How much does Garden maintenance Cost?

We all delight in a beautifully kept garden filled with flowers and manicured lawns. But whether an extravagant residential acreage, commercial landscaping or the backyard next door, gardening is a laborious, dirty and time-consuming chore. As we bring the outdoors in to boost our living quarters, the need for gardening services and gardening maintenance are greater than ever. 

Unlike landscaping, gardening is simply tidying up or improving your current garden. Gardening duties are labour intensive and often require specialist tools. There are also the special touches to improve our gardens along with the clippings and waste removal. Include the value landscaped gardens financially adds to our properties, and a gardener becomes an underestimated though excellent investment. 

The average cost for a gardener per hour varies, depending upon the task and area size of your garden. With so many services and the specialist tools they require – the better the tool, the more efficient the gardener - costs can be between $50 to $220 per hour. 

Hiring a gardener is a lifestyle necessity when we are time-poor and lacking in the skills, equipment and energy. From seasonal landscaping maintenance to one-off jobs for bond cleans or regular lawn care service, it is not at all difficult to understand why gardeners charge what they do. The value they bring to our peace of mind, family and property is beyond measure - not to mention saving on our time. 

Common Inclusions in Gardening

Your Gardener is likely to include some or all of the following services

Lawn Mowing

Mowing lawns may also include edging and clippings removal. The price varies depending on the size of the lawn and how overgrown the grass might be for the type of mower needed or amount of clippings to be removed.

Weeding

While a simple service covering the removal of weeds from garden beds and lawns, prices can vary depending upon how deep rooted weeds are, if weed spray is needed and the type of weed spray required.

Pruning & Hedging

Regular maintenance to prune and trim trees, plants, shrubbery, hedges, topiary and bushes help keep their shape, while removing dying or diseased foliage and branches stimulate new shoots and growth. Prices can vary depending on the numbers or length of hedges, their size and the complexity of their trimming and pruning.

Lawn Care Service

Services can include lawn mowing, watering, edging, leaf blowing, whipper snipping, hoeing and clippings removal. The price varies depending upon the size of the lawn, whether it’s hilly or not and how much debris has collected for the type of mower and tools required to efficiently complete the task.

General Garden Clean & Maintenance 

From one-off big cleans to a change in season, the stormy aftermath of mother nature or regular upkeep, services can include watering, pruning, trimming, weeding, fertilising, mulching, slashing and clearing of garden rubbish. Regular maintenance can also extend to seeding. The price varies depending upon the area, whether it’s overgrown and how much debris has collected with the tools required – from wheel barrows to specialist power planters to efficiently complete the task.
 

Garden Improvements

For those extra special touches and installations to elevate our outdoor areas, services can include planting, garden seat and planter box installations, seeding, turf laying and turf repair. As these require a little more technical skill and time, the price depends upon the complexity of the job and the specialist tools required to efficiently complete the task.

Different gardeners include different services within their package and prices may vary accordingly. Travel and set up costs may also be a factor. Depending on which services are included in the package you purchase, how often you require their service from a one-off to regular maintenance, the terrain, and the tools needed to perform the job, you might pay more or less than average.

Factors that Affect Gardeners’ Prices

Aside from service packages, other factors also affect costs of gardeners.

Area Size & Terrain

Extensive hilly gardens difficult to access will typically cost more than smaller spaces with flat terrains, though smaller jobs still have to factor in costs for travel and set up. How long jobs take largely dictates what gardener’s charge. 

Conditions & Collected Debris

If a great deal of debris has gathered or the area is overgrown with tools required to saw, lop and clear the area, charges will typically cost more than an area that is fairly clear or well maintained. This may be due to the equipment required, the labour and time involved with the amount of clippings and waste for removal.

Types of Plants 

Exotic and flowering plants may require more fertilising, weeding and pruning attention as opposed to deciduous or native shrubs which are sturdier and require less care. On the other hand, native plants during autumn may cause more detritus and waste while topiary during winter allows for less litter. Costs can vary according to any of these factors.

Equipment & Material 

Extra special jobs and installations requiring design, technical skills and hard labour will vary in costs. Generally, gardeners’ rates include the labour and use of equipment to complete the job. But if an expensive weed spray, mulch or materials to build garden beds and seats are required, these may incur additional costs as they are unlikely to be included in the standard rates. 

Difficulty & Number of Tasks

How many services and labour intensive they are will influence costs. Removing weeds will not be as expensive as pruning a topiary or a package of services such as lawn services care, with specialist services requiring a higher charge.

Change of Seasons 

The upkeep and care for gardens, shrubs and plants may vary according to season. During winter, gardens are less likely to require any attention, while a wet summer may encourage more foilage growth and demands upon gardeners with less availability to perform jobs.

Change of State 

Services differ from state to state. This is due to the varied climates, standards of living, expanse in areas to maintain and demand around the country. The cost of gardening services in NSW, VIC and QLD will vary greatly to those in Tasmania.

Example Pricing by Gardening Services

Gardeners generally have similar rates within the trade industry, but gardening services may be required far more than, say, a plumber or electrician. This is simply because a well maintained garden requires more care and attention than a faucet or circuit. And rightfully so, when it’s just as much - if not more – of a financial investment.

Now you are aware of the available gardening services and which factors impact the pricing for these services, let’s look at average gardening prices in Australia, broken down by service and area.

Lawn Mowing. As a singular service, lawn moving can vary between $50 - $100.

Weeding. Another singular service, the average cost of weeding is between $60 - $120.

Pruning & Trimming. Also considered a fairly singular service that requires more time and labour, pruning and trimming hedges, shrubs and trees can cost between $75 - $175.

Lawn Care. Lawn care generally involves a package of services requiring more time, effort, care and tools with costs between $50 - $100.

General Garden Clean & Maintenance. Also a package of services, general garden cleaning and maintenance costs between $60 - $150.

Garden Planting. As a skilled service, garden planting costs between $71 - $150.

Garden Improvements. With labour-intensive services, materials and installations requiring more technical skills, a variety of garden improvements such as turf laying can start from $100 with skills such as a garden seat installation starting at $300.

Airtasker can connect you with a host of Gardeners. Simply post your task, suggest a fair budget, and select a top-rated Gardener to start. You can view candidates’ profiles before selecting someone, and your payment doesn’t get released until the job is complete and you’re satisfied.

Gardeners offer convenience, as well as more personalised, one-on-one attention to your needs. Airtasker can connect you with some of the best gardeners near you. Ready to get started?