Member of the Guild is restricted. The Guild’s board votes yes or no on the admission of an applicant. A committee, consisting of one board member and one regular member, advises the board on this matter after having met with the applicant.
Criteria in the assessment are:
- The applicant agrees with the purpose of the Head Gardeners’ Guild.
- The Head Gardeners’ Guild focuses on historic gardens that are over 50 years old. The applicant works in a garden that fits this requirement. The garden must be large enough to offer work for at least one person.
- Gardeners in historic gardens that aren’t head gardeners but are specifically interested in historic gardens, or are specialists in a certain field, are also welcome as members (they may be future head gardeners).
- Owners of historic gardens may also become members if the maintenance of their garden has not been delegated to a head gardener.
- The exchange of knowledge is key. Not between the head gardener and the owner, not between the head gardener and the public, but between head gardeners amongst themselves. Members are willing and available, for example, to present their views on a certain theme – by themselves or with a colleague – approximately once every five years. This presentation should be focused on the practice of the profession. Such presentations are also for the benefit of gardeners that are confronted with these themes in their daily work. A report of the presentation will be kept and the head gardener can continue a discussion on this particular theme.
- Members are expected to communicate with each other freely and openly, to exchange knowledge. Due to a variation in skills and experience we do not expect every member to contribute knowledge equally. We accept that some members may contribute more and others may gain more.
- Membership may not be actively used for commercial purposes.