Find an apprenticeship
Gardening Apprentice
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
About the Role
We are looking for a passionate gardener who is motivated to grow with an expanding company. Someone who has a love of being outdoors in nature is ideal. Possible career progression for the right person.
We encourage wildlife and biodiversity by looking after the environment and working sustainably.
What you'll do at work
- Mowing & strimming lawns
- Hedge cutting
- Leaf clearance
- Weeding
- Mulching
- Irrigation checks
- Garden design and planting
- Specialised plant care
- Pruning
- Detecting and resolving plant diseases / infestations
- Turfing
- Jet-washing
- Using tools and machinery to complete above tasks
- Liaising with clients
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider: ACTIVATE LEARNING
Training course: Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents (Core)
- 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.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Landscape construction
- 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).
Horticulture
- 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).
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Training schedule
Training will take place at Merrist Wood College, Surrey.
Desirable qualifications
- GCSE in: Maths and English (grade 4)
- Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- IT skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Administrative skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Hardworking
- Punctual
- Motivated
- Passionate about gardening
Other requirements
- You will need a clear DBS check
- Heavy lifting will sometimes be required, however this will be manageable.
- Having a full driving licence is a bonus, however if you do not have one you will need to be able to commute to as close to Walton-On-Thames as possible.
Davannah Gardens is a small gardening company, which started in 2023 and has been steadily growing ever since. We specialise in garden maintenance working in both residential and commercial gardens, based in Walton-On-Thames covering the surrounding areas.
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
If you are a perfect fit for the role there is potential to become a full-time member of staff once the apprenticeship is complete. In the future there could be potential opportunity to be a supervisor for a team of gardeners if you show you are beneficial to the growth of the business.
The contact for this apprenticeship is: ACTIVATE LEARNING
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000048780.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills