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Last updated: 3 January 2025
Landscape tools to benefit your gardening or landscaping business
As a landscaper or gardener, there are a number of tools to have at your disposal. In this article, we look at the essential landscape tools list and look at how you could make great savings as a Checkatrade member.
As a professional gardener or landscaping specialist, you know better than anyone which landscape tools work better for certain tasks.
With such a varied and diverse array of jobs, it pays to have a wide selection of tools at your disposal. Different tasks require different equipment, so this article looks at a broad range of options.
Something to be aware of is that Checkatrade members make great savings on business essentials like tools, materials and workwear.
Did you know? In 2024 alone, there wereover 475,000 job searches with Checkatrade for landscaping jobs.* That’s a good level of consumer interest to get stuck into!
Now onto the tools…
Essential landscape tools list
As a skilled tradesperson, you know what a difference it makes to have the right tools at your disposal. Whatever the job, you never know what could happen unexpectedly.
Tough roots? Big stones? Customer changing their mind? Maybe even former foundations or building work?
Whatever the challenge, it pays to have a broad array of landscape tools to hand. Either in your immediate toolkit, or safely stored in your van.
Some of the basics to have at your disposal include:
Spade
Fork
Wheelbarrow
Gardening shears
Strimmer
Hedge trimmer
Chainsaw
Rakes
Lawnmower
Leaf blower
Aerator
Trowels and other hand tools
Bucket
Edging tool
Tiller
Auger
Obviously it helps to understand the nature of a job before you turn up with your tools. If you’re going to trim hedges, you probably won’t have much need for an aerator or tiller.
However, having access to a wider selection of landscape tools means that you’re well prepared for the “can you just…” requests of customers.
That covers the essential tools. But what about your work clothes?
What do landscapers wear to work?
As a landscaper, your clothes need to be hard-wearing and practical, so that you can work in any conditions. That could mean anything from dealing with rainy weather and mud to protecting yourself from sharp thorns or dangerous pesticides. It’s always worth investing in decent equipment to make sure
Are there landscaping tools that require training?
When becoming a gardener or landscape specialist, you will probably have gone through some sort of formal training.
However, ‘every day is a school day’ as the saying goes, and so it makes sense to keep training, even after you qualify.
Most landscaping tools don’t require formal training, however, with power tools and other plant machinery, it makes sense to be shown by a training professional. If nothing else, there are additional risks and hazards that you need to be aware of.
College or university courses should go through some of the basics, but you may also want to consider:
TASK Academy for Land Based Learning
LearnDirect Landscaping Courses
Fencing and Construction Training (FaCT) Level 3 Landscape Supervisors Qualification
Register of Land-based Operations (ROLO) courses
H&W Training Academies
There are also a range of training courses available through LANTRA, a leading training body for land-based industries in the UK.
Get more work for your landscaping business
Find more leads for landscape work in your local area
Professional landscaping tools for larger projects
As a landscape gardener, there are often projects that take a larger team to carry out. You may even need to subcontract work in order to speed up the job.
For larger jobs, the standard list of landscaping tools may not always be enough to carry out the work.
In those instances, it may be worth having access to other tools. Even if through a hire firm for a short period of time.
That could include:
Groundworking tools (such as small diggers)
Cement mixer (for brick-built barbecues or paving)
Levelling plate (for flattening the ground)
Pressure washers (to clean new or existing paving)
Power saws (for custom shaped woodwork)
However, with professional landscaping tools for larger projects, it is worth noting that you could probably address them on a job-by-job basis.
Make sure to factor in any additional costs, such as equipment hire, when pricing up the job before work commences.
How to price landscaping jobs
The importance of correct landscape pricing For anyone remotely in the landscaping business, you’re probably aware of how varied the work can be. From simple maintenance of existing gardens to a full redesign, landscaping projects can get complicated. But this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After
Landscape design tools
As a landscaper however, you know that not all jobs require a physical touch. Like with interior designers, landscape design is often a part of your job.
That means it is helpful to get familiar with landscape design drawing tools to help you plot projects for your customers.
Options include:
Traditional drawing tools – including paper, compasses, set squares and architect scale - naturally this requires some artistic skill
Landscape design templates – scaled garden elements that can be copied or traced onto hand drawn landscape design plans
SmartDraw - design software
Punch! Software - realistic 3D design tool
SketchUp Pro - 3D modelling and visualisation software
Land F/X - CAD, plant spacing calculator and scheduling assistant
PRO Landscape - photo imaging, proposal generator and lighting design
RoomSketcher - floor plan and layout planning
Vectorworks Landmark - panoramas and 360 walkthroughs
Rhino 3D Modelling - creates complex 3D models for larger projects
With a vast array of landscape design tools on offer, it is worth doing your homework.
Unless you’re more familiar with design software, the traditional route of paper and pencil is the more reliable method to explore.
Get your landscape tools for less as a Checkatrade member
Having the right tools to hand makes it easier to carry out certain tasks as a landscape gardener.
But by joining Checkatrade, you could save on your essential landscaping equipment thanks to our partnerships and exclusive trade discounts.
With your Checkatrade membership, you can get your landscape gardener tools for less via:
Plus, we offer wide variety of other benefits. Simply log in to our Member’s Area to see the current list of offers and discounts.
Checkatrade members get more for their money
Our members save ££££s every year on business essentials
* Internal search data from users of the Checkatrade.com website in 2024
