Gardening & Maintenance

Our gardeners design and maintain gardens which are both calming and revitalising, with plenty of visual and sensory interest. Our maintenance team carry out essential minor repairs and facilities checks to protect the safety of everyone in the home.

Watch our short film with Emily, explaining her role as Gardener.

Many of our residents have enjoyed a love of gardens and gardening throughout their lives. To ensure this passion continues, we strive to make our outdoor living spaces accessible, interactive and stimulating.  

Our gardening team brings expertise in designing and maintaining gardens that are both calming and revitalising, with plenty of visual and sensory interest. 

We have more than 22,500 sq metres of garden space across our family of homes and are constantly taking forward new projects as well as ongoing grounds maintenance.

We encourage residents to take a keen interest in the gardens, through home gardening clubs, gentle gardening activities and regular contact with our gardeners about seasonal flora and fauna.  

From raised beds to water features, new paving to planting, there is continual landscaping carried out. Our dedicated dementia care homes have garden areas specifically designed for memory stimulation as well as features for easy navigation.

Our residents love their gardens as tranquil, nurturing places in which to enjoy peace and quiet, meet friends or maintain those green fingers. They also enjoy observing birds and other wildlife visitors and staying in tune with the changing seasons.

Under the direction of the Home Manager and Facilities & Estates Manager, our Maintenance teams provide routine maintenance and minor general repair work as requested.

They will agree priorities and carry out regular tests on equipment and apparatus such as fire alarms and extinguishers, security doors, lighting, wheelchairs, reclining chairs and nursing beds

They may be called on to fit shelves and picture hooks and assist colleagues with moving furniture. Our Maintenance teams are responsible for maintaining important and regular Health and Safety checks on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.  

What skills will I learn?

As a gardener you will learn how to create inspiring and relaxing outdoor spaces.  You will develop your knowledge and skills in both horticulture and landscaping for the benefit and enjoyment of our residents and their families.  

You will listen to and act on how best to engage residents and their families’ interest in their home garden and the changing seasons. 

You will learn about garden design and maintenance from our group-wide Head Gardener and  develop confidence in how to use a wide range of gardening power tools and machinery.

As a member of our maintenance team you will learn how to carry out all manner of minor repairs.

You will develop a comprehensive knowledge of health and safety systems and processes within homes which relate not only to the water, heating and lighting systems in homes but also to security and safe use of equipment, such as lifts, alarms and specialist beds and baths.

You will be guided by our expert Regional Maintenance Managers who will help you to develop your own skill-set and knowledge and enable you to work in partnership with the Home Manager and the external contractors with whom we partner for specialist support.

What do I need to work in Gardening or Maintenance?

As a gardener you will have previous gardening experience, or will have completed a horticultural or gardening qualification, such as a Royal Horticultural Society certificate, relevant QCF or BTEC qualification.  You’ll have a friendly, kind and welcoming nature with a natural flair for nurturing people’s interest in gardens and gardening. 

You will be confident in using a wide-range of gardening equipment and power tools.

You may be able to gain entry into a gardening job through a suitable horticultural Apprenticeship with one of our partner Colleges within the Dorset and South Hampshire areas.

Working in maintenance calls for a good all-round knowledge of building and mechanical services, and ideally experience of a trade such as electrical work, carpentry or plumbing.  You will be able to work quickly and methodically and have the ability to remain calm under pressure.

Both roles call for good organising and planning skills as you will often be working unsupervised on your own initiative.

What can I aim for?

As a gardener you can get involved with new designs for our gardens and develop your skills through additional qualifications.  We encourage our gardeners to seek recognition for their gardening design through regional and national awards.

As a member of the maintenance team you can seek further technical qualification, such as a relevant BTEC HNC/D to qualify for promotion to a Regional Maintenance Manager position.