Gardener

Job Title: Gardener

Location: Balmoral Castle, Ballater, Aberdeenshire AB35 5TB

Department: Gardens

Reports to: Head of Gardens

Salary: Dependent on experience. A generous package is offered, including competitive salary and pension.

Contract: Full time

Balmoral Gardens originally developed under Prince Albert’s keen supervision, these historic and regal gardens are a living piece of history, reflecting generations of royal dedication to preserving and enhancing the natural environment.

His Majesty, King Charles III is renowned for his passion for gardening, commitment to sustainability and has played a pivotal role in the gardens’ continued evolution.

Balmoral Estate is owned by His Majesty the King and is managed in a traditional manner similar to many other privately owned Scottish highland estates. Overall management is directed by the Factor at the Estates Office at Balmoral, near Crathie, Aberdeenshire.

Balmoral is situated approximately 50 miles west of Aberdeen, 6 miles west of Ballater, 9 miles east of Braemar and at a height of 900 to 950 ft above sea level. It can be found on Ordnance Survey maps 43 and 44 (land ranger 1:50,000).

We do not tolerate discrimination based on protected characteristics (age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership) or other differences such as socio-economic background or social origin.

Balmoral Castle Gardens

Balmoral Gardens is a Historic Garden and is currently being enhanced with several exciting new garden features including a Thistle maze, a Celtic Maze, topiary, trees, shrubs and hedging. Other established features include The Queen Mary’s Garden, Sunken Garden, Herbaceous Borders, Kitchen Garden and Glasshouses. We also look after gardens for holiday cottages on the estate.

The Role

To ensure Balmoral Garden is maintained and developed in accordance with their majesties wishes to a high standard using organic methods of horticulture.

Key Tasks

To work and report closely with the Head of Gardens, Deputy Head Gardener and other gardeners on the day-to-day aspects of garden presentation, routine maintenance and on-going developments, delivering exemplary standards across the garden.

To work with other teams ensuring a coordinated approach for all site-based garden and landscape projects and activities.

Responsible for the maintenance, development of all areas of the garden in line with organic principles.

Carry out routine horticultural tasks including weeding, pruning, planting, mulching, watering and soil cultivation.

Maintain lawns and other grass areas using a range of mowers and strimmers.

Help with the care of Glasshouse plants, including seed and cutting propagation for use in the Gardens and House plant displays.

Liaise with Chefs for daily vegetable orders when the owners are in residence.

Prune trees and shrubs, including summer topiary work.

Monitor the gardens and glasshouses for pests and diseases.

Maintain and clean garden machinery, reporting any problems to Head of Gardens.

Observe good horticultural practices with regards to sustainability and wildlife friendly gardening techniques.

Assist on garden compliance; ensuring the team abide by safe working practices, review and carry out risk or COSHH assessments and keep abreast of up-to-date health and safety legislation.

Ensure the safe use, maintenance and storage of all machinery, equipment and hand-tools, advising on suitable replacement in line with budgets.

To engage with our visitors and enhancing the overall horticultural experience.

To carry out such other relevant duties as may be required.

Person Specification

The essential skills, knowledge and experience required are:

• Relevant horticultural qualifications to that of the role of a Gardener.

• The ability to carry out a range of garden skills and tasks to a high standard.

• Excellent plant knowledge and a good level of understanding of their cultivation, maintenance, propagation and management.

• A good understanding of the principles of organic gardening

• Ability to identify a range of horticultural pests and diseases.

• Organised with good time management and prioritisation skills.

• The ability to communicate to a range of different people.

• Flexible and reliable

• Ability to always maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion.

• Able to undertake manual work on a daily basis.

Desirable Skills

• Current UK driving licence

• Able to use Microsoft word, excel and outlook.

• Any LANTRA certifications in machinery and equipment including grass cutting, tractor or RTV.

Additional Information

The job involves carrying out demanding and repetitive physical tasks.

Hours of Work: Monday to Friday, 39 hours per week.

Usually, working hours will be:

8-4pm and Friday finish at 3pm (Winter)

8-5pm and Friday finish at 4pm (Summer)

Extra weekend watering duties might be required on a rota basis.

Applications

Please complete the application form and send a cover letter with your CV, to the following email address: [email protected] by 18th September 2026.

Or post to

Kirsty Wilson
Head of Gardens
The Estates Office
Balmoral Estates
Ballater
Aberdeenshire, AB35 5TB