Careers

Careers Advice

Career links

Garden Centre Manager

Interested in Garden Centre Manager? Click on the links below.

Garden Centre Manager Career Details

Horticultural managers manage facilities for the large-scale cultivation of plants.

They work in the following areas:

production horticulture - producing food crops and ornamental plants for sale to wholesalers, retailers, nurseries, garden centres and the public
garden centres – producing plants for sale to the public along with related products such as tools and garden furniture
amenity horticulture – designing, constructing, managing and maintaining areas such as parks and public and botanic gardens.

Depending on the type of facility their tasks may include:

supervising and possibly assisting in all aspects of cultivation
managing programmes for the control of weeds and pests within safety standards and increasingly according to organic cultivation principles
preparing and modifying operational and business plans
carrying out administrative tasks such as record-keeping, budgets and accounts
training and instructing staff
analysing yields and costs
developing new products and markets and negotiating with suppliers
designing layouts and developing planting programmes for ornamental gardens or parks
scheduling the planting and harvesting of crops
ensuring that health and safety regulations and procedures are observed.

Working Environment

Working hours may vary according to the season; early starts and late finishes are common, as is work at weekends and on public holidays.

Depending on the job, the work may be office-based or outdoors in all weathers. Travel between sites and to visit suppliers and customers may be required. A driving licence is useful.

Garden Centre Manager Related Skills

To be an horticultural manager you will need:

knowledge of the practical, technological and scientific aspects of horticulture
organisational and planning skills
business skills and commercial awareness
interpersonal and management skills
IT skills for keeping records, preparing reports and producing designs and plans.

Garden Centre Manager Career Opportunities

In commercial horticulture, nurseries and garden centres are to be found nationwide, but production horticulture is concentrated in certain areas depending on local condition such as climate, soil and other factors.

In amenity horticulture, jobs are mainly in larger towns and cities, often with a local authority in the maintenance of public parks, gardens and sports grounds. Councils increasingly use private contractors to do the work, so opportunities exist with these.

Progress from junior to senior management positions is possible for those with experience and advanced qualifications. Specialisation into areas such as marketing or research and development may lead to promotion.

Many set up their own businesses offering garden design services or interior landscaping, or start small nurseries or garden centres. Others move into training or lecturing, journalism, landscape or urban design, horticultural therapy or quality inspection for supermarkets as a food technologist. Work abroad is possible.

Further Career Information

If you would like to know more about a career as an Garden Centre Manager related facts, statistics, articles and websites.

Career Steps

Not quite sure about a career as a Garden Centre Manager? Try our step-by-step career guide to reaching your chosen career.

Career Courses

Not quite qualified to be a Garden Centre Manager? Take a look at our course browses or use our search form and find courses which will help you on your chosen career path.

What would you like to learn?