Employment Opportunities:
Wethersfield Gardener
Wethersfield Estate & Garden seeks a skilled and motivated Gardener to join the horticulture team at one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance gardens in the United States.
Nestled within 1,000 acres in Dutchess County, New York, Wethersfield Estate & Garden is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the stewardship of land, habitat protection, conservation, culture, and the arts. The estate features a diverse range of formal and naturalistic garden spaces, extensive plant collections, and 20 miles of trails. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Wethersfield received the 2021 New York State Historic Preservation Award for Excellence in Historic Landscape Preservation.
Reporting to the Head Gardener, the Gardener assists in the care, maintenance, and development of the estate’s mixed perennial borders, cutting garden, formal hedges, container displays, and woodland gardens. Working closely with the horticulture team, this role supports formal garden displays, plant collections, greenhouse growing, and landscape enhancements to maintain the historic character and beauty of the gardens.
Click here to view the position description. Please send a cover letter and resume to Head Gardener Katharine Barrie at kbarrie@wethersfield.org.
Wethersfield Garden Horticultural Fellowship
Nestled in 1,000 acres of rolling hills in Dutchess County, New York, Wethersfield Estate & Garden is generally considered to be one of the finest examples of Italian Renaissance gardens in the United States. Founded in 1938, Wethersfield is a non-profit organization devoted to the proper stewardship of land, habitat protection, conservation, culture, and the arts. Wethersfield contains a diversity of formal and native-inspired garden spaces that use the latest horticultural knowledge to develop a lasting garden in a changing world. Wethersfield is on the National Register of Historic Places, and won the 2021 New York State Historic Preservation Award for Excellence in Historic Landscape Preservation.
The Wethersfield Fellowship seeks to train the next generation of horticulturalists. This is a 6-8 month position (beginning March or April, flexibility as to scheduling is negotiable) for forty hours a week. The horticultural Fellow reports to the Head Gardener and is treated as part of the garden staff. There are rotating weekend duties, and occasional evening obligations. Housing is available.
Click here to view the position description. Please send a cover letter and resume to Head Gardener Katharine Barrie at kbarrie@wethersfield.org. Please state your available start and end dates for 2026, and indicate whether housing is required.
Testimonial from Lauren Hwang-Finkelman, Wethersfield Fellow 2023
“Completing the Wethersfield Senior Horticultural Fellowship helped launch my career in horticulture. It was a great privilege to work closely with staff and gain the hands-on knowledge that is often hard to get while studying horticulture in a classroom setting. One of Wethersfield’s great assets is its multitude of different gardening styles within the Estate; at Wethersfield I gained experience learning how to garden in a Formal Italian Garden, an English Arts and Crafts Garden, a Native Woodland Garden, a Cutting Garden, and Container Gardens. At Wethersfield I always felt supported by my mentors and encouraged to take initiative. I appreciated being made responsible for the Herb Garden, which I renovated during my time there. Thanks to my training at Wethersfield, I was able to acquire a Horticulturist position at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden at the conclusion of my fellowship.”