Estate Grounds & Horticulture Technician

Job Description

Job Description

Position Title:  Estate Grounds and Horticulture Technician
Department:  Facilities 
Reports To:  Estate Manager and Property & Grounds Manager 
FLSA Status:  Non-Exempt 
Employment Status:  Full-Time

Position Summary 

The Estate Grounds and Horticulture Technician is responsible for maintaining the appearance, functionality, and health of the Principal's residential properties, including landscapes, gardens, lawns, trees, shrubs, hardscapes, irrigation systems, and outdoor living areas, ensuring they are maintained to the highest estate standards.

This position combines horticultural, landscaping, groundskeeping, irrigation, and general property maintenance responsibilities, with an emphasis on plant health, landscape aesthetics, and proactive property care. The role plays a key part in preserving the overall presentation of the estate by identifying and addressing issues before they affect the property's condition or appearance.

The ideal candidate is a dependable, hands-on professional with horticultural knowledge and experience in landscape and grounds maintenance. Success in this role requires the ability to work independently, prioritize competing responsibilities, maintain exceptional attention to detail, and perform physically demanding work in various weather conditions. Strong organizational, communication, time management, and problem-solving skills are essential, along with the flexibility to adapt to changing priorities.

A strong work ethic, commitment to excellence, and pride in maintaining estate-quality grounds are critical to success in this role. The successful candidate must consistently demonstrate professionalism, discretion, sound judgment, and the ability to maintain strict confidentiality regarding the Principal, family members, guests, residences, and business matters.

Key Responsibilities 

Horticulture & Plant Health

• Perform horticultural care, including planting, transplanting, pruning, trimming, fertilizing, mulching, weeding, deadheading, and seasonal garden maintenance.
• Maintain ornamental gardens, landscape beds, trees, shrubs, seasonal plantings, and specialty plant collections to the highest standards.
• Monitor and assess plant health, identifying issues related to pests, disease, nutrient deficiencies, irrigation performance, and environmental stress.
• Implement appropriate corrective actions and preventative plant health measures.
• Assist in developing and executing seasonal planting plans and landscape enhancement projects.
• Apply horticultural best practices to promote long-term plant vitality and sustainability.  

Irrigation & Landscape Management

• Monitor irrigation systems and identify performance issues, leaks, damaged components, and inefficiencies.
• Perform basic irrigation troubleshooting and capable of performing repairs.
• Ensure plant material receives appropriate watering based on seasonal conditions and landscape requirements.
• Support property-wide landscape enhancement efforts through proactive maintenance and continuous improvement initiatives.

Grounds & Estate Maintenance

• Maintain lawns, pathways, patios, outdoor living spaces, and landscape features in pristine condition.
• Operate and maintain landscaping equipment, including mowers, trimmers, hedge trimmers, leaf blowers, and related tools.
• Perform power washing of sidewalks, driveways, patios, decks, walls, gutters, and exterior surfaces.
• Maintain cleanliness and organization of outdoor furnishings, storage areas, sheds, garages, and workspaces.
• Assist with trash removal, recycling, shredding, and sanitation duties as needed.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs. above head. 

Property Support

• Assist with inventory management of landscape materials, fertilizers, pesticides, tools, and supplies.
• Retrieve materials and supplies from local garden centers, nurseries, and hardware suppliers.
• Coordinate with landscape contractors, arborists, irrigation vendors, and specialty service providers as directed.
• May be required to maintain accurate records related to plant care, fertilization schedules, pest management treatments, irrigation adjustments, and landscape projects.
• Respond promptly to management requests and provide recommendations regarding landscape improvements and horticultural best practices.

Team Structure and Focus Areas

This position is part of a groundskeeping team dedicated to maintaining the property at the highest standards. Primary focus areas include:

• Providing horticultural care with an emphasis on plant health, ornamental gardens, landscape enhancement, irrigation monitoring, and maintaining a meticulously manicured estate appearance.
• Preserving and enhancing the overall aesthetic quality of the landscape through proactive plant care, seasonal improvements, and continuous property enhancement initiatives.
• Supporting a collaborative team environment while maintaining exceptional attention to detail, professionalism, and service standards.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional groundskeeping, gardening, or landscape experience.

• Two (2) or more years of hands-on horticulture experience in a high-end professional setting.
• Advanced horticultural knowledge and plant care expertise
• Strong understanding of ornamental gardens and landscape aesthetics
• Knowledge of irrigation systems and basic irrigation troubleshooting
• Ability to identify common pests, diseases, and plant deficiencies
• Attention to detail and commitment to maintaining exceptional standards
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities
• Flexibility to adapt to changing priorities and seasonal demands
• Commitment to professionalism, confidentiality, and service excellence
• Ability to recognize plant health concerns and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
• Experience in safely operating landscape maintenance equipment and tools.
• Strong organizational, communication, and time-management skills.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and work independently with minimal supervision.
• Professional demeanor, discretion, and ability to maintain confidentiality.

Key Competencies

• Horticultural Expertise and Plant Health Management
• Irrigation Systems Management
• Ornamental Landscape Maintenance & Enhancement

Work Environment

• This position involves year-round outdoor work in varying weather conditions and requires standing, walking, bending, lifting, carrying, and operating landscape equipment. The ability to perform physically demanding tasks safely and efficiently is required.