How to become a gardener or landscape gardener
Official title: Gardeners and landscape gardeners
Also called: Gardener, Landscape foreman, Gardener-handyman, Handyman-gardener, Landscape gardener, Gardener-caretaker, Gardener-groundsman, Gardener's assistant, Landscape contractor, Maintenance gardener, Tree pruner, Green roofer
Gardeners and landscape gardeners cultivate flowers, trees, shrubs and other plants in public and private gardens, construct features to improve the appearance of existing terrain, and cut and lay turf.
Main tasks
- Levels ground and installs drainage system as required
- Prepares soil and plants and transplants, prunes, weeds and otherwise tends plant life
- Protects plants from pests and diseases
- Cuts and lays turf using hand and machine tools and repairs damaged turf
- Prepares or interprets garden design plans
- Moves soil to alter surface contour of land using mechanical equipment and constructs paths, rockeries, ponds and other features
- Performs general garden maintenance
How to become one
There are no formal academic entry requirements. NVQs/SVQs in Horticulture are available at levels 1, 2 and 3. Relevant apprenticeships and professional qualifications are also available.
Ways in
- Apprenticeship (England): Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0225.
- Apprenticeship (England): Horticulture or landscaping supervisor (level 3). England. Typically 30 months. Skills England standard ST0226.
- Apprenticeship (England): Landscape technician (level 3). England. Typically 24 months. Skills England standard ST0741.
Pay · Outlook
- Median full-time pay: £28,539 a year The middle half earn £25,664 to £32,248.
- About 171,700 people work in this job now, and about 188,300 are projected by 2035. (+9.6%)
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Questions people ask
How do I become a gardener or landscape gardener?
There are no formal academic entry requirements. NVQs/SVQs in Horticulture are available at levels 1, 2 and 3. Relevant apprenticeships and professional qualifications are also available.
How much does a gardener or landscape gardener earn in the UK?
Median full-time pay is £28,539 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £25,664 to £32,248.
Is a gardener or landscape gardener a growing career in the UK?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 171,700 to about 188,300 people (Department for Education).
Do you need a degree to become a gardener or landscape gardener?
Not always. 25% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Ways in include: Horticulture or landscape construction operative (level 2).
Sources
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
- Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
Updated 2026-10-03