Landscaper
Landscapers create and maintain gardens, parks and other outdoor areas.
Also known as: Landscape gardener, landscape designer
- Starter salary£26,000 a year
- Experienced£38,000 a year
- Typical hours38 to 42 a week
- Green jobPotential
What you'll do
As a landscaper, you could:
- prepare sites for landscaping, using tools and machinery
- work from a plan made by a garden designer or landscape architect
- plant flowers, shrubs and trees, order supplies and sow lawns
- build paths, walls, water features and rock gardens
- advise clients on how to look after their green spaces
Working environment
You could work in a garden, at a client's business, at a client's home or at a garden centre.
Your working environment may be physically demanding and outdoors in all weathers.
You may need to wear protective clothing.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to work well with others
- physical skills like lifting, bending and carrying
- customer service skills
- ambition and a desire to succeed
- physical fitness and endurance
- the ability to work well with your hands
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to become a landscaper
You can get into this job through:
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- applying directly
- a specialist training course
College
You could take a college course to get some of the skills you might need as a landscaper. For example:
- practical horticulture
- landscape construction
- T Level in Agriculture, Land Management and Production
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:
- Horticulture or Landscape Construction Operative Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
- Horticulture or Landscaping Supervisor Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
These take between 2 and 3 years to complete.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Work
You could start as an assistant landscaper with a company and work your way up through training and promotion.
It might be helpful to have some related work experience when you apply for jobs.
Direct application
There are no set requirements to be a landscaper. Most employers will expect you to have some knowledge and experience in gardening or horticulture.
Other routes
You could take a course with The Royal Horticultural Society to learn more about the industry or do a qualification that may help you to get a job.
Career path and progression
With experience you could:
- do a Horticulture and Landscaping Technical Manager Level 5 Higher Apprenticeship to progress into a management role
- become a landscape supervisor or landscape manager
- set up your own landscaping business
- specialise in landscape design
- train future landscapers at a land-based college or training provider
Professional and industry bodies
You can apply to become a member of the British Association of Landscape Industries for professional development.
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleGardener
- Job roleLandscape architect
- Job roleHorticultural worker
- Job roleGroundsperson
- Job roleHorticultural manager
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