Full Time – Reports to Wing Haven Garden Curator
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm
Rare after hours work required

Position Overview: Maintain the historic properties of Wing Haven, the Elizabeth Lawrence Home & Garden and Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary by working with the Wing Haven Garden Curator and following their instructions for garden maintenance on daily, weekly and monthly tasks. This position will split their time between both properties. Encourage and work with weekly and monthly garden volunteers. An important responsibility is to engage with visitors, be a good ambassador of the gardens, and share information about Elizabeth Lawrence’s accomplishments and her intent for her garden.

Skills Required:

• Experience working in a public garden is preferred, but not required.
• Must have a general knowledge of plants and plant common names.
• Must be able to work well with others, particularly volunteers.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs and be comfortable on ladders.
• Experience in proper pruning and general knowledge of gardening techniques is preferred, but not required.
• Must be comfortable using power gardening tools like mowers, edgers, gas leaf blowers, gas powered shears, gas powered pole chainsaw, and battery powered leaf blower.
• Should be comfortable using general gardening tools like shovels, hand trowels, branch loppers, pole pruners for small tree branches, and hand pruners.
• Capable of self starting with some daily and weekly garden responsibilities.
• Interest in historic properties is desired.
• Willingness to work in a team setting.
• Must have a valid driver’s license

Garden Maintenance Responsibilities:

• Help with scheduling and prioritizing garden tasks based on the Garden Curator’s to do lists for the day and week.
• Ensure the gardens are ready for visitors daily by walking the property before opening to the public.
• Assist the Garden Curator with maintaining the plant records database.
• Handle daily tasks like opening the building and garden gate.
• Assist with recording what’s blooming on property twice a month.
• Help with plant labels in the garden; keep a running list of labels needed and learn how to print new ones.
• Assist with maintenance of landscape power equipment and general gardening tools. For example, cleaning and sharpening garden tools as needed.
• Help maintain organization of storage and work areas.
• During extreme dry periods, follow a watering schedule to ensure adequate care of the plants in the landscape. This includes watering container plants in the Wing Haven Nursery as needed, at most once a week in summer.
• General garden maintenance includes: mowing and edging lawns, blowing off hardscapes, weeding, and pruning of various types of plants.
• Pulling and planting seasonal flowers in beds and pots at Wing Haven during the spring and fall planting season. Planting a few annuals at Elizabeth Lawrence Garden will also be required.
• Performing general maintenance on the water feature on a weekly basis.
• Pressure washing brick walkways at Wing Haven on an as needed basis.
• Helping to occasionally propagate plants from seeds, cuttings, and divisions.

Leadership:

• Work with garden volunteers in various capacities. Volunteers come every two weeks on Thursday morning.
• Set an example of proper care of plant material, tools and the gardens.
• Lead group tours of the garden for children or adults as needed.

Team Responsibilities:

• Assist with Wing Haven events as needed.
• Assist with setup for events, meetings, programs, and rentals.
• Attend biweekly staff meetings.
• Perform additional tasks as requested by the Wing Haven Garden Curator and the Executive Director
• Assist with Wing Haven’s spring and fall plant sale and help the volunteers working the sale.
• Assist with picking up supplies needed for gardening, special events, or plants for the seasonal plant sale in the company’s van.

About Wing Haven:

Wing Haven is dedicated to cultivating sanctuary in nature, environmental stewardship and the legacy of Southern horticulture. We have three public gardens on four acres in Charlotte, North Carolina. Together these three properties—Wing Haven Garden & Bird Sanctuary, SEED Wildlife & Children’s Garden and the Elizabeth Lawrence House & Garden—welcome visitors of all ages to discover and learn, as we seek to inspire passion for the natural world. Wing Haven is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

Wing Haven is committed to creating an inclusive, diverse, equitable and accessible culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected and appreciated.  We invite and welcome people of all abilities, backgrounds, races, religions, cultures, ages, genders and sexual identities. Just as a garden requires ongoing cultivation and tending, Wing Haven pledges to continually reflect on and adapt IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Accessibility) principles.

Benefits include paid holidays, personal time off, medical insurance and retirement plan.

Wing Haven is a drug and tobacco free workplace.

To apply, send resume to:                                                              

Wing Haven

260 Ridgewood Avenue

Charlotte, NC 28209

Or email admin@winghavengardens.org

No phone calls

Application Deadline: February 5th, 2024