Garden Section Manager - Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens maintains over 13 acres of meticulously curated historic gardens that welcome more than 100,000 visitors annually. We are seeking an accomplished horticulturist with advanced technical expertise to serve as Garden Section Manager, providing direct stewardship of our renowned garden rooms while preserving Hillwood’s distinctive horticultural legacy.
About the Role
As Garden Section Manager, you will lead the horticultural care of specialized garden sections requiring deep botanical knowledge and proven cultivation techniques. This role demands a seasoned professional who combines advanced horticultural science with strong leadership capabilities.

Core Responsibilities:

• Technical Plant Management: Execute specialized care protocols for rare and heritage plant collections, including soil chemistry management, integrated pest management, and climate-specific cultivation practices
• Historic Garden Stewardship: Maintain historically accurate plant palettes while implementing modern horticultural best practices to ensure long-term garden sustainability
• Team Leadership: Direct and mentor horticulture staff and volunteers, providing technical training and project oversight
• Quality Standards: Ensure museum-quality garden presentation through systematic maintenance schedules and horticultural expertise
• Landscape Design Implementation: Collaborate on design decisions that honor Hillwood’s visual identity while incorporating horticultural innovations

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum 5 years of professional horticulture experience with demonstrated expertise in:
• Advanced plant identification and taxonomy
• Soil science and fertility management
• Integrated pest and disease management
• Experience with historic or public garden maintenance
• Proven leadership experience managing horticultural teams
• Knowledge of sustainable gardening practices and environmental stewardship

Why Choose Hillwood?

Working at Hillwood means joining one of America’s premier private cultural institutions, where horticultural excellence is both valued and invested in. As a Garden Section Manager, you’ll have access to:

• Stable Resources: Year-round employment with consistent funding for horticultural projects, independent of government budget cycles
• Professional Growth: Opportunities to work with rare plant collections and implement cutting-edge horticultural practices
• Collaborative Environment: Partnership with curators, educators, and fellow horticulturists who share your passion for botanical excellence
• Legacy Impact: Direct contribution to preserving and enhancing gardens that inspire thousands of visitors and advance public appreciation of horticulture

About Hillwood
Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where horticultural professionals from all backgrounds can contribute their expertise to preserving the vision of our founder, Marjorie Merriweather Post. Our gardens serve as both historical preservation and living laboratories for horticultural innovation.
We invite experienced horticulturists who are passionate about combining technical expertise with inspiring leadership to apply for this rewarding opportunity

• Technical Plant Management: Execute specialized care protocols for rare and heritage plant collections, including soil chemistry management, integrated pest management, and climate-specific cultivation practices
• Historic Garden Stewardship: Maintain historically accurate plant palettes while implementing modern horticultural best practices to ensure long-term garden sustainability
• Team Leadership: Direct and mentor horticulture staff and volunteers, providing technical training and project oversight
• Quality Standards: Ensure museum-quality garden presentation through systematic maintenance schedules and horticultural expertise
• Landscape Design Implementation: Collaborate on design decisions that honor Hillwood’s visual identity while incorporating horticultural innovation