How much do gardening services cost? [2024]

Time-poor? Wish you had a few spare hours to keep the garden looking like it should?

Outsourcing your gardening may be the answer. For a modest outlay each week, fortnight, month or less regularly, a professional gardening service can help keep your garden looking tidy, manicured and green. They can also give you advice as they have the expertise and all the right equipment for your job.

But how much do gardening services cost? Let’s take a look…

What do you want done?

How much you pay for a gardening service will depend on where you live, as well as the size of your garden and jobs you need done.

As you add on services, the costs will increase. For example, you may want someone to weed, water and mow the lawn, mulch and trim trees or keep the areas around paving looking tidy. These cost more, as they take longer for the gardener to do. Larger gardens or more complex jobs may require a team to get the job done in a reasonable time frame. Otherwise you can expect to a professional garden service to offer a variety of services, including:

• General garden maintenance including trimming and pruning, planting, mulching and watering
• Lawn mowing, with more regular visits during the summer growing season
• Weeding, which will also coincide with the growing season
• Fertilising in spring and autumn
• Rubbish removal
• Tree removal, though depending on the size of the tree you may need to consult an arborist first.

How much do gardening services cost?

Most gardeners charge by hour – from $60 an hour though this depends on several factors, as previously mentioned. If you engage a gardener on a regular basis, they will put together a fixed rate for monthly visits. This can be a great way to stick to your budget, while ensuring your garden will never turn into a ghastly jungle.

Lawn mowing

Lawn mowing can cost around $60 an hour, with smaller lawns mowed less regularly coming down to around $40 per mow. Just bear in mind that the longer you leave it, the tougher the mow will be and the more likely you are to pay a top rate of over $100. Expect to pay from $120 per hour more for a ride-on lawn mowing service. It always depends on the size and accessibility of your yard, but lawn mowing generally takes between 2-6 hours.

Fertilising and weed spraying

Fertilising and weed spraying is a job that should be done at least every season, but if you have a large garden you may want to have fertilising and weed spraying done every month or so. 

Generally, expect to pay between $30-$40 per hour for fertilising and weed spraying. It can generally take about 2-4 hours, and longer for an initial clean up. Fertilising and weed spraying is one of those jobs that is much easier to upkeep when it is maintained, so hiring a professional service to have it maintained correctly is the best option for a perfectly manicured garden.

Currently, many gardens across Australia are changing how they approach these jobs. Natural fertilisers have been shown time and time again to be better for your soil health than synthetic ones, so starting a compost pile can improve your garden and save you money. 

Hedging and slashing

Hedging and slashing needs to be done correctly by someone who is experienced, because it can look pretty unsightly if it is not done properly, and the tools and equipment needed can be dangerous if handled incorrectly. Hedging and slashing can cost about $40-$50 per hour, and it generally takes 3-5 hours for a larger job in your yard.

Basic garden maintenance ranges from $30 an hour for simple jobs like trimming plants. So it’s a good idea to set aside a few hundred dollars for each maintenance job.

When would you need an arborist?

An arborist is a tree specialist and can assist you with tree removal, stump grinding as well as tree pruning and surgery. They also produce tree reports, which you may to submit to council if you want to remove a tree from your property. Many trees in Australia are protected, but different councils protect different trees. A tree report can identify the tree and submit reasons for its removal to council.

Hiring a gardening service

When it comes time to hiring a gardener or garden service make sure they are right for your job. Some questions to ask them include:

• What range of services do you provide?
• Do you hold valid insurance?
• Can you provide a written quote?
• How long will my job take?
• Do you have references I can follow up?

Once you are satisfied they have the necessary experience you can ask them to quote on your job.

Getting quotes from garden services

For an accurate cost, get quotes from gardening services in your local area.

Remember to find out if they are experienced and insured? Can they show examples of their work or put you in touch with their regular clients? Do they offer fixed rates for regular jobs? When you know the answers to these questions, it’s easier to compare quotes and choose the best gardener for you.