Working with plants means no two seasons are quite the same. The pace, priorities and types of work change throughout the year, giving you the opportunity to develop different skills, work with a wide variety of plants and see the results of your work as they grow.

Spring is the big one: greenhouses fill, orders surge and packing benches run all day. Summer keeps the nursery busy, and the run-up to Christmas brings festive plants and decorations.

Whether you’re helping young plants get off to the best start, caring for them as they grow or preparing finished plants for customers, you’ll be playing an important role in their journey.

Spring- When Everything Comes to Life

Spring is when things really start to get moving.

As the weather improves and the main growing season begins, production increases significantly. Young plants arrive, they develop quickly and there is plenty to do to make sure the plants are healthy, cared for and ready for the busy months ahead.

You could find yourself potting and spacing plants, preparing growing areas, watering, moving stock, picking orders or getting plants ready for customers.

Spring is one of our busiest times of year, so you can expect a lively, fast-paced working environment with plenty of opportunities for work. Days can be busy and active, and you’ll need to work as part of a wider team to get the plants where they need to be.

As we as being one of the busiest, Spring is also the most rewarding time to work with plants. You’ll see our nurseries transform into vibrant and colourful landscapes as new growth appears and production gets into full swing.

Highlights of Spring

A fast pace • Lots of plant activity • Varied tasks • Active days • Plenty to learn

Summer- Peak Season

Summer is our busiest season- and there’s a real buzz around the nursery!

Longer days, warmer weather and rapid plant growth mean there is plenty to keep everyone busy. Plants require regular care and watering, while picking, preparing, packing and moving orders can be happening throughout the day.

Summer is when the pace can be at its highest, be prepared for busy, physical days, particularly during periods of hot weather and high customer demand. Depending on your role, you could spend significant amounts of time outdoors, under cover or working across different areas of production.

For people who enjoy keeping busy and making the most of the warmer weather, summer is an incredibly satisfying and rewarding time to work! It’s also a great opportunity to build experience quickly. With so much happening, you’ll work with different plants, learn new tasks and develop valuable practical skills.

Highlights of Summer

Our busiest period • High demand • Varied tasks • Active and physical work • Lots of variety • A great atmosphere

Autumn- Changing Pace, new Priorities

As the leaves begins to change, so too does the rhythm of the nursery.

There is still plenty happening, but the focus gradually shifts come Autumn. Depending on the plants being produced, work might include preparing autumn orders, caring for later crops, potting, moving plants, tidying production areas and beginning preparations for the colder months ahead.

It’s a great time to experience a different side of plant production. The intense pace of the warmer months begins to ease, giving you the chance to work on different tasks and continue developing your skills.

You’ll begin to see the production cycle come full circle, as areas are cleared, reorganised and prepared for what is to come.

Highlights of Autumn

A changing pace • Different plant varieties • Preparation work • Varied practical tasks • Cooler working conditions

Winter- Festive Season & Preparing for What’s Next

Winter may bring a change of pace, but there is still plenty happening.

The run-up to Christmas can be another busy and exciting period, with festive plants and seasonal produce to care for, pick, pack and prepare for customers.

After the festive rush, things typically become steadier. Work shifts towards caring for plants through the colder months, maintaining and organising production areas, and getting everything ready for the growing season ahead.

For those with a broader range of skills, winter can also be a great opportunity to get involved in different areas of the nursery.

Highlights of Winter

Festive activity • Seasonal produce • Varied tasks • Preparing for Spring

Every Season Brings Something Different

One of the best things about working with plants is variety. The environment around you is constantly changing, and so is the work.

Spring and summer bring our highest demand and busiest days, while autumn and winter offer a change of pace and different types of work.

If you enjoy being active, working with your hands, learning practical skills and seeing the results of your work, plant production could be a great fit for you.

You don’t need to be a gardening expert to get started. What matters most is being willing to learn, getting stuck in and taking pride in helping us grow great plants.

There’s much more to working with plants than you might think. Depending on the season, the plants we’re growing and where you’re working, your day could involve a wide variety of practical tasks.

You might be:

• Potting, planting and spacing young plants
• Watering and caring for plants as they grow
• Checking plant health and quality
• Picking plants ready for customer orders
• Packing and preparing plants for delivery
• Labelling and organising stock
• Moving plants around the nursery
• Preparing growing areas for the next crop
• Helping to keep work areas clean, organised and running smoothly

Some roles focus more closely on growing and caring for plants, while others involve picking, packing and getting finished plants ready to reach customers. There are opportunities to learn different tasks and build your skills over time.

One of the best things about working with plants is that every day can be different.

Your day will usually start by finding out where you’ll be working and what needs to be achieved. From there, depending on your skillset, you could be caring for plants in the morning, helping prepare customer orders later in the day, or working on one task as part of a wider team during our busiest periods.

The work is hands-on and active, and you’ll often be on your feet and moving around throughout the day. You may work outdoors, inside glasshouses or covered production areas, so being prepared for changing temperatures and weather is all part of nursery life.

During our busiest spring and summer periods, the pace can be fast – but there’s a real sense of teamwork and satisfaction in seeing what you’ve achieved at the end of the day.

You don’t need to be a gardening expert to get started.

Plant production could be a great fit if you:

• Enjoy practical, hands-on work
• Like being active rather than sitting behind a desk
• Enjoy working outdoors or around nature
• Are happy working independently and alongside others
• Take pride in doing a job well
• Can work accurately while keeping up with a busy environment
• Are willing to learn new things and try different tasks
• Enjoy seeing the results of your work

Some days can be busy, physical or involve working in changing weather conditions, so it’s important to know what to expect. But if you enjoy getting stuck in and being part of bringing plants from nursery to customer, it can be incredibly rewarding.

Whether you arrive with horticultural experience or are completely new to working with plants, there are plenty of opportunities to develop practical skills.

Depending on the work you undertake, you could learn how to:

• Care for different plants throughout their growing cycle
• Recognise healthy, high-quality plants
• Pick and handle plants correctly
• Prepare and pack customer orders
• Work safely with tools and equipment
• Work efficiently within a busy production environment
• Understand how a commercial nursery operates

As you gain experience, you can develop your skills across different areas of production – from growing and plant care to picking, packing and preparing orders.

The more you learn, the more you can do.

Working with us can be more than simply learning one job.

We want to recognise the skills you develop and give you opportunities to broaden your experience across different areas of plant production.

You might start by learning how to pick and prepare plants before developing skills in packing, plant care or other areas of the nursery. As your experience grows, you can build a broader set of practical skills and become confident undertaking different types of work.

Developing more skills can open up a wider range of work opportunities throughout the year and, where applicable, opportunities to progress through our skills and pay structure.

Whether you want to become highly skilled in one area or learn several different parts of the production process, we’ll make it clear what you need to learn and how you can develop.