How Much Does a Gardener Cost in 2025?
Most gardeners charge by the hour. Hourly fees can range from around £15 - £25 per hour for a general gardener and between £30 and £45 per hour for specialist or London gardeners.
Labour rates are also determined by the area and size of the firm you choose. For example, large companies in the North of England tend to charge roughly £20 - £35 per hour, while a medium-sized garden maintenance company or specialist (especially in London) may charge up to £45 per hour.
Maintaining the appearance of your outdoor space throughout the year is highly important, yet we frequently lack the time, energy, or experience to do it.
If you're looking to invest in a garden renovation, it's best to know how much a gardener will cost before you employ one.
Gardener prices are typically higher in London compared to other parts of the UK.
Cost of Regular Garden Maintenance Work
Regular garden maintenance costs vary greatly depending on where you live, the size of your garden, the quantity of work necessary.
The average hourly rate for a gardener is between £15 to £25 per hour for regular work, and around £30 to £45 for a specialist or gardener based in London (due to the higher cost of living). Tree surgery may require someone even more experienced, which could cost more.
Mowing, weeding, and trimming are all considered regular gardening work.
You'll normally be charged an hourly fee for more groomed work or a one-time clean-up, with most professional gardeners charging in the range of £150 to £300 per day, while those based in London or with specialist skills often charging higher rates.
There are many different types of gardening work, so gardening fees can vary by quite a lot.
Gardener Prices
The table below shows the average gardening costs:
| Job Description | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Lawn Mowing | £15 - £40 per hour |
| Cutting hedges | £40 - £60 per hour |
| Pruning and weeding | £20 - £80 per hour |
| Laying turf | £10 - £30 per m2 |
| Laying decking | £40 - £110 per m2 |
| Tree stump removal | £60 - £80 per hour |
| Artificial grass installation | £50 – £65 per m2 |
| Installing garden fences | £500 – £1,000 |
| Installing a pond | £500 – £2,000 |
As with any garden work, there may be some significant garden waste, particularly if you are having your garden cleaned up for the first time in a while.
This means you may need to factor in the cost of garden clearance and waste removal. This can range from around £100-£300, depending on the amount of waste.
How Long Do Gardener Jobs Take?
The timescale for gardening depends on the type of the job. The cost of a job will also vary based on the amount of time it takes to complete it.
Small gardens, for example, can take anywhere from 3 to 6 hours to complete, while a large garden can take up to 2 days. Here we will discuss the different timescales of the different jobs.
To have a tradesperson come in and mow your lawn will take around 30 minutes – 2 hours, depending on the size of the garden and the state your garden is in.
Cutting hedges can take 4 hours or up to a day to finish depending the extent that need work. Likewise with pruning and weeding, this can take a whole day or in some cases even longer.
For a general clearance, it would take 2 hours or up to 1 day depending on the size and the amount of removal needed. A tree stump removal can take 4 hours or up to 1 day depending on the type of tree or the thickness of the stump.
To install artificial grass, it can take anywhere from 1 day up to a week to finish. To fit a garden fence, it can take up to 1 to 3 days depending on the number of fences being fitted and the size of the garden.
The information on the timescales of the different jobs is included in the table below.
| Job | Timescale |
|---|---|
| Lawn mowing | 30 minutes – 2 hours |
| Cutting hedges | 4 hours – 1 day |
| Pruning and weeding | 1 – 2 days |
| Laying turf | 1 – 3 days |
| Laying decking | 1 – 2 days |
| Cleaning | 2 hours – 1 day |
| Tree stump removal | 4 hours – 1 day |
| Artificial grass | 1 – 7 days |
| Installing garden fences | 1 – 3 days |
| Installing a pond | 1 – 8 days |
How Much Do Gardeners Charge for Different Jobs?
Here we will go through the different types of jobs and what they involve.
Landscaping Costs
Landscaping refers to the planning, creation, and maintenance of an entire garden.
As well as laying out plants and bedding, common landscaping and design tasks also include turfing (£150–£850), decking (£1,000–£9,000), fencing (£500–£1,000), garden walls (£920–£1,900), and installing a shed (£700–£1,000).
Larger gardens require regular maintenance such as grass cutting, leaf clearing, weeding, watering, hedge trimming, pruning, and cleaning patios and driveways.
Hedge Trimming Costs
hedge removal, trimming and pruning are all jobs a regular gardener would be expected to help carry out. Although unless you simply want everything cut back, they will most likely ask how much you wish to be cut off before starting.
Hedge removal typically costs between £100 and £425, depending on the size. Prices also vary by length, starting around £125 for a 10-metre hedge and rising to about £325 for 40 metres.
Weed Removal Cost
A professional gardener will weed your garden by applying a separate weed killers, one for the grass and a different one to your garden path.
They will then return to clear the remains of the weeds, being careful not to dig too deep as this could harm the soil. Depending on the state of the garden and the time of year, they will repeat this operation every three months or so.
In most cases, the cost of weed removal is covered in the hourly or daily rate at no extra charge.
Tree Stump Removal Cost
Tree stump removal may seem like a simple task but there is usually a lot more going on under the surface than you realise. This is where a professional can help.
To hire someone to remove a single tree stump using a conventional removal method, it would cost on average between £150 to £320 depending on the size and depth of the stump. Again, prices will also vary depending on access and location.
A tree surgeon can also help with general tree maintenance such as tree trimming and tree pruning. Labour costs for tree trimming start from £250 while tree pruning costs start from £110.
Garden Edging Costs
Garden edging is the process of constructing a border around your grass or flowers to improve the appearance of your garden, the maintaining of which is a regular job for a standard gardener.
However, any garden waste created with this type of project may come at an additional cost if you would like the gardener to remove it. 50kg of garden waste on average costs £7 - £10 to be removed. Alternatively, if you are having edging done as part of a bigger project you may wish to hire a skip with prices starting at £70.
Grass Cutting Costs
Cutting grass can often be a chore many homeowners do not enjoy, especially if you have a large lawned area. Hiring a gardener to come and cut your grass regularly keeps your lawn looking great without the hassle.
If you have a regular garden, this will also normally be included within your agreed cost per visit (or pay per hour). Although, if you are charged separately, then costs are usually around £20 per 100m², with a typical fortnightly mowing service costing about £30 for an average-sized lawn.
Laying Woodchip Costs
Wood chips can be used to keep weeds at bay while also improving the aesthetic of your landscape. To spread wood chips effectively, a gardener should first remove any grass or weeds from the area, then smooth over the soil once they're gone.
To prevent weed growth, landscape cloth will be laid on top of the soil. Spread wood chips around flower beds, trees, and plants in the soil. After that, place the wood chips on top of the fabric, ensuring that there is at least a 3- to 4-inch layer.
After that, the wood chips will be spaced out, with at least a 6-inch spacing between trees and shrubs and 2 to 3 inches between plants. They can then be raked to ensure that they are smooth and level, before being lightly tapped in place with a shovel.
Laying Turf Costs
The cost of laying turf can vary based on garden size and preparation work.
If your garden is uneven or on a slope you may want to have your garden levelled out before you lay your turf. Depending on how much work is involved this can be a costly process but the outcome of having more usable space could mean it is a worthwhile investment.
You can expect to pay between £1,000 to £2,000 for levelling an average-sized garden that is flatter and not too uneven. If you have a steep garden, it will require a lot of digging work and will cost up to £5,000 - £7,000.
Laying Artificial Grass Costs
Instead of real turf, you may prefer an artificial grass installation, in which case you'll need a contractor to remove any existing turf and ensure a level and sturdy surface is prepared. After that, a weed killer should be sprayed on the area, followed by the installation of a weed membrane.
Installing a 30m² artificial grass lawn typically costs between £1,650 and £1,800 (This works out to around £55 to £60 per m², including materials and labour). Although it can also depend on factors such as access, the condition of the existing ground and the amount of waste produced during installation. Costs may also be higher if you opt for a premium-grade product.
Specialised Garden Work Costs
In some cases, you may be interested in a more specialised type of gardening work, such as Japanese knotweed removal. This is a very difficult job that will require a certain level of skill and knowledge to complete.
With this in mind, you will have to hire specialists to carry out this type of work. You can expect this to cost around £500-£2,000, depending on the size of the affected area.
FAQs
Q: What is a landscape gardener?
A: Landscape gardeners are the creative and practical workhorses who construct functional and beautiful gardens for a wide range of clients, including local governments, universities, private businesses, and individual customers.
Briefing and design are the two key elements of a landscape gardener's creative process. They plant a variety of trees, bushes, flowers, shrubs, and other flora.
It's not all about the plants for a landscape gardener. They'll also be skilled in erecting fences, gazebos, decking, and patio slab placement. They might even oversee adding lighting, furniture, and other finishing touches to the garden.
Q: Do gardeners need insurance?
A: Gardeners' public liability insurance protects a gardener and the homeowner if they injure someone or damage property while gardening. It's one of several types of insurance that gardeners should think about.
Q: What is garden maintenance?
A: Garden maintenance entails taking care of your garden, which usually involves frequent grass cutting, weeding, watering, fertilising, and jet-washing your pathway.
The tasks will differ depending on the nature and size of your garden, since some may feature food plants that need to be cared for, while others may have no plants at all.
Q: Are landlords responsible for garden maintenance?
A: Garden upkeep responsibilities in rental residences are usually included in the conditions of the tenancy agreement.
Some landlords may offer garden maintenance, and are therefore responsible for upkeep, while others may not. As a result, it is the tenant's responsibility to look after their garden and, if necessary, hire a gardener.
Q: How do you get quotes for garden work?
A: Before choosing the perfect gardener, you should always get at least three quotes. A gardener would most likely need to visit your home and evaluate your garden before presenting you with a quote. Always get written quotations and a cost breakdown so you can make an accurate comparison for each aspect of the gardening jobs.
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