The pride and joy of many homeowners is their garden. Gardens provide a safe way to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and spending time in them has a proven positive impact on mental and physical health.
However, gardens can take a lot of work to maintain and keep looking fresh and beautiful. Your garden also can add a tremendous amount of value to your property, so it is not a waste to consider investing in keeping your garden looking great.
Hiring a gardener can help you to keep on top of the multitude of garden tasks that most gardens require so that you can enjoy your garden whenever you want without worrying about the safety issues of a rundown garden or wincing from the number of weeds and debris!
Our guide breaks down the most common gardening services available in the UK, the cost of hiring a professional gardener, what can impact the cost of their services, how you can save money and the best way to hire a reputable gardener.
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How Much Do Gardeners Charge?
There is a huge range of gardening jobs that you can hire a qualified gardener to undertake. These can range from simple and easy to complete jobs to those that may be more difficult and time-consuming.
The table below breaks down the average cost for each common gardening job:
| Type of Gardening Job | Estimated Hourly Rate (Low-High) |
|---|---|
| Lawn Mowing | £10-£50 |
| Weeding | £15-£35 |
| Planting | £35-£70 |
| Pruning Trees and Shrubs | £50-£85 |
| Trimming Hedges | £40-£60 |
| Garden Clearance | £10-£25 |
| Turfing | £15-£35 |
| Patio Cleaning | £40-£60 |
The cost of hiring a gardener will depend hugely on the gardening job you want to be done and what the job will entail from the professional.
The national average hourly cost to hire a gardener is £10-£20 an hour. Bear in mind that these prices are also likely to fluctuate depending on where you live in the UK; London prices for gardeners will be higher than the cost in any of the Northern regions.
Prices for gardening in London can charge between £5-£10 more than gardeners in the Northern regions of the UK.
If the job is larger and needs more than one gardener to complete, the extra manpower and labour will raise the total cost.
What Affects the Cost of Gardening Services?
You can find an overview of the most common factors impacting the cost of gardening services below:
The Scope of the Job
A larger gardening project that may be time and labour extensive could you cost you up to £1,000 whereas a gardening job that can be done at an hourly rate is likely to cost £10-£20 depending on where you live within the UK.
If you’re looking for a professional to undertake some simple lawn mowing the cost of that job will dramatically differ from a gardening project that includes lawn mowing, trimming of hedges and shrubs and some additional planting.
Hiring a landscaper is likely to cost more than a gardener because landscaping does involve a wide variety of jobs, such as:
- Planting flower beds
- Planting flower borders
- Foundation plantings
- Planting trees
- Driveway construction
- Walkway construction
- Fences
- Garden features, such as fountains
- Water garden construction
If you’re looking to have a patio or decking laid down, then this could cost you from £500-£2000 depending on the size of the patio or decking, the materials used and the ease of access on your property.
The more garden maintenance is required for the job, the more the job will cost.
Garden Size
The larger the size of the garden, the more the gardening job will cost due to the time and labour needed to complete the gardening task. The table below breaks down the estimated costs for a range of garden sizes.
| Size of Garden | Estimated Garden Maintenance Cost |
|---|---|
| Small | £60 |
| Medium | £95 |
| Large | £150 |
Choice of Materials
Depending on the type of gardening job you’re planning to undertake, there could be additional costs for the types of materials needed to complete the job.
For example, if the gardening job is to include any kind of construction work, you should take into account the type of construction materials needed.
If you’re planning to have some decking laid down, timber decking will range in cost from £2-£10 per square metre whereas composite decking is a more expensive option at £5-£60 per square metre.
If you’re planning to lay down a new patio, the cheapest material option would be concrete at £25-£40 per square metre whereas a stone patio will cost you substantially more at £50-£80 per square metre.
Laying new grass, whether it be natural or artificial, is a common gardening job. Turf can be purchased at £2-£5 per square metre, whereas artificial grass – due to the cost of actually making it – is the more expensive choice at £10-£35 per square metre.
You should also take into account the cost of any seeds you may want to plant. It will be cheaper to purchases seeds, bulbs, lugs or even small plants or shrubs than larger, fully grown plants or flowers.
Tree seeds will ranch from £1-£25 per pack, with birch tree seeds the likely cheapest option at £1-£10. A more expensive option would be the common beech tree seed, which could range from £1-£25 per pack.
Flower seeds will range from £2-£40 depending on the type of flower you want to plant.
Gardeners or landscapers will be able to help you decide on the best type of flower, tree or plant for your garden if you’re eager to have some additional planting included in your garden project but are unsure of where to start.
Season
Peak seasons for gardening are Spring and Autumn when grass, plants and flowers are likely to grow the quickest and will need the most maintenance.
Hiring a gardener in the off-peak season will cost you less than it will in any other so you should consider this before you hire a professional if you’re hoping to keep the costs of a gardening service down.
You should also take into account that some gardeners and landscapers will be able to help you craft a create winter garden if you desire to have a beautiful garden year-round.
Garden features such as fountains or sculptures can be a great added detail in the colder months and, as the cost of garden services is typically cheaper then, you could have an incredibly creative and beautiful garden at a time when most homeowners tend to neglect their garden maintenance.
Location
The location of your home will hugely impact the cost of hiring a gardener. If you live in London, the prices for hiring a gardener will be substantially higher than if you live in the Northern regions of the UK.
Prices for gardening in London can charge between £5-£10 more than gardeners in the Northern regions of the UK.
Ease of Access
If your garden has areas that are difficult to access but need to be worked on with heavy machinery or specific tools, the cost of the total job could increase due to the amount of labour and manpower it may take to get to these areas of your property.
A qualified landscaper or gardener will be able to speak to you regarding any ease of access problems they may encounter.
Waste Removal
Waste removal refers to getting rid of anything in the garden that is rubbish or is no longer needed on site.
There is a vast range of waste removal that can be carried out by gardeners including building waste, garden waste, wood or even furniture.
The more waste that needs to be removed, the more expensive the total cost of the job will be. The table below breaks down average costs for small, medium and large garden waste clearance.
| Size of Organic Wall | Estimated Supply Cost | Labour Cost | Time Required | Total Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small | £20 | £75 | 30 minutes | £95 |
| Medium | £100 | £150 | One hour and 30 minutes | £250 |
| Large | £150 | £150 | Two hours and 30 minutes | £300 |
The type of garden waste you’re looking to have cleared will also play a factor in the final cost.
Organic waste such as lawn clippings, weeds, or tree branches, are usually relatively simple to collect and dispose of.
Non-organic waste, on the other hand, such as gutter waste, electrics, plasterboard or even hazardous waste will be more expensive to have cleared and disposed of as it may take more than just a simple trip to the tip.
Depending on your location in the UK, some local councils do offer a waste removal service. This typically means that you will be given a green wheelie bin which will be collected on a weekly or fortnightly basis.
Some councils do give out this service for free whereas others charge a small fee. The average charge is between £150-£200 per year.
How Can I Save Money on a Gardening Service?
There are some ways you can keep the costs of a gardening service down.
Firstly, if you are able-bodied and have the necessary tools, try and care of small gardening tasks yourself. For example, mowing the lawn, weeding or trimming back any shrubs or hedges are all tasks that don’t need excessive DIY skills and can be done at any time of year to keep on top of your garden.
Lawn mowing in particular is one of the most important garden maintenance jobs that doesn’t require a professional. Over the summer it is a good idea to mow your lawn twice a week to keep the grass at the optimal height and the lawn healthy.
It’s not necessary to do a complete garden overhaul every year. Instead, keep the gardening project small and focus on maybe one or two tasks as this could massively decrease the total cost of the project by hundreds of pounds.
Focus on aspects of your garden that can be done relatively easily, like hedge trimming. Hedge trimming will keep your garden safe from protruding or broken branches that could potentially cause injury, as well as keeping the garden looking tidy and well balanced.
Hedges can also be shaped to your specific tastes, so if you’re want to keep your garden unique or artistic, hedge trimming could be a great way to do this without needing to speak to a landscaper about an expensive water feature or plant hundreds of exotic flowers.
If you can, work on the garden or hire a professional to do so, during the off-peak season. Some jobs have to be completed in the warmer months when the ground is warm, but clearance, trimming and weeding can be done year-round, and this will help to maintain the garden’s appearance.
A great way to keep your costs down is to use HouseholdQuotes and let us find you a qualified professional within your budget to work on any garden jobs you may have!
Click To Get QuotesWhat’s the Difference Between a Gardener and a Landscaper?
There are several differences between a gardener and a landscaper but both professions can hugely help you with maintaining and designing your garden.
Gardeners primarily deal with gardening jobs such as planting, lawn maintenance and weeding whereas landscapers can undertake tasks such as installing decking or a patio.
Landscapers can also be used to help you in with any larger gardening projects and can advise on good contractors that could help with the project.
Deciding on whether you need a landscaper or gardener, really depends on the type of garden work you need doing and your budget as a landscaper may be the more expensive option.
Even a small landscaping project can end up costing thousands of pounds. To find out more about landscaping prices, and the best ways you could keep the cost of a landscaping project down, take a look at HouseholdQuote’s landscaping guide.
How Do I Find and Hire a Gardener?
Try to get recommendations from your friends or family who have had a gardener do a series of jobs on their property.
Use HouseholdQuotes to find a qualified gardener or landscaper to tidy up your garden and carry out any additional gardening jobs you need to be done!
Click To Get QuotesEnsuring the Professional Is the Right Fit
To make sure you’ve found the best person for the job, we recommend you ask them for the below:
- For a written quote. Make sure to find out if they charge by the hour or if it’s a fixed price for the gardening project, if there is a minimum call-out charge and if rubbish removal is included in the total cost.
- For their experience.
- For their qualifications. This may not always be entirely necessary as qualifications don’t ensure that someone will be able to offer you professional service, whereas someone with no qualifications may be able to do just that, but if you’re looking to have a larger gardening project undertaken with construction involved, it will not harm to ask if they have any qualifications in the field to provide you with a bit more reassurance.
- For their references. If they’re able to provide you with references you can be sure of their ability and may even be able to see some of their previous work.
- If they and their tools are insured. This can protect you from lawsuits if they or your property is damaged when they come to your home.
Final Checklist
This checklist covers the steps you should consider before hiring a gardening service:
- Consider what jobs you need doing by a professional, and to save money, what gardening jobs you can undertake yourself.
- Decide on what season you’d like to have the garden work completed in.
- Even if you do still want to hire a professional, consider completing a few of the smaller gardening jobs beforehand to decrease the amount of work the professional will need to do and therefore keep the final cost down.
- If you don’t want to go down the DIY route, then use HouseholdQuotes to find a professional who can take on the job for you.
Click To Get QuotesFrequently Asked Questions
Do I Need Planning Permission for My Project?
If you’re looking to prune or fell a tree on your property, you will likely need the council’s consent to do so as many trees are protected by tree preservation orders.
You won’t typically need planning permission for any hedges you want to plant and there are no laws regarding how high the hedge can grow, however, once the hedge is planted on your property it becomes your responsibility to look after it and ensure it is not a nuisance to anyone else.
There is no restriction on the area of land which you can cover with hard surfaces at, or near, ground level if you are intending on laying a patio or driveway but different rules do apply to paving over your front garden. However, these permitted development allowances apply to houses only and not flats and maisonettes or converted houses.
If part of the service you want to be provided includes fencing, garden walls or the construction of outbuildings of any kind, then you may need to acquire permission from your local Planning Office.
More information on Building Regulations and Planning Permission can be found here.
What’s the Best Time of Year to Hire a Gardener?
Spring is the best season to consider hiring a gardener as the ground will be warm and plants, grass and flowers will grow quicker in this season than in others.
If you want to get a head start on developing your new landscaping project, February is a great month to begin in. Some landscapers get booked up very quickly from the new year, so it’s better to get in ahead of the curve rather than leave booking them in until too late.
What Are Some Cheap Gardening Ideas?
A modern and currently very trendy gardening idea is to convert old or used furniture into planters. Sinks, dressing tables or ladders all act as great planters and can be freshened up with a lick of paint before adding the planting to add to the overall look.
Painting any fencing is another cheap and simple way to spruce up your garden that isn’t very costly or labour extensive but does make a great difference to the overall appearance of your garden.
You can also consider painting your patio, and if you’re after a new design or imprint on the patio, it’s possible to purchase a stencil to give your patio an extra splash of pizzazz.
If you’re looking to add some accessories to your garden area or cover up a blank spot in any of your soil or bedding, consider adding a birdbath or bee box. Not only are these additions to your garden effective in helping support your local ecosystem, but they give your garden a natural and homely aesthetic.
Use the resources available to you to figure out what kind of gardening ideas can be implemented in your location for cheap costs!
The internet is a great fountain of knowledge regarding the cheapest gardening ideas and local libraries are also likely to carry books on gardening that will give you great tips on how to keep the costs down.