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- Often physically demanding work, requiring basic gardening knowledge
- Create a relationship with clients to assess their ultimate goal, whether an outdoor garden or interior space
- Work either at a garden centre, at a client's business or client's home
As a landscaper, you'll have a hands-on role in the creation of new outdoor and indoor spaces which work with nature and the environment.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Discuss clients' needs
- Work from plans made by garden designers or landscape architects
- Order supplies
- Prepare the ground or interior space
- Turf and seed lawns
- Plant and prune trees and shrubs
- Put in new plants
- Install features like paving, paths, water features and rock gardens
- Advise the client on how to look after the space
- Provide on-going maintenance
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
Self-employed landscapers can set their own rates. You could work at a garden centre, at a client's business, or at a client's home. You'll spend a lot of time outdoors, in all weathers, unless you're working in interior areas, so you'll usually need protective clothing.
You'll need
To become a landscaper, you'll need thoroughness and attention to detail, patience in stressful situations, the ability to work well with others, physical skills like working well with your hands and good co-ordination, customer service skills, and sensitivity and understanding.
There are no formal requirements to be a landscaper, but most employers prefer you to have some horticulture knowledge and experience.
You can gain useful skills by doing a college course in horticulture.
You could get this job through a horticulture and landscape operative intermediate apprenticeship, which has the option to do either horticulture, or landscape construction. Then you could move onto a landscape supervisor advanced apprenticeship as you gain experience.
You could start as an assistant landscaper and work your way up. Related work experience can help you to get an assistant job.
The Royal Horticultural Society offers courses which are suitable if you want to learn more about gardening, or if you want qualifications to help you get a job in horticulture.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you could progress to a supervisory or management position, or become a self-employed contractor. You could also move into a teaching role.