Estate Horticulturist

The Estate Horticulturist is responsible for the overall health, appearance, and continued improvement of the estate landscape. This position leads the property's Plant Health Care and Turf Care programs while providing horticultural direction to the landscape team.

The Horticulturist is expected to regularly inspect the property, identify concerns early, create plans for correction, and ensure trees, shrubs, turf, seasonal color, and planting beds are maintained to a high standard.

The Estate Horticulturist owns the health of the landscape.

• Inspect trees, shrubs, turf, and planting beds weekly.

• Identify insects, diseases, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation problems, and environmental stress.

• Develop annual Plant Health Care schedules and treatment plans.

• Manage fertilization, soil amendments, insect and disease treatments, and other plant health needs.

• Use preventative and Integrated Pest Management practices whenever possible.

• Monitor treatment results and adjust programs as needed.

• Maintain records of inspections, treatments, and plant health concerns.

• Ensure fertilizer and pesticide applications meet applicable regulations.

• Develop and oversee the estate's Turfgrass Management Plan.

• Maintain high-quality, healthy lawn areas throughout the property.

• Coordinate soil testing, fertility, weed control, insect control, and disease management.

• Establish mowing heights, mowing schedules, and other turf standards.

• Coordinate aeration, dethatching, topdressing, and other cultural practices as needed.

• Work with irrigation personnel to maintain proper soil moisture and drainage.

• Conduct detailed weekly inspections of the property.

• Document concerns with notes and photographs.

• Maintain an active list of horticultural issues, priorities, and recommended improvements.

• Develop seasonal horticultural priorities.

• Manage seasonal color and specialty planting programs.

• Identify problems early and develop corrective plans before conditions decline.

• Provide horticultural direction to the estate landscape team.

• Train team members in plant identification, pruning, plant health, and proper horticultural practices.

• Establish and maintain clear landscape quality standards.

• Coordinate work between maintenance, irrigation, plant health, tree care, and enhancement teams.

• Inspect completed work for quality.

• Work alongside team members when specialized horticultural work is needed.

• Monitor plant health related to irrigation and drainage.

• Identify overwatering and underwatering.

• Recommend seasonal irrigation adjustments.

• Coordinate irrigation changes when plants are installed or landscape areas are renovated.

• Look for opportunities to conserve water without sacrificing landscape quality.

• Recommend landscape enhancements and renovations.

• Develop plans for replacing aging or declining plant material.

• Recommend appropriate plant selections.

• Help establish annual and long-term horticultural priorities.

• Coordinate with arborists, contractors, designers, and other specialists when needed.

Preferred candidates will have:

• Formal education or training in horticulture or a related field.

• 3 years of professional horticulture, estate gardening, botanical garden, high-end residential, or commercial landscape experience.

• Strong knowledge of trees, shrubs, turf, perennials, and seasonal plants.

• Ability to identify and diagnose plant insects, diseases, nutrient problems, environmental stress.

• Experience with Plant Health Care and turf management programs.

• Working knowledge of irrigation, soils, and drainage.

• Experience training or leading landscape personnel.

• Appropriate pesticide applicator licensing or the ability to obtain required licensing.

• Experience with technology for reporting, record keeping, and inspection.

The successful Estate Horticulturist should be:

• Proactive — identifies problems before they become noticeable.

• Observant — recognizes small changes in plant and turf health.

• Knowledgeable — understands plant health and proper horticultural practices.

• Accountable — takes ownership of landscape conditions.

• Organized — maintains schedules, records, and priorities.

• Hands-on — comfortable directing work and performing specialized horticultural tasks.

• Professional — understands the discretion required when working on a private estate.

Success will be measured by:

• Overall health and appearance of the landscape.

• Quality and consistency of turf and Plant Health Care programs.

• Early identification and correction of landscape problems.

• Reduction in preventable plant losses.

• Health of specimen trees and high-value plant material.

• Improvement of underperforming landscape areas.

• Quality of horticultural records and inspections.

• Development of the landscape team's horticultural skills.

• Ability to resolve issues before they become noticeable to the estate owner.

Continually walk, inspect, diagnose, plan, communicate, and improve the estate landscape.

Physical & Environmental Considerations: 

• Work outside in various weather conditions that may be hot, cold, wet, or turbulent

• Work in environments with loud noise levels, requiring hearing protection

• Must be able to work long hours and overtime during emergencies

• Must understand and abide by all OSHA regulations, including wearing PPE

• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds

• Must be able to stand, bend, and squat for extended periods

Benefits

• Dental, health and vision insurance

• Paid time off 

• Professional development assistance

• Employee Referral Bonus Program

• 401K with company match

• Company paid life insurance

• Supplemental Insurance: Accident, Hospital Indemnity, Critical Illness, Cancer Voluntary Life, Short Term/Long Term Disability