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Gardener

Alternative titles for this job include

Gardeners grow plants and look after them in private and public green spaces.

Average salary (a year)

£16,000 Starter

to

£25,000 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

38 to 40 variable

You could work

freelance / self-employed managing your own hours

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become a gardener

You can get into this job through:

  • a college course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • applying directly
  • specialist courses run by a professional body

College

You could do a college course in gardening or horticulture to get some of the knowledge and practical skills needed for this career. Courses include:

  • Level 1 Certificate in Horticulture Skills
  • Level 2 Diploma in Horticulture and Amenity Horticulture
  • Level 3 Certificate in Practical Horticulture

Courses would cover things like identification of plants, growing plants from seed and how to use gardening machinery safely.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 or fewer GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 (D to G), or equivalent, for a level 1 course
  • 2 or more GCSEs at grades 9 to 3 (A* to D), or equivalent, for a level 2 course
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, for a level 3 course

More Information

Apprenticeship

You could get into this job through a horticulture and landscape operative intermediate apprenticeship.

The Royal Horticulture Society also offers horticultural apprenticeships in some of its national gardens for 16 to 19 year olds.

You could move onto a landscape or horticulture supervisor advanced apprenticeship as you get more experience.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship

More Information

Work

You could start as an assistant gardener and work your way up.

If you have some related work experience, for example in a garden centre or with a conservation body, this could help you to get a job.

Volunteering

You can get experience by volunteering with:

You'll also find volunteering opportunities through Do-it.

Direct Application

To work as a gardener you would need to be able to show employers that you have the gardening skills, knowledge and enthusiasm they are looking for. Experience in gardening or a horticultural role is highly valued by employers.

Other Routes

The Royal Horticultural Society offers courses which are suitable if you want to learn more about gardening, or if you want to get qualifications that will help you get a job in horticulture.

More Information

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a gardener from Grow Careers and Horticulture Week.

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • the ability to work well with others
  • the ability to work well with your hands
  • customer service skills
  • the ability to operate and control equipment
  • the ability to use, repair and maintain machines and tools
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • physical fitness and endurance
  • to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

On a typical day you may:

  • raise plants from seeds or cuttings
  • dig, plant and weed flower beds and borders
  • prune shrubs and trees
  • check the health of plants and control pests
  • use machinery like lawn mowers and hedge trimmers
  • look after the appearance of plants and the surrounding landscape
  • clean and maintain equipment
  • do basic building tasks like laying patios, or putting up sheds and fences

Working environment

You could work in a garden, in a park, at a client's business, at a client's home or in woodland.

Your working environment may be at height and outdoors in all weathers.

You may need to wear protective clothing.

Career path and progression

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could become a senior or head gardener.

You could move into other work like landscaping, greenkeeping or the care of trees and shrubs (arboriculture).

You could also set up your own business, offering a service to private customers.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

Level 2 Apprentice Gardener (Trinity Hall)

  • Wage: £146.25 Weekly
  • Location: Cambridge

Grounds Maintenance Apprentice

  • Wage: £156.00 Weekly
  • Location: Stafford
Find apprenticeships near you

Courses In England

Certificate in Practical Horticulture

  • Provider: ASKHAM BRYAN COLLEGE
  • Start date: 05 September 2022
  • Location: YORK

Horticulture Therapy

  • Provider: HILLINGDON LONDON BOROUGH COUNCIL
  • Start date: 25 April 2022
  • Location: Hillingdon
Find courses near you

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