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More and more people are employing the services of a garden maintenance company meaning that your garden will always look its best with minimal effort from the homeowner – leaving them free to enjoy a beautiful professionally done garden. If you are short of time, hiring a gardener to undertake common gardening duties can help prolong the life of your lawn and improve the aesthetics of your home.

What Does a Gardener Do?

A gardener provides services similar to a landscaper, but on a smaller scale. A gardener’s job, essentially, is to care for plants. Some people garden as a hobby, while others, such as landscape gardeners or groundskeepers, garden for a living. Gardeners are hired by individuals, as well as businesses, apartment complexes and parks to care for plants, trees and shrubs.

What Services are Provided by a Gardener?

1. Lawn Mowing

Lawn Mowing is typically done on a weekly or fortnightly basis in the active growing seasons and less often in winters. Lawn mowing may include trimming edges on each cut, on every second or third cut, or a "quality cut" service, for top quality lawns using top quality cylinder mowers. It can also include a basic cutting service using standard rotary type mower. If you don't have the necessary gardening supplies, it would be safer to hiring a gardener.

2. Pruning and Trimming

To help plants promote growth and also to help maintain their shape, it is important to regularly prune and trim hedges, trees, shrubs and bushes. A gardener can be hired to provide regular tree pruning and trimming services, to keep your garden looking its best. This service may be provided as part of a routine maintenance contract which you attend to every week, fortnight or month.

3. Tree lopping and Tree Surgery

Tree lopping is removal of unwanted branches from trees which might be dangerous getting too close to the building. This requires special equipment and skills to do this safely and properly. Tree surgery is a more specialised area of tree work requiring more skill and experience than tree lopping.

4. Weed Control

Weeding is a necessary service of garden maintenance as the weeds take the nutrients from the plants and sometimes  result in the plants dying. It can be a one off job, more commonly part of a regular maintenance contract. It may involve chemical weed control (spraying) or other methods (e.g. hand weeding and also involves identification and spraying to control pests and diseases. An experienced garden will be able to advise on the best way to remove weeds from your garden and assist in their removal. 

5. Rubbish Removal and Garden Cleanup

If your garden is littered with debris or other incidents, leaf collection etc, it can seem like a mission to clean it up. A rubbish remover can assist by removing all rubbish and debris from your garden and recycle it if possible. To find a service in your area see garden maintenance.

Other Services

- Sourcing and supplying
- Complete garden renovation and clearance
- Garden consulting, advice and coaching
- Garden lighting
- Visual pest and disease identification
- Garden management, maintenance schedules, directing garden labourers
- Waste removal
- Applying preservatives to wooden structures
- Garden edging
- Tree and shrub removal
- Minor landscaping
- Pest treatments
- Garden shed building
- Edge trimming
- Mulching, etc

Choosing the Right Gardener

Many gardeners work on an individual basis. Find gardeners in your area by seeking referrals from friends, family and associates. Be sure to interview potential candidates thoroughly, and view some of their work if possible. When hiring a gardener, it is important to ask about their experience and inquire as to their education.

How Much Does a Garden Maintenance Cost?

Garden maintenance services have an hourly rate which will depend on the location and the service involved. Depending on your region, you will be expected to pay $40 an hour. If you opt for a basic service like trimming, the cost would be lesser than more comprehensive services such as lawn mowing, fertilizing or tree lopping. You will typically also be given a flat rate for regular monthly visits.