Situated in the heart of the Kent Countryside, the garden extends to 7 acres and consists of both formal and informal areas planted with a large collection of trees, shrubs and perennials amidst sweeping lawns interspersed with follies and topiary. Magnolias and Salvias are a substantial feature of the garden and these are present in great variety.
Job Description:
To take part in and assist the senior gardener and curator with the day-to-day management and maintenance of the garden and to ensure that standards are met to enable a positive visitor experience at all times.
Duties include:
- Lawn maintenance – mowing, edging, scarifying, reseeding, topdressing and occasional weed control.
- Border maintenance – weeding, pruning, deadheading, splitting/replanting and mulching.
- Hedge maintenance – periodic use of hedge trimmers.
- Salvia / Rosemary Collection – Assisting in maintaining our collection of Salvias and Rosemary’s.
- Seed collection / Propagation – With a wealth of plants at our disposal, there are many opportunities to increase and renew stocks, particularly short-lived and half-hardy perennials and sub-shrubs.
- Front of House – Help to ensure that the entrance areas (car-parks and forecourt) are well maintained at all times.
- Visitor interaction – Being polite and helpful to our visitors and answering any garden-related questions. Plant knowledge is very important in this respect and time will be available for regular meetings with the Curator to discuss the plant collection.
- Adaptability – Being prepared to help out at short notice in the visitor entrance hut if a staff member is incapacitated or if any other assistance may be required from time to time in order to assist the smooth running of our operation.
- Teamwork – We are a very small team and you will be a large cog in a small wheel, therefore it is essential that you can work closely with others, whether they are fellow workers or volunteers.
Starting Salary: £29,640 per annum
Working hours:
- An average of 40 hours per week (seasonally adjusted)
- Alternating Tuesday to Saturday / Monday to Friday
Annual Leave: 28 Days plus Bank Holidays per annum
Generous stakeholder pension scheme.
Essential Skills:
- A recognised horticultural qualification to RHS Level 2 standard or equivalent.
- Have proven practical gardening / horticultural experience as well as a strong knowledge of plants.
- Experience operating garden machinery
- Excellent communication skills.
- Excellent time management.
- The ability to lead small teams of volunteers.
- A working knowledge of Health and Safety principles and the ability to apply these in the workplace.
- Valid driving license.
Closing date: November 23rd 2025
Please note: We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should a suitable candidate be appointed before the closing date.
Great Comp CIO is an independent charity dedicated to the care, preservation, and continued development of Great Comp Garden — an exceptionally beautiful 7-acre garden that surrounds an early 17th-century manor house in Kent. Open to the public, the garden is celebrated for its skilful design of sweeping lawns, winding woodland paths, and formal areas that invite exploration and discovery.
Romantic ruins, luxuriant planting, and panoramic views combine to create an enchanting landscape and a unique microclimate that supports an extensive collection of exotic plants curated by our RHS Award-Winning Curator, William Dyson.
Throughout the seasons, the garden offers an ever-changing spectacle: from spring displays of Magnolias, Azaleas, and Rhododendrons over carpets of Hellebores and bulbs, to the vibrant summer palette of Salvias, Dahlias, Kniphofias, Crocosmias, Fuchsias, and ornamental grasses.
As a charity, Great Comp is committed to maintaining this remarkable garden for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of visitors, while fostering horticultural excellence.
