Gardener
Grow and care for plants in private gardens, parks, estates and green spaces, from sowing seeds to pruning, weeding and mowing.
- Salary£24,000 – £32,000
- Hours38 to 42 hours a week (variable); often freelance or self-employed, managing your own hours
- Working for yourselfSelf-employment is common
What the job is like
Gardeners keep green spaces healthy and looking good through the seasons. If you already enjoy growing things at home or on an allotment, you can build on that with proper horticultural knowledge of plants, soil, pests and pruning.
There are lots of ways in: college courses at Levels 1 to 3, apprenticeships, volunteering with conservation charities, or applying directly with some experience. Many gardeners are self-employed with a round of regular clients; others work for councils, estates and heritage gardens.
What you'll do
- Raise plants from seed or cuttings and look after them as they grow
- Dig, plant and weed beds and borders
- Mow lawns and cut hedges using powered equipment safely
- Prune shrubs and trees and clear overgrown areas and paths
- Deal with pests and diseases that damage plants
- Build garden features such as sheds, patios or fences
- Look after and maintain tools and machinery
Where you'll work
- Outdoors
- In customers' homes
- In a team
- On your own
Skills and hobbies that help
Weighted by how much they matter in this job, from the official job profile's skills and tasks. Tap one to see other careers that use it.
Key skills
Used a lot
Handy to have
Hobbies that give you a head start
How to become a gardener
Apprenticeship
Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative Level 2, Horticulture or Landscaping Supervisor Level 3, or Horticulture and Landscaping Technical Manager Level 5
College
Level 1 Certificate in Horticulture Skills, Level 2 Diploma in Practical Horticultural Skills or Level 3 Extended Diploma in Horticulture
Direct application
Apply directly with practical gardening experience, for example from a garden centre, or start as an assistant gardener
Other ways in
Volunteer with organisations such as The Conservation Volunteers, National Trust or The Wildlife Trusts; Royal Horticultural Society courses
Qualifications, licences and cards
- A chainsaw Certificate of Competence if you carry out hazardous tasks with a chainsaw
Where it can lead
- Head gardener, garden designer or horticultural manager
- Your own gardening business with private clients
- Related roles such as landscaper, groundsperson or arboricultural officer
- Further qualifications to work as a tree surgeon
Good to know
- You work outdoors in all weathers and sometimes at height
- The National Careers Service lists gardening as a green job, for example planting to support pollinators and biodiversity
Courses and training
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Apprenticeship search
Find an apprenticeship – GOV.UK
The official GOV.UK service for searching and applying for apprenticeship vacancies in England.
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Course search
Find a course – National Careers Service
The National Careers Service search for college and training provider courses in England, including Skills Bootcamps.
Official information
Sources
We checked these pages in September 2026. Rules, pay and courses change, so always confirm with the official source.
- National Careers Service: Gardener nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/gardener
- Skills England apprenticeship: Horticulture or landscape construction operative (Level 2) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0225-v1-2
- Skills England apprenticeship: Horticulture or landscaping supervisor (Level 3) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0226-v1-2
- Skills England apprenticeship: Horticulture and landscaping technical manager (Level 5) skillsengland.education.gov.uk/apprenticeships/st0924-v1-0
- HSE: tree work training and certification hse.gov.uk/treework/site-management/training.htm