Horticulturist I – Outdoor Turf Full Time

Summary:

Performs all duties associated with the maintenance and care of turf and outdoor landscaping. Duties are directly related to the installation and care of the turf and landscaping in all areas of the garden, including off-site Garden-owned properties. Installation and maintenance of landscapes and individual plants must be conducted to the highest standards. Accurate and detailed record-keeping and plant labeling are critical.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:  

• Performs a wide range of landscape/maintenance tasks important to the preservation, protection, and transplanting of existing turf and landscape features; including but not limited to mowing, edging, line trimming, blowing, soil preparation, planting, seeding or sodding, mulching, grading, irrigation, fertilization, and pesticide application and soil testing as needed.
• Assist with contractor coordination for turf repair required following annual events.
• Maintains meadow areas and naturalized bulb collections and adds to these through selection and acquisition of plant material in line with MBGs plant collections development activates
• Perform and assists with irrigation auditing as required.
• Oversees and is responsible for specific areas in the assigned mowing schedule in day-to-day operations.
• Performs seasonal tasks as assigned like leaf mulching, tree maintenance, weeding, flower show set-up and maintenance, and snow/ice removal
• Assists with the maintenance of main site plantings including but not limited to; planting, pruning, weeding, and mulching
• Helps with installation and maintenance of the floral display shows
• Performs plant record-keeping at the highest level ensuring that all plants in the collection have accession labels at all times and all maintenance information regarding the collection (i.e. new plantings, divisions, moves, deaths, etc.) is up to date at all times

Qualifications/Experience:

• Minimum of (3-4) years hands-on, relevant horticulture work experience required knowledge of plant material and landscape maintenance techniques with an emphasis on Turf, herbaceous perennials, bulbs, shrubs, trees, and vines
• Knowledgeable in safe operating procedures  of various landscaping tools and equipment and proficient in their maintenance
• Knowledge of appropriate and effective watering practices for a wide range of plant material
• Proficient ability to identify various plant fungus, pests, and pathogens and apply sound, appropriate controls
• Proven ability to convey technical concepts to other Garden staff and volunteers
• Demonstrates ability to communicate effectively at all levels; must enjoy and feel comfortable interacting and working in close proximity to the general public, in a safe and friendly manner answering questions about the living collections
• Scheduling flexibility that allows working weekends and holidays for annual watering schedule and occasional snow and ice removal
• Knowledge of living collections, curation, and plant recording
• Knowledge of and adherence to all health and safety guidelines
• The requirements and duties listed are representative and not exhaustive of the knowledge, skill, and/or abilities required

Education:

• Associate’s or B.S. degree in Horticulture, Biology, Botany, and/or related field required
• An equivalent combination of skills, education, and experience may be considered