Gardener - Career Advice - Houses and Buildings

Houses & Buildings

Garden Labourer
Landscape Gardener

Related Jobs or Working with these Jobs

Gardeners are responsible for the care of public and private parks and gardens. They plant and care for trees, shrubs, flower beds and lawns, and may also look after other open spaces, such as sportsfields, Future Growth Strong roadside verges, and the garden areas surrounding buildings. They carry out general maintenance of these areas, which may involve laying turf, cutting grass, trimming hedges, and keeping specific areas tidy and free of weeds. They may construct fencing, lay pathways and reticulation, and may even carry out concreting or brickwork.

ANZSCO description: 362211: Plants, cultivates and maintains parks and gardens.

Alternative names: Horticultural Worker

Specialisations: Landscape Gardener, Nursery Assistant (Horticultural Assistant)

Gardener examining plant
(Source: NZ Govt)

Knowledge, skills and attributes

Gardeners need:

to have a love of nature and the outdoors

physical fitness and the ability to undertake manual labour

knowledge about plants and the environment

good organisational skills

to be practical and have good problem-solving skills

the ability to operate light machinery or heavy vehicles

Did You Know?

In 2018 Camden teenager was named Australia's next top gardener

Jai Cooper (13 years old in 2018) was named Yates Gardening Australia's Next Top Gardener.

Jai volunteers at the Camden Community Garden. He also helps out with gardening maintenance at his school.
(Source: Wollondilly Advertiser)

Duties and Tasks

Gardeners undertake a number of different tasks which could include:

raising plants from seeds or cuttings

digging, planting and weeding flower beds and borders

pruning shrubs

checking the health of plants by identifying any pests or diseases and controlling them

applying nutrients to plants and maintaining moisture levels

using machinery such as lawn mowers and hedge trimmers

maintaining high levels of presentation in public parks and gardens

cleaning and maintaining tools and equipment.

You could also be involved in designing planting schemes for gardens, including positioning plants so they work well together, matching plant sizes and planting so that flowers or shrubs come into leaf or bloom at different times.

As a gardener you could be working on gardens in a wide variety of settings, such as:

private gardens
green spaces around office buildings
street plant displays
public parks and community gardens
botanical gardens.

If you work in a garden that is open to the public you might also answer questions from visitors or lead garden walks / talks.

Working conditions

Gardeners work outside all year round in hot, cold, dry, wet and windy conditions. They may also spend time in glasshouses or nurseries, and may occasionally work from an office. They often handle plants, soil and manures, and their work is often dirty. They usually only work during daylight hours.

Tools and technologies

Gardeners use tools, such as shovels, spades, pitchforks and hoes. They may also use gardening-related light machinery, such as hedge trimmers, rotavators, mowers, leafblowers and chainsaws. They are sometimes required to treat plants with chemicals and sprays, and may need to wear protective clothing.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You can work as a gardener without any formal qualifications and get training on the job. However, entry into this occupation may be improved by obtaining a qualification in horticulture. The Certificate II and III in Horticulture or Certificate III in Horticulture (Parks and Gardens) are offered at TAFE Colleges and other registered training organisations throughout Australia.

You can also complete an apprenticeship or traineeship. The horticulture traineeship takes 12 months to complete and is available as a school-based traineeship.

The gardener apprenticeship takes 36 months to complete and is available as a school-based apprenticeship.

Did You Know?

Industry Jargon

COTTAGE GARDEN
Informal garden containing flowering plants, often alongside herbs and vegetable patches. These typically require regular watering, putting them out of favour in drought-affected parts of Australia.

(Source: ABC)

NATIVE GARDEN
Comprising indigenous plants adapted to Australian conditions, native gardens require less watering than cottage gardens, and are popular due to water restrictions.

(Source: Australian Outdoor Living)

WATER RESTRICTIONS
Water restrictions are introduced gradually, depending on degree of water depletion in key catchment areas. Adherence relies on householder goodwill and neighbourly monitoring.
(Source: IBISWorld)

Houses & Buildings

Landscape gardeners plan all aspects of a garden: plants and structures (walls, ponds, trellises etc.) to make a complete and effective ecosystem. They may be involved in choosing plants, preparing the Future Growth Strong ground, installing irrigation, planting shrubs, bulbs, flowers and trees. They may also be engaged in weeding, fertilising, pruning and general maintenance of gardens, structures and irrigation systems. They need to be able to combine their extensive knowledge of plants with their manual skills to create the garden the client requires.

Landscapers create and maintain gardens, parks, and outdoor open and recreational spaces such as playgrounds and commercial courtyards.

ANZSCO description: ID: 362213: Plans and constructs garden landscapes.

Alternative names: Gardener, Landscape Workers, Landscaping Worker, Landscaper.

Specialisations: Horticulturist, Parks Specialist

Knowledge, skills and attributes

A landscape gardener needs:

to be able to work outdoors in all kinds of weather conditions

to be fit and able to carry out manual and heavy work

to be unaffected by allergies to chemicals and plants

to enjoy hard, physical work

to be able to work flexible hours

to be able to work in a team.

Landscape Gardener
(Source: Woman of Style and Substance)

Duties and Tasks

As a landscaper, you would:

meet with clients to discuss the form and functionality of projects

sketch designs or create computer drawings for approval by the client

create detailed lists of materials and plants to be installed

make sure that any appropriate building approvals are in place before work commences

order materials for the job

construct hard landscaping such as walkways, patios and decks

install lighting and watering systems

plant trees, flowers and shrubs as agreed in the design specification

fertilise, mulch and water plants so they are well established.

Working conditions

Landscape gardeners work outside in all kinds of weather conditions and usually start work early in the morning. They normally work 3an average of 38 hours per week from Monday to Friday, but may be required to work weekends.

Tools and technologies

Landscape gardeners need to be able to use various hand tools relevant to the trade, as well as machinery such as mowers and chain saws. They may also be required to install irrigation systems,so need to be familiar with these systems.

Education and training/entrance requirements

You can work as a landscape gardener without any formal qualifications as you can receive training on the job. However, it is possible to undertake a Landscape Gardener apprenticeship. Entry requirements may vary; however, employers generally require at least Year 10.

As an apprentice you enter into a formal training contract with an employer. You spend most of your time working and learning practical skills on the job and you spend some time undertaking structured training with a registered training provider of your choice. They will assess your skills and when you are competent in all areas, you will be awarded a nationally- recognised qualification. The apprenticeship usually takes three years to complete.

If you are still at school you may be able to access an apprenticeship through your school. You generally start your school-based apprenticeship by attending school three days a week, spending one day at a registered training organisation and one day at work.

Houses & Buildings

Garden Labourers assist in cultivating and maintaining gardens. FutureGrowthModerate

ANZSCO ID: 841411

Knowledge, skills and attributes

Loading, unloading and moving garden supplies and equipment

Soil structure: Diversity of soil elements and types of soil in relation to plant growth.

Plant propagation: Types of different propagation methods, materials and seeds and their criteria for health and quality.

Watering principles: Methods, principles and systems for supplying water to land or crops by means of pipes, sprinklers, ditches or streams.

Pest control in plants: Types and features of pests in plants and crops. Different kinds of pest control methods, activities using conventional or biological methods taking into account the type of plant or crop, environmental and climate conditions and health and safety regulations. Storage and handling of products.

Plant species: The variety of plants, trees and shrubs and their special characteristics.

Gardener Labourer
(Source: Your Career)

Duties and Tasks

Loading, unloading and moving garden supplies and equipment
Preparing garden sites and plots using hand tools and machines
Nurse plants: Determine the need for nursing activities and carry out nursing by cultivating, maintaining, watering and spraying the plants and trees manually or using appropriate equipment, taking into account the plant species and following safety requirements.
Maintain plant soil nutrition: Manage and support overall soil nutrition. Practice sustainable gardening techniques and integrated pest management in gardens both outdoor and indoor.
Prepare the ground: Prepare the ground for laying turf or seeding by clearing the area, choosing the optimal soil, choosing the ground deepness and the appropriate fertilisers.
Prune plants: Carry out pruning with relevant tools, related to the different purposes like maintenance pruning, pruning for growth, pruning for fruiting, debudding and volume reduction.
Plant green plants: Plant seeds manually or by using ground equipment.
Propagate plants: Carry out propagation activities by applying appropriate propagation methods, such as grafted cutting propagation or generative propagation considering the plant type. Carry out propagation control considering the required terms and conditions for specific plant type.
assisting with planting and transplanting flowers, shrubs, trees and lawns
maintaining gardens by watering, weeding and mowing lawns
cleaning gardens and removing rubbish
assisting with propagating, planting and potting seeds, bulbs and cuttings
tending plants by hand watering and weeding
adjusting mist irrigation systems, shade and ventilation

Working conditions

Work in outdoor conditions. Can cope with the different climate conditions such as heat, rain, cold or in strong wind.

Tools and technologies

Operate turf management equipment like hedge cutters, mowers, clippers, sprayers, chainsaws and strimmers.

Education and training/entrance requirements

Formal qualifications are not required, however a certificate course in horticulture, nursery production or gardening can be helpful.