Green
Rowan Lane
Corsham
SN13 9FN
More training information
1 day per week.
Wiltshire College Lackham Campus
Lacock
Chippenham
SN15 2NY.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 2)
- Maths (grade 2)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Presentation skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
You will need to get to Wadswick Green under own steam as bus timetable is too late.
About this employer
Since 2003 The Garden Business has produced and maintained beautiful gardens. Our gardens within our collection of exclusive retirement villages are attributed to all the hard work that has been injected and a credit to our polite resident interaction.
We pride ourselves on staff retention and all our jobs are for 12 months a year
Our work environment includes:
Growth opportunities
Relaxed atmosphere
On-the-job training
Safe work environment
They will work both within a team and at times on their own engaging in all aspect of gardening maintenance and soft landscaping. Joining this growing village gives great employment opportunities and pay will be appropriate for both skills and certification. All equipment training will be provided and the successful apprentice will obtain offsite training and certification.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
- Possible career in Hard and Soft Landscaping with sister company
- Possible progression within company
- Career in all garden, grounds and landscaping positions
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
THE GARDEN BUSINESS LTD
Chris Liversidge
chris@thegardenbusiness.com
07709422327
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000039507.
Apply now
Closes in 21 days (Friday 17 July 2026 at 11:59pm)