About us
Willow Alexander Gardeners is a design-led horticultural company with a long-standing maintenance division and an active design and build department. We look after gardens for clients across South East London and into the Kent borders — from compact city gardens to larger private gardens on the borders — and our maintenance work is held to the same standard as the gardens our design team builds.
We run a fleet of vans out of a planted yard in Sidcup, with office and admin support behind every round. The team takes the craft seriously.
The role
You'll lead a maintenance crew of two to three on a regular round of clients, reporting to the Maintenance Manager. The work is hands-on: pruning, planting, lawn care, hedge work, soil care, seasonal tasks, and the steady detail that keeps a garden looking properly cared for through the year.
Day-to-day, you'll be responsible for:
- Running the day on site — quality of work, pace, safety, client interactions
- Plant health: identification, pruning regimes, pest and disease management
- Leading and developing two to three crew members, including apprentices
- Tools, machinery, and vehicle care; reporting issues back into the depot
- Communicating with clients on site with confidence and courtesy
- Feeding back into the office on plant performance, planting refreshes, and design-build opportunities you spot on round
You
You're an experienced horticulturist who has led a maintenance team before. You can identify plants by sight, you know how a garden behaves through the seasons, and you take a quiet pride in leaving a site better than you found it.
Essential:
- Proven garden maintenance experience, including team leadership
- Strong plant knowledge — identification, pruning, pest and disease control
- Confident with commercial hand tools and machinery (mowers, blowers, hedge cutters, brushcutters)
- Soft landscaping skills (planting, turfing, edging, soil prep)
- Full UK driving licence
- Right to work in the UK
Desirable:
- PA1 / PA6 spraying certificates
- First aid certificate
- NPTC chainsaw or relevant machinery tickets
- RHS Level 2 or equivalent
What we offer
- £28,000–£32,000 per year, reviewed annually
- 28 days' holiday (20 days plus 8 bank holidays)
- Workplace pension
- Full uniform and PPE
- Company van for the round,
- Tools and machinery provided and maintained
- Training and ticket support — we'll fund relevant certifications
- Proper depot with kitchen, mess room, parking, and admin support
- Genuine progression into senior or specialist roles as the business grows
How to apply
Send a CV and a short note on why this role suits you to [email]. We respond to every application.
Pay: £28,000.00-£32,000.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
