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Gardeners handle everything from one-off lawn mowing and hedge trimming to full garden transformations involving landscaping, turfing, and patio or decking installation. Homeowners regularly hire them for jobs such as laying new turf over a worn lawn, designing and planting mixed borders, installing timber or composite decking, and erecting garden fencing. Seasonal tasks like pruning shrubs, clearing overgrown beds, and reseeding bare patches are also common reasons to bring in a professional gardener.
Costs vary considerably depending on garden size, the volume of waste that needs removing, material choices such as natural stone versus concrete slabs for patios, and whether machinery like ride-on mowers or stump grinders is required. Decking and hard landscaping projects are particularly prone to price differences between contractors because labour rates, timber grades, and groundwork requirements differ widely. Comparing multiple quotes ensures you see a fair market rate and can assess exactly what each gardener is including for the price.
Gardeners in the Trade Quote Network cover everything from routine lawn care and hedge trimming to full landscaping, turfing, planting, and patio or decking installation.
A trustworthy gardener will hold relevant qualifications such as an RHS Level 2 or Level 3 Certificate in Horticulture, or a City and Guilds qualification in horticulture or landscaping. For work involving pesticide application, they should hold a PA1 and PA6 Certificate of Competence issued under the National Register of Sprayer Operators scheme. Membership of the British Association of Landscape Industries or the Association of Professional Landscapers, both of which require members to meet quality and insurance standards, is a strong sign of a credible contractor.
Before a gardener visits, it helps to clearly identify the areas you want addressed and note any access constraints, such as narrow side gates that may prevent large machinery from reaching the back garden. If you want hard landscaping like a patio or decking, think about approximate dimensions, your preferred materials, and whether you need existing structures lifted and disposed of first. Having photographs of problem areas like diseased plants, waterlogged patches, or uneven lawns ready to share gives the gardener the information needed to quote accurately.
For hard landscaping work such as patio laying or decking construction, ask your gardener for a written schedule of materials used, including the grade of timber or the type of pointing mix, so you have a record if issues arise later. Reputable gardeners will advise on aftercare for newly laid turf, freshly planted borders, or treated timber decking, including watering schedules, feed programmes, and recommended re-treatment intervals. Retaining this aftercare guidance in writing helps protect your investment and gives you a basis for discussion if the work does not establish or settle as expected.
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