Apprentice Estate Gardener

Summary

This is an exciting opportunity to work within a newly designed garden and put your own stamp on this great project with the guidance and mentoring of an experienced head gardener. The gardening work will include maintenance of the newly designed and built garden at Baughurst and Malthouse and the wider parkland.

Wage

£16,000 a year

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Training course

Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)

Hours

Monday - Friday 8am - 5pm, with some weekend work

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 16 June 2025

Duration

2 years

Positions available

2

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

Look after herbaceous borders, shrubs and trees
Lawn care weeding and feeding
Learning how to grow all types of fruit and vegetables
Walled garden management
Parkland care and maintenance including wildflowers
Using all machinery, mowers, strimmer’s, hedge cutters and trained on chainsaw use
Training on chemical spraying
Greenhouse management
Leaf clearance
Watering of plants and trees
Pest control duties
Working with the head gardener on any other duties as may be required from time to time within the general scope of the post

Where you'll work

Baughurst House
Pound Green, Baughurst
Tadley
RG26 5SS

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

THE WINDSOR FOREST COLLEGES GROUP

Your 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.

Your training plan

Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative Level 2.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4/C)
Maths (grade 4/C)

Other in:

Machinery experience (grade .)
Plant identification (grade .)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Presentation skills
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Patience
Interest in horticulture
Desire to learn

Other requirements

Outdoors in all weathers

About this company

The gardening work will include maintenance of the newly designed and built garden at Baughurst and Malthouse and the wider parkland. Watering and care of the newly planted parkland trees will be essential in the first 24 months of employment along with other duties including establishing the new gardens. In due course, as a new garden is built, the role will expand to include maintenance of the new garden.

After this apprenticeship

To be apart of the team on the estate and grow in to the Head Gardener role.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is: