The King’s Foundation
The King’s Foundation is a charity founded by King Charles III and was first formed in 1990. Inspired by the vision and values of His Majesty, the Foundation focuses on creating better communities where people, places and the planet can coexist in harmony.
The charity offers education courses for over 15,000 students annually, health and wellbeing programmes for nearly 2,000 people every year, and spearheads placemaking and regeneration projects in the UK and overseas to revitalise communities and historic buildings.
The King’s Foundation is headquartered at its flagship regeneration project, Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland, and acts as custodian of other historic Royal sites including the Castle of Mey in Caithness, Scotland, and Highgrove Gardens in Gloucestershire, which are open to visitors. The Foundation also carries out its work at educational and cultural hubs in London, based at The King’s Foundation School for Traditional Arts in Shoreditch, Trinity Buoy Wharf on the River Thames and the Garrison Chapel in Chelsea.
The work of The King’s Foundation is underpinned by our Founder His Majesty The King’s philosophy of harmony: that by understanding the balance, the order and the relationships between ourselves and the natural world we can create a more sustainable future. We have a diverse and inclusive workplace, creating a welcoming, safe space for everyone. This means that every member of our team can bring their whole self to work. We encourage qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply to and join The King’s Foundation and bring their valuable skills and experiences.
The Foundation is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees, including the provision of workplace adjustments. 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 difference such as socio-economic background or social origin.
Dumfries House Estate and Gardens
Dumfries house estate covers 2,000 acres of land of which the gardens and designed landscape consist of 600 acres. It sits at the heart of an organically managed farm also managed by the Foundation.
The main five-acre Queen Elizabeth II Walled Garden, including a 1-acre education garden, has been restored as part of His Majesty The King’s vision for Dumfries House and Estate to be a focal point for Heritage-led regeneration. The Walled Garden includes exotic borders, a central pool surrounded by herbaceous borders and boxed parterres filled with colourful perennials, a 40m border of delphiniums and phlox, a large rose garden and collection, thought to be one of the largest in Scotland, pleached hedges, cutting borders and much more. The Walled Garden is part of the larger Dumfries Estate, Garden and 18th-century Palladian house that includes formally planted parterres to the front of the house, a 10-acre arboretum that includes two large naturally landscaped ponds; a large maze, parkland walks and trails, a 15 acre developing woodland garden with a variety of garden buildings and features, a number of bridges that cross a series of burns and the main river that runs through the estate and much more.
The Role:
To work as an integral and effective part of the gardens team at Dumfries House, ensuring that the garden is maintained to the highest possible standards and in line with the garden’s organic principles.
Key Tasks
Specific Duties will include:
- Work together as a team to help ensure the high standards of the garden is maintained and assist with the seasonal maintenance and development of the garden.
- Maintenance of extensive trees, beds and borders include dead-heading, staking, tying-in, division, feeding, watering, etc.
- Maintenance of paths, ornamental hedges and topiary. Including high-access work to maintain high level features.
- Wide use of garden tools, equipment and machinery.
- A diverse range of horticultural duties including grass mowing and maintenance, coppicing for plant support materials, the maintenance of water features/formal ponds, care and maintenance of the kitchen garden including vegetables, herbs and fruits, etc.
- Follow all Health and Safety policies and procedures, reporting any accidents, near misses or dangerous occurrences as necessary.
- Use of and assist with the maintenance of machinery and equipment. As part of this ensure faults in machinery or equipment are reported. Undertake as directed machinery pre-start and post-finish checks.
- On occasion assist with events and tours.
- Weed, disease and pest control.
- The post-holder will be required to work full time and flexibly due to the seasonal nature of the work including some weekends and Bank Holidays.
- Any other duties as required.
Person Specification
The essential skills, knowledge and experience required are:
- A skilled gardener, qualified to at least National Certificate in Horticulture level or equivalent practical experience relevant to the garden.
- The job holder is expected to liaise with the Head and Assistant Head Gardener to resolve day-to-day problems that arise relating to the works undertaken, seeking advice or approval where necessary.
- Proven experience of the cyclical maintenance of a high-quality garden or estate.
- Familiarity with the cultivation of a broad range of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants and with their associated craft skills and a good level of plant knowledge.
- Ability to identify and treat, including using Organic principles, a range of horticultural pests and diseases.
- Proven experience and able to effectively and efficiently use a wide range of garden machinery and equipment.
- Knowledge and understanding of all current health and safety legislation.
- Effective time and workload management skills
- Good numeric and writing skills and IT literate.
- Current driving UK licence.
Desirable Skills
- Any LANTRA certifications in machinery and equipment.
- A specific interest in Kitchen Gardens and their planning, development and maintenance.
Other:
- The post will be based at Dumfries House Estate, Cumnock, KA18 2NJ with the requirement to travel on occasion.
- Your working hours will be 39 hours per week.
- Hours of Work: Normally 0800 – 16:30, Monday to Thursday, and 08:00 - 15:30 on Friday, (39 hours per week, plus unpaid 30min lunch break). Extra weekend duties are required on a rota basis.
- May consider part time hours for the right candidate.
- The job involves carrying out demanding and repetitive physical tasks.
- You must have the legal right to work in the UK.
- Applications: Please submit a cover letter and CV (please note one A4 page maximum each for CV and letter) to Gordon Watson, email address: - [email protected] and request an application form.
- Closing date for applications: Monday the 29th of June 2026 at 5pm.
- Interviews will take place on Thursday the 2nd of July at Dumfries House, Cumnock.
Pay: £25,776.00-£28,275.00 per year
Benefits:
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Cumnock KA18 2NJ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)
Application question(s):
- Are you a skilled gardener, qualified to at least National Certificate in Horticulture level or equivalent practical experience relevant to the garden?
- Are you interested in full time or part time? (If part time, please provide preferred hours per week)
Licence/Certification:
- Driving Licence (required)
- LANTRA certifications in machinery and equipment (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
