How much do gardeners earn?

This is a great trade to get into. You work outdoors and benefit from being able to carry out a wide range of work. There’s plenty you can do from weeding, mowing, and trimming to larger projects.

If you’re thinking of becoming a gardener, you probably want to know how much they earn.

Whether you’re new to the trade or experienced, this guide is for you. We break down the average gardener salary at different stages of your career. We also look at a self-employed gardener salary if you run your own business.

What is the average gardener salary in the UK?

The average gardener wage in the UK ranges from £13,257.80 for an apprentice per year. This rises to £66,937.32 annually for the owner of a limited company.

That said, exactly how much you can expect to earn as a gardener will depend on a number of things. Your location, level of experience and how many jobs you complete each year will change your income.

How much do gardeners make as employees?

Working for a company can be a good way to gain experience and learn the tricks of the trade. However, as an employee, your earning potential probably isn’t as high as someone who is self-employed.

Gardener annual salary

As an employed gardener, your annual salary will vary depending on your level of experience:

• Gardener’s apprentice: £13,257.80 per year (£12,509 take home)
• Newly qualified gardener: £21,440.76 per year (£18,073 take home)
• Employed gardener: £29,536.00 per year (£23,578.16 take home)

How much do gardeners earn per hour?

Here’s how much gardeners can earn per hour if your work for a company:

• Gardener’s apprentice: £7.55 per hour
• Newly qualified gardener: £12.21 per hour
• Employed gardener: £14.20 per hour

As an employed gardener, your hourly rate will be low when compared to self-employed gardeners who can charge more. You can use this hourly rate to figure out a gardener’s day rate.

How much can a gardener earn per day?

Here’s the average daily gardener wage in the UK for employees. It’s based on working an eight-hour day:

• Gardener’s apprentice: £60.40 per day
• Newly qualified gardener: £97.68 per day
• Employed gardener: £113.60 per day

How much can a gardener earn per week?

If you’re wondering how much an employed gardener can earn per week, we’ve broken it all down for you here:

• Gardener’s apprentice: £302.00 per week
• Newly qualified gardener: £488.40 per week
• Employed gardener: £568.00 per week

How much do self-employed gardeners earn?

As a self-employed gardener, you can choose your rates and control how many jobs. You’ll also be able to maximise your earnings by pocketing more of the fees your clients pay.

That might tempt you to think about starting your own gardening business.

With that in mind, it’s probably no surprise that self-employed gardeners can earn higher amounts than company employees. Especially those who take up winter garden work and landscaping services to bring in extra income.

Sole trader or limited company?

If you’re starting a gardening business, it’s likely to be as a sole trader or a limited company.

Limited company owners have the highest earning potential, but they also tend to have the highest business running costs. Meanwhile, sole traders benefit from less admin and fewer expenses but will have less financial protection if things go wrong.

If you’re unsure whether to set yourself up as a sole trader or a limited company, an accountant can help.

Gardening business annual revenue

When it comes to running your own gardening business, you can expect to make a decent return. Your annual salary will depend on how you decide to run your business:

• Sole trader gardener: £51,626.40 per year
  
• Gardening limited company owner: £66,937.32 per year
  

How much you can earn will depend on your location, your rates, and how many jobs you win each year.

Expenses if you run your own gardening business

Running your own business means you’ll have to pay certain expenses. You’ll need to keep on top of them for your trade business to be profitable.

Another benefit of running your own business is that you can use certain business costs to reduce your taxable profit.

These are typical expenses if you run your own business (given as minus figures):

• Sole trader gardener: -£6,453.30 per year
  
• Gardening limited company owner: -£11,714.03 per year

Grow your own business

For many tradespeople, setting up their own business is a career goal. If you find these average gardener salary in the UK estimates tempting, then self employment could be the next step.
If you’re interested in being your own boss, we can help get you going.

Nurture more sales leads with Checkatrade

If you decide to be your own boss running a gardening business, it’s always great to find support along the way. One way of growing your business with more sales leads.

Joining Checkatrade can get your business blooming. Our members receive our help with new enquiries. There are lots of other benefits of Checkatrade membership too.

They include:

• Exclusive offers and discounts with suppliers like Tradepoint and Wickes
• Up to 75% off Quickbooks business software
• Up to 20% off Public Liability Insurance
• Reduced cost of workwear and branding
• Guaranteed work when booked through us (T&Cs apply)
• Dedicated trades apps for job management and quoting/invoicing

FAQs

How easy is it to become a gardener?

You don’t necessarily need qualifications to start, but it’s a good idea. There are lots of courses and training you can take to learn the necessary skills. These include apprenticeships, which are often the first rung on the trade career ladder. An average gardener salary in the UK for apprentices is £13,257.80 per year.

How much do gardeners earn per hour?

Gardener earnings in the UK vary depending on your level of experience, location and the way you’re employed. Salaries tend to start at £7.55 per hour for an apprentice. That could be as high as £45.38 per hour if you own a limited company.

Can you make good money being a gardener?

There’s potential to make good money as a gardener, particularly if you go self-employed with your own gardening business. The average self-employed gardener salary for a sole trader gardener is £51,626.40. While a gardener salary in the UK if you own a limited company is around £66,937.32 per year.