How much do gardeners earn?

Being a gardener is a great trade to get into. Not only will you get to work outdoors, but you’ll benefit from being able to carry out a huge range of work, from weeding, mowing and trimming to installing larger projects. But how much do gardeners earn?

Whether you’re brand new to the trade, a seasoned pro looking to go self-employed or a gardening business owner hoping to expand, this guide is for you. Here, we’ll break down exactly how much money gardeners make at different stages of their career.

Gardener average salary UK

In the UK, the average gardener salary ranges from £9,271.68 for an apprentice, to £66,937.32 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, including your location, level of experience and how many jobs you complete each year.

How much money 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 won’t be 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: £9,271.68 per year (£9,138.76 take home)
• Newly qualified gardener: £18,297.52 per year (£15,935.99 take home)
• Employed gardener: £29,536.00 per year (£23,578.16 take home)

How much can a gardener earn per week?

If you’re wondering how much a gardener working for a company can earn per week, we’ve broken it all down for you here.

• Gardener’s apprentice: £211.20 per week
• Newly qualified gardener: £416.80 per week
• Employed gardener: £568.00 per week

How much do gardeners earn per hour?

Here’s how much you can expect to earn per hour if you’re a gardener working for a company.

• Gardener’s apprentice: £5.28 per hour
• Newly qualified gardener: £10.42 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 get away with charging much more.

Head gardener salary UK

A head gardener manages all the aspects of a garden (usually for a private estate or historic garden), which often includes other members of staff.

As a head gardener, you’ll be highly trained and at the top of your field, so you’ll generally get paid more than the average employed gardener, who can expect to receive a yearly salary of £29,536.00 per year (£23,578.16 take home).

Having said that, your earning potential will typically still be less than that of a self-employed gardener. This brings us onto…

How much do self-employed gardeners earn?

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

With that in mind, it’s probably no surprise that self-employed gardeners earn the highest amounts.

If you’re starting a gardening business, you’ll need to choose whether to run it as a sole trader or as a limited company. Limited company owners have the very 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 will be able to help. You can also check out our dedicated blog that provides a lowdown on the topic.

Should I be a sole trader or limited company?

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 (£34,113.63* take home)
• Gardening limited company owner: £66,937.32 per year (£43,603.55* take home)

However, exactly how much you can earn will depend on your location, how much you charge, any specialisms and how many jobs you win each year.

Self-employed gardener hourly rate

As a self-employed gardener, you’ll be able to pick your own hourly rate. However, you’ll also need to make sure you remain competitive, so that you can attract and retain clients. Here are the average self-employed gardener hourly rates.

• Sole trader gardener: £35.00 per hour
• Gardening limited company owner: £45.38 per hour

Set your hours and pay by starting your own gardening business

Ready to start your own gardening business? Our ‘Become the Boss’ series will help you to do so with just 7 emails!

You’ll get an email a day with actionable tips from fellow tradespeople who were once in your position. That’s 7 emails in total (with a bonus thrown in for fun!), plus a free business strategy call. And at the end of it all, you’ll be the founder of your very own gardening business!

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How to boost your gardening business profit

If you’re only just getting your gardening business off the ground, this may seem like a way off. But it’s only a matter of time before you start wanting to grow your gardening business profit! Here are some tips to try.

Invest in marketing

First things first, it really does pay to invest in marketing. After all, marketing your business is a vital part of attracting new clients. And it can even help you to retain existing ones!

A few ideas for marketing your gardening business include:

• Print posters, flyers and business cards
• Get van vinyls
• Build a website
• Get found on search engines using SEO
• Try digital advertising
• Use social media

Our guide to growing your trade business has more ideas and a free download.

How to grow your trade business in 2023 – Free guide included

Review how much you charge

It’s really important that you charge enough to cover your costs (things like van insurance, fuel and gardening supplies) and more. So, be sure to review your hourly rate to check that it’s working for you.

It may even be worth considering charging by other means if you think it would be more profitable for you. For instance, if you mow lawns, you might decide to charge per square foot or square metre rather than per hour.

If you’re taking jobs that are a fair distance from your base, you’ll spend more on things like fuel. While we often advise limiting these jobs, there are ways to make them more worthwhile, such as adding on a travel fee for jobs that are further afield.

Consider what services to offer

A vital part of setting up and growing your business is deciding what services you’d like to offer. As a gardener, you can charge much more for some services than others. So, it’s worth bearing in mind your profit margins when you decide what gardening services you want to provide, and reviewing this regularly to focus more on those high-profit jobs.

Just a few of the services you could consider include:

• Lawn, hedge and plant maintenance (including mowing, weeding and trimming)
• Planting trees and flowers
• Cutting down trees
• Adding, maintaining and mending broken ponds and water features
• Installing, maintaining and fixing patios and decking
• Installing and maintaining sheds and summerhouses
• Designing and installing new garden ideas

Gardening is a trade that gives you the scope to specialise, so consider whether there’s a gap in the market for certain gardening services in your area. This would give you a clear USP, which will be valuable in allowing you to quickly attract clients.

Reduce your expenditure

Boosting your gardening business profits isn’t just about increasing your revenue. It’s also about reducing your expenditure, so that you get to pocket more of your earnings!

First things first, try to avoid taking on debt where possible, as credit card bills and loan repayments can quickly add up.

You’ll also want to make sure you shop around to find the best deals on things like tools, workwear and van insurance. Luckily, Checkatrade members get exclusive offers on all these things with our partner brands, allowing them to save hundreds of pounds! Which brings us onto…

Join Checkatrade!

Perhaps the best way to increase your gardening business profits is by joining Checkatrade. But don’t just take our word for it. Read Ali’s story to find out how Checkatrade helped him grow his gardening business.

Ali’s story to starting up his business

As a Checkatrade member, you’ll be visible to thousands of homeowners looking for gardening services every year. You’ll also benefit from the ‘tick people trust,’ which will help you to win more of the jobs you quote for.

FAQs

How much are gardeners paid in the UK?

Gardener earnings in the UK vary depending on your level of experience, location and the way you’re employed. Salaries tend to start at £9,271.68 per year for an apprentice, but there’s good potential to earn more with some experience under your belt or by going self-employed.

Can you make good money being a gardener?

There’s potential to make very good money as a gardener, particularly if you go self-employed and set up your own gardening business. The average take-home salary for a sole trader gardener is £34,113.63*, while a gardening limited company owner could earn around £43,603.55* take home.

What is the average wage of a gardener?

That depends on the gardener’s level of experience. However, the average salary for an employed gardener is £29,536.00 per year.