To assist the gardener to maintain the gardens of private clients to the standards required by each client. Work ranges from small back yards to 10 acre gardens. Work includes designing and planting new gardens as well as the routine maintenance of established gardens. Work is all year round.
Work
As an apprentice, you’ll work at a company and get hands-on experience. You’ll gain new skills and work alongside experienced staff.
What you’ll do at work
· Maintaining flower and shrub boarders this includes weeding, dead heading and pruning
· Lawn mowing and edging
· Hedge cutting
· Maintaining weed free paths and paving
· Keeping work sites clean and tidy
· Planting flower and shrub boarders
· Digging and preparing planting sites
· Keeping clients informed of the progress of the work
Where you’ll work
64-66, HIGH STREET, ECCLESHALL, STAFFORD, ST21 6BZ
Check your travel to work
Training
An apprenticeship includes regular training with a college or other training organisation. At least 20% of your working hours will be spent training or studying.
College or training organisation
REASEHEATH COLLEGE
Your training course
Horticulture or landscape construction operative
Equal to Level 2 (GCSE)
Course contents
- Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
- Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
- Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
- Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
- Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
- Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
- Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
- Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
- Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
- Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
- Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
- Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
- Install turf for situation.
- Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
- Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
- Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
- Measure and set out an uncomplicated site in preparation for landscape construction activities.
- Use free hand cutting and or bench cutting of hard landscape materials using abrasive wheels.
- Repair constructed landscape features (simple and noncomplex) for example re-grouting, re-sanding, damaged fencing.
- Construct paved feature for example path, patio or shed base. Including setting levels, sub bases, laying bases, finishing.
- Construct vertical landscape features including fences, ornamental vertical features, and walls.
- Install drainage in landscaping.
- Construct horizontal landscape features (excluding paving).
- Propagate plants by cuttings and seed sowing (this might be indoors or outdoors). Including selection of suitable growing media and or soil.
- Provide aftercare to recently installed turf and maintain established turf or species rich meadows including irrigation, maintenance, monitoring health and protection from use.
- Identify if plants are suitable to site, purpose and aesthetics.
- Maintain soft landscapes for example – staking or support, division, seasonal clearance, and re-planting.
- Monitor and control plant pests, pathogens, and disorders using basic control methods (including application of chemicals or organic equivalents).
- Plant herbaceous and seasonal planting (for example bedding, herbs or bulbs).
- Prune plants to achieve healthy growth and form (including natural habit and formal or trained form).
- Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
- Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
- Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
- Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
- Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
- Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
- Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
- Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
- Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
- Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
- Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
- Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
- Install turf for situation.
- Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
- Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
- Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
Your training plan
Requirements
Desired qualifications
- GCSE English, Maths (Grade 4 / C and above) desirable
Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Presentation skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Physical fitness
- Good time keeper
About this company
Planting Ideas is a small business local to Eccleshall (all work currently within a 10 miles radius of the village) founded in August 2021. The business provides garden design and maintenance services, as well as general gardening advice to anyone within the area. As a service Planting Ideas provides clients with the service they request though will always aim to encourage sustainable and organic gardening.
The owner has City and Guilds in commercial, ornamental and amenity horticulture from Hadlow College of Agriculture and Horticulture in Kent. The owner has experience of commercial fruit farming and market gardening, cricket ground maintenance as well as working in historic landscapes at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire. He also worked on the Bayer Agrochem research farm in Kent where the company tested its products whilst comparing them to more traditional forms of pest, disease and weed control.
After the apprenticeship
Subject to successful completion of the course the apprentice can chose to become a full-time employee of the business with the possibility of building their own portfolio of gardens.