Job Description
Title: Landscape Gardener
Date: March 2021
Hours of work:
The 2021 season is from May 3 to November 19.
From May 3 to July 1 we work a 9-10 hour day, five days a week (Monday to Friday), subject to weather conditions. We don’t typically work in rainy weather.
From July 5 to November 19, we work an 8-10 hour day, four days a week (Tuesday to Friday), weather permitting.
Pay rates, meals, water and other details:
Hourly pay rates for this role range from $17-$20.
Clothing, gear, transportation, meals and safety:
We supply high-quality cotton shirts (long and/or short-sleeved t-shirts) branded with our logo in company colors. Depending on the season, we supply hoodies, rain jackets etc). Employees must provide and wear CSA approved steel toe work boots.
We provide all tools required for the job except pruners and garden gloves. Employees supply their own pruners and gloves. We recommend by-pass style pruners from any garden or hardware store (they range from about $15 for a basic pair at Canadian Tire to $80 Felco’s available at Halifax Seed or online at Paulsfinest.com) and nitrile garden gloves available from Halifax Seed or Vesey’s online). You will want to wash your gloves so it’s best to have multiple pairs.
Employees should bring lunch and lots of water to work each day. We usually eat outdoors or in an air-conditioned environment like a mall food court mall. Please ensure you have a face mask and protect your skin by having and applying personal sunscreen during the day. We supply hand sanitizers.
Employees provide their own transportation to a meet-up location in Bedford arriving each day at 7:30 am. The crew drives to work together in our Jeep Wranglers.
Typically, we use the client’s washroom or we drive to public washrooms as required.
Overview
The Landscape Gardener contributes to creating and maintaining functional, beautiful residential gardens and lawns by applying specialized training, skills and experience. This role works under supervision on a range of garden landscaping projects.
Key Responsibilities
The Landscape Gardener is a key member of the crew and is responsible for the following responsibilities.
· Identifies and reports workplace safety risks; promotes a safety-conscious workplace culture.
· Leverages training and experience with best-practice gardening, landscaping, softscaping and hardscaping techniques to comply with landscape industry standards; uses low-impact practices and executes to design specification.
· Competently completes duties related to garden landscaping and lawn care including:
o Plant knowledge and identification; weed and weed control in lawns and gardens
o Knowledge of low-impact, sustainable garden practices; apply herbicides, nematodes, lime, soil amendments
o Move and install soil, mulch, stone and other bulk materials
o Identify and prepare sites; plant perennials, shrubs, trees and other plant material
o Mow and dethatch lawns; lime, fertilize, over seed, rake and remove debris
o Prepare sites for installation of stone or other hardscape surfaces
o Recommend and install low-voltage lighting for client projects
o Rake leaves and debris from garden beds and lawns; load debris into trailers
o Use and provide care for shovels, rakes, wheelbarrows, pruners, garden hand tools
o Use hedge trimmers, blowers, pruners, rakes, shovels, mowers
o Share knowledge with colleagues and client
· Works under supervision to maintain client gardens leading to high levels of customer satisfaction, retention and referrals.
· Participate in planning; contribute to the development of company creative and digital content for web, social media, portfolio development, etc
· Maintains and prevents loss or damage to tools and equipment.
· Contributes knowledge and providing feedback to others to build crew skills and improve outcomes.
· Uses subject matter expertise on emerging trends and best practices and recommends additional products and services based on client needs.
· Holds all company and client information in confidence.
Experience, Skills, Qualifications, Education
Landscape Gardeners have formal education in landscaping, horticulture or agriculture and two or more years of ornamental gardening, landscaping, and/or hardscaping experience or an acceptable combination of study and experience.
Landscape Gardeners are proficient in ornamental garden care and residential lawn maintenance services, have good plant identification knowledge and are familiar with zone 5B nursery stock suited to local conditions and consumer trends.
Incumbents contribute to a high-performance, supportive and friendly work environment by working at a safe, efficient pace while interacting in a positive, open manner with other members of the crew and clients.
Landscape Gardeners take personal pride in their work, are reliable and trust-worthy, are effective working as part of a team, have good interpersonal and communication skills, are physically fit, flexible and interested in a career in the garden landscaping industry.
All employees must work in a manner which respects and protects the environment.
Working Conditions
o Physical effort: able to lift, pull and push up to 50 lbs on a repeated basis during the course of an 8-10 hour shift
o Physical attention: regular exposure to weather including inclement conditions, soil, thorns; occasional exposure to construction or power tool noise
o Sensory attention: visual attention used to inspect, monitor and manipulate materials
o Mental stress: work hours inherent in the industry can cause lifestyle disruptions