Park Horticulturist – Denver Parks and Recreation

Job duties and responsibilities of this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Work outdoors alongside other team members and use leadership skills to guide less seasoned workers to implement best practices in horticulture:

  • Direct and perform cultivation, care and maintenance of flower gardens, lawns, shrubs, trees, and ground covers including growing, transplanting, cultivating, trimming, spraying, fertilizing, pruning, and watering plants in a greenhouse or landscaped area

  • Direct and perform restoration and management of natural areas and wildlife habitats including growing, seedling, transplanting, cultivating, or weed management

  • Prepare working sketches of flower beds or water conserving landscapes

  • Prepare, fertilize, amend, or condition soils for different types of plants or plant communities

  • Participate in the development of planting programs or planning restoration projects in natural open space areas

  • Make recommendations for the number and types of plants to be grown in a certain location and make recommendations on weed management, as well as for the arrangement, planting, and management schedule

  • Determine the kind of growing conditions such as soil, sunlight, moisture, temperature, and humidity most suitable to the variety of plants under cultivation or restoration

  • Prepare reports and maintain records of plant maintenance, weed management and/or restoration activities

• Safely utilize and maintain a variety of hand-powered tools, motorized equipment, and spray equipment:

  • Mixing, preparing, and appropriately applying chemicals

  • Spraying and recording noxious and invasive weeds in both natural areas and traditional turf

• Develop and modify work plans to align with innovative approaches and best practices and utilize staff to accomplish goals and initiatives; determine work priorities and develop work schedules to provide adequate staff coverage

  • Mentor staff, contribute to development of performance goals and assist with formal HR processes

• Perform related park maintenance tasks such as trash collection, bathroom maintenance and cleaning, vandalism repair/graffiti removal, and snow removal operations