Role: Lead Gardener

Location: London (based from Camberwell)
Contract: PAYE, permanen
Hours: 4 days pw
Salary: £33,696

Recruitment Timeline

Applications close: Sunday, 23rd August 2026
Interviews: Tuesday, 1st September & Thursday, 10th September

Paid trial shifts: W/C Monday, 7th September & W/C Monday, 14th September

Start date: 28th September 2026

We're looking for a Lead Gardener to join our gardening team, caring for our portfolio of gardens across London.

This is an on-the-ground role for someone who takes genuine pleasure in the ongoing act of gardening. Someone who notices what a garden needs, enjoys working with the seasons, and understands that good gardening is both thoughtful and responsive.

Alongside strong horticultural knowledge, we're looking for someone who enjoys supporting and leading a team. Someone who can bring people together around the work, organise the day with confidence, and help apprentices and gardeners grow.This is a practical role, spent outdoors and in the garden. It will suit someone who enjoys taking responsibility, values collaboration, and takes pride and satisfaction in doing things well.

Please apply with your CV and a covering letter. We’d like to know what you can bring to the Lead Gardener role, and why you’d like to join our team.

Please submit your application to studio@chasegardens.co.uk with the subject heading ‘Lead Gardener Application’.

Application closes on Sunday, 16th August.

Download Application Form

We're Looking For Someone Who…

● Enjoys year-round seasonal gardening.

● Has a strong foundation in practical horticulture and is keen to keep learning.

● Enjoys leading by example and supporting others.

● Takes responsibility for their work and follows things through.

● Is organised, observant and able to prioritise tasks.

● Communicates openly with clients and colleagues.

● Understands that maintaining a garden is as much about care and consistency as it is about skill.

Required Skills & Experience

● RHS Level 2 qualification (or equivalent).

● At least three years' professional gardening experience.

● Experience leading or supervising a small team.

● Confidence using a range of horticultural tools and machinery.

● Understanding of safe working practices.

● Full UK driving licence and experience driving vans in London.

● Good plant knowledge and an ongoing curiosity about horticulture.

Responsibilities

As Lead Gardener, you will:

● Lead the day-to-day gardening with care, consistency and attention to detail.

● Assess the needs of each garden, responding to seasonal change and prioritising tasks accordingly.

● Maintain high standards across every garden, noticing the details that make the difference between a garden that is simply maintained and one that is truly cared for.● Organise the day's work and support the gardening team to work safely, efficiently and collaboratively.

● Lead and encourage apprentices and junior gardeners, sharing knowledge and helping them build confidence.

● Help foster a culture of safe working, care and responsibility across the team.

● Build trusting relationships with clients, becoming a familiar and reliable presence in their gardens.

● Notice opportunities for gardens to develop seasonally and over time, sharing ideas that support their long-term care.

● Demonstrate a strong knowledge and love of plants, sharing thoughtful planting ideas that suits both the garden and the client.

● Keep clear garden notes, communicating progress, observations and recommendations with the Gardening Manager.

● Maintain clear communication with our Studio Manager and Gardening Manager throughout the week, including being available by phone during the working day and keeping records up to date in Slack.

● Work with our Marketing Manager to document our gardens through photography, and feel comfortable appearing in social media content.

● Ensure vans are set up with the correct materials and equipment for each day.

● Contribute to driving company vans between sites across London.

● Help maintain tools, equipment and vehicles, reporting repairs or replacements when needed.

The successful candidate will report to the Gardening Manager and Studio Manager, while providing day-to-day leadership and supervision for the gardening team on site.

About Chase Gardens

Chase Gardens is a garden design and gardening studio that puts the act of gardening at the heart of everything we do. We see gardening as an ongoing creative process, one that is essential to the success and life of every planted space.

Chase Gardens is founded and led by Charlie Chase, a garden designer and horticulturist with a deep commitment to long-term garden care. In May 2026 Charlie created his first Chelsea

Flower Show garden for the All About Plants category. The YoungMinds Garden was awarded a Silver-Gilt medal before being relocated to its permanent home as a community garden in Newham.

Our work is rooted in the belief that humans are part of the landscape, not separate from it. We embrace the wildness within us, bringing a sense of playfulness to our gardens while grounding our work in sound ecological principles and excellent horticultural practice. Based in Camberwell, south east London, we work on projects of all sizes, primarily in London but also throughout the UK, creating thoughtful, planting-led gardens for residential and commercial clients, with a focus on creativity, sustainability, and fostering a deeper connection to nature.

At Chase Gardens we work collaboratively. We respect one another, the gardens we care for, the wildlife within them, and the relationships we build with our clients. Our approach is grounded in honesty, open-mindedness and a willingness to learn and adapt. We work in rhythm with the seasons, arriving prepared and ready to get stuck in. Whatever the weather, we come equipped to care for gardens thoughtfully and responsibly.

At the heart of our work is a shared love of gardens and the people who enjoy them.