A distinguished private garden in Santa Barbara seeks an experienced Garden Team Leader / Horticulturist to steward and advance a refined Mediterranean-style landscape set across approximately 29 acres. This position is designed to best preserve the integrity and long-term vision of the gardens, and establish a stable, accountable, and high-performing team environment moving forward. The ideal candidate is a hands-on horticultural professional with demonstrated leadership experience in private estate garden management.
Duties to include, but not limited to:
Provide overall leadership and direction for the care and evolution of the Mediterranean-style gardens and grounds
Manage, mentor, and elevate an on-site garden team, while coordinating specialized outside vendors
Develop and implement seasonal planting strategies, irrigation plans, fertilization schedules, and sustainable horticultural practices
Monitor plant health, soil conditions, integrated pest management, and long-term landscape vitality
Execute and oversee fine gardening, pruning, detailing, and hands-on horticultural work as required
Collaborate with landscape architects, contractors, and consultants to ensure design continuity and quality execution
Maintain tools, equipment, and garden infrastructure to professional standards
Develop and oversee horticultural budgets and project timelines
Adapt to estate needs with professionalism, including occasional weekend or holiday coverage
This is a full-time position:
Monday–Friday (flexibility required)
Generous compensation
Full benefits – health, dental, vision, life, 401K, paid vacation, paid holidays, and paid sick days
Qualifications:
Degree in Horticulture, Landscape Architecture, or related field
5–10 years of progressive experience in estate garden management, ideally within Mediterranean or California appropriate landscapes
Proven success leading and developing garden or grounds teams
Strong working knowledge of irrigation systems, plant health care, soil science, and sustainable practices
Demonstrated ability to balance creative vision with structured operational management
Exceptional attention to detail, organizational capability, and discretion
Ability to pass a comprehensive background check and provide outstanding professional references
