Gardener

Uppingham School is seeking an experienced, enthusiastic Gardener with nursery experience to join its professional Gardens Team and help maintain and develop its gardens to RHS-quality standard.

Set across approximately 40 acres, Uppingham’s gardens are interwoven throughout the school and historic town, featuring ornamental and herbaceous borders, specimen trees, lawns, containers, seasonal displays, and a developing arboretum. The team works to very high standards, taking pride in high-quality horticulture that is enjoyed by pupils, staff, visitors, and the wider community.

The Role

Reporting to the Gardens Manager, you will contribute to the day‑to‑day care, enhancement, and presentation of the school’s gardens, with a key responsibility for the in‑house nursery. This includes propagation, growing-on, and plant care within purpose-built polytunnels, supplying plants for use across the estate.

You will also assist with the planning, growing, and planting of seasonal floral displays, including those for Uppingham in Bloom and Britain in Bloom.

Key Responsibilities

• Managing and working within the school’s in‑house nursery
• Maintenance of borders, shrubs, trees, lawns, and seasonal planting
• Pruning, hedge cutting, lawn care, and general garden maintenance
• Hard and soft landscaping tasks
• Safe operation and care of horticultural tools and machinery
• Working independently and as part of a skilled, supportive team

About You

You will have experience working in a professional horticultural or estate environment, with:

• Strong practical horticultural skills and good plant knowledge
• Nursery or propagation experience (or a keen interest in this area)
• High standards of workmanship and attention to detail
• A proactive, reliable approach and ability to work at a commercial pace
• A full, clean UK driving licence (essential)
• Desirable: RHS Level 2 (or equivalent), PA1/PA2/PA6, NPTC chainsaw certificates.

Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy early once we have received an adequate number of applications therefore, we encourage early submissions.