Landscape Gardener
Build and maintain landscaped outdoor spaces using plants, paving, turf, irrigation and practical construction skills.
What They Do
Landscape Gardeners construct and maintain outdoor spaces including residential gardens, commercial properties, parks and public landscapes.
They prepare sites, install plants and turf and build landscape features such as paths, paving, retaining walls, fences and garden structures.
Jobs and Skills Australia also identifies preparing landscape plans, selecting materials and plants, constructing hardscape and softscape areas and establishing lawns among the occupation's main responsibilities.
Who This Career Suits
This career suits people who enjoy working outdoors, building things and seeing a physical project develop from start to finish.
Landscape Gardeners need practical problem-solving skills because every site can involve different soil conditions, levels, drainage requirements and construction challenges.
It can particularly suit someone who likes horticulture but also wants a career involving tools, machinery and construction rather than focusing only on plant maintenance.
Key Skills
Practical Skills, Landscaping, Plant Knowledge, Problem Solving, Construction Skills, Attention to Detail, Equipment Operation, Safety Awareness
Work Environment
Outdoor, Active, Field-Based, Construction Site, Team-Based
Education & Training
The current national qualification is the AHC30921 Certificate III in Landscape Construction.
The qualification is designed for trade-level roles within the landscape industry and develops skills used to construct and establish residential, commercial and public landscapes.
Training can include:
paving, retaining walls, drainage, irrigation, soil preparation, plant establishment, landscape structures, concreting, machinery operation and workplace safety.
The qualification contains 17 units of competency, consisting of 10 core units and 7 electives, and currently has no formal entry requirements.
Depending on the employer and state or territory, the qualification may be completed through vocational training or as part of an apprenticeship pathway.
Career Changer Pathway
Landscape gardening can suit people moving from horticulture, gardening, construction, carpentry, property maintenance or other practical outdoor careers.
Someone without previous landscaping experience can enter through formal VET training while building practical experience with a landscaping business.
People with existing construction, gardening or machinery experience may already have useful transferable skills in tools, site preparation, plant care and workplace safety.
Early Career
Early-career Landscape Gardeners learn how to prepare sites, establish plants and lawns and assist with landscape construction.
They may begin by moving materials, preparing soil, laying turf, planting and assisting experienced tradespeople with paving and structures.
Developing accurate measuring, safe equipment use and an understanding of drainage and site levels is particularly important at this stage.
Mid Career
Experienced Landscape Gardeners take responsibility for increasingly complex landscape projects and may work independently from plans and specifications.
They may specialise in:
residential landscaping, paving, retaining walls, irrigation, garden construction, commercial landscaping or outdoor structures.
Experienced workers may also supervise apprentices and coordinate materials, machinery and subcontractors on site.
Senior / Veteran Career
Experienced Landscape Gardeners can progress into Leading Hand, Landscape Supervisor, Site Supervisor or Project Coordinator roles.
Others establish their own landscaping businesses and work directly with homeowners, builders, architects and commercial clients.
Further experience can also lead into estimating, landscape project management, horticultural management or specialist landscape construction.
Salary Guide
Early Career
60000
Mid Career
75000
Senior / Veteran
95000
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Indicative annual salary (AUD)
Salary data source:
Indeed / Jobs and Skills Australia
Salary data source URL:
Date :
9 October 2026 at 12:00:00 am
Career Outlook
Jobs and Skills Australia identifies approximately 25,100 Landscape Gardeners specifically.
Across the broader Gardeners occupation group, approximately 87,000 people are employed, with recent annual employment growth of around 900 workers.
Demand continues across residential construction, commercial property, public spaces, councils and landscape-maintenance businesses.
Landscape Gardeners with strong skills in paving, retaining walls, drainage, irrigation and construction may have broader opportunities than workers focused only on basic garden maintenance.
Job Outlook :
Outlook Source :
Moderate
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