How to Become a Gardener: Australian Careers in Landscape Design

Gardeners plant, grow, and care for outdoor spaces of all kinds. They work in home gardens, public parks, and work sites. Their daily tasks combine practical skill with an eye for design and the environment.

• Preparing and maintaining seedbeds and growing sites – tilling soil and creating good growing conditions.
• Propagating and planting trees, bushes, hedges, flowers, and bulbs – choosing the right plants for healthy growth.
• Preparing lawn areas by spreading topsoil and planting grass or laying instant turf – creating lush, well-established lawns.
• Maintaining planted and grassed areas by weeding, trimming, fertilising, watering, and mowing – keeping gardens healthy and looking their best.
• Pruning trees and hedges, and installing plant support and protection devices – shaping plants and protecting them from damage.
• Preparing plans and drawings, selecting materials and plants, and scheduling landscape construction – bringing design ideas to life.
• Setting out and installing hardscape and softscape structures – placing pathways, retaining walls, and garden features.
• Constructing gravel and paved areas, walls, fences, pergolas, ponds, and garden furniture – adding style and function outdoors.
• Examining trees to assess their condition and determine treatment – identifying issues early and recommending action.
• Lopping limbs off trees and shaping branches using chain and handsaws – maintaining tree health and safety.
• Spraying plants and trees to control insects and disease, and felling diseased trees – keeping gardens pest-free.