Head of Gardening and Growing

HEAD GARDENER SOUGHT FOR UNIQUE GROWING PROJECT IN THE SUMMER ISLES

We are a large-scale, dynamic, and forward-thinking restoration and hospitality project in the
Northwest Highlands with strong philanthropic and community commitments. The heart of our
operation is on a remote & beautiful 800-acre island.

We are expanding our food production on the island, with new garden areas, polycrubs, and the
recovery of historical agricultural ground being added to our existing orchards, kitchen
gardens and greenhouses. We are looking for an experienced, hands-on gardener and grower to
produce food for our staff and guests in a tough but bountiful environment at 58˚N, while
maintaining an impeccable aesthetic centred round heritage, sympathetic materials and craft.

Our land management approach balances production, nature, and heritage, with an emphasis on
using the land to build communities. We aim to deliver a year-round supply of fresh and
preserved produce, while also fostering soil health and a mosaic of ecosystems blurring the
boundaries of productive gardens and wild spaces. The purpose of this role will be to lead on
the horticultural aspects of the project. This will involve working closely with the kitchen,
land and guest teams, as well as many hours wrestling with our challenging climate and peaty
soil.

Growth

This role will suit a person with lots of horticultural experience: a confident traditional
organic gardener, ideally also able to draw on agroecological, no-till and regenerative growing
principles. This is an opportunity for an ambitious candidate to jump straight into a large,
dynamic project that will become an exemplar for progressive land use in the Highlands.
Training and development will be offered to the right candidate. The salary for this role will
be £35-45kpa depending on experience.

Community

Our team is diverse, driven, and hails from across the country and further afield. We have our
own growing island community of staff and guests, while also being embedded in mainland life in
nearby crofting townships and villages. We will be happy to discuss flexible shift patterns and
shared accommodation with the right candidate. There are opportunities for working with
different teams, sailing heritage boats, hosting guests, educating school pupils, supporting
growing projects on the mainland and developing apprenticeships.

Environment

The project is delivering stunning, sympathetic builds in an area with outstanding natural and
cultural heritage. You will be working amid a range of unique Northwest Highland marine and
terrestrial ecosystems, which we are striving to conserve and extend. We foster a culture of
care, attention to detail, and creativity in everything we deliver for the Charitable Trust for
which we work, from looking after our guests, staff and host communities to growing and
sourcing our food to restoring buildings and landscapes.

We are looking for a capable, self-motivated individual with excellent communication skills who
will thrive on a challenging project. We anticipate out-of-the-box thinking and
self-presentation from the get-go. For application information please contact [email protected]. The closing date for
applications will be 09/02/24.