Gardener

ANZSCO ID 3626 

Gardeners plant, cultivate, maintain, plan and construct parks, gardens and landscapes, and inspect, diagnose and treat trees and shrubs. 

Job Titles 

• Gardener (General) 
• Arborist, or Tree Surgeon 
• Landscape Gardener 

Tasks 

• preparing and maintaining seedbeds and growing sites 
• propagating and planting trees, bushes, hedges, flowers and bulbs 
• preparing lawn areas by spreading top soil and planting grass, and by laying instant turf 
• maintaining planted and grassed areas by weeding, trimming, fertilising, watering and mowing 
• pruning trees and hedges, and installing plant support and protection devices 
• preparing plans and drawings, selecting materials and plants, and scheduling landscape construction 
• setting out and installing hardscape and softscape structures 
• constructing gravel and paved areas, walls, fences, pergolas, ponds, barbecues and garden furniture 
• examining trees to assess their condition and determine treatment 
• lopping limbs off trees and shaping branches using chain and handsaws 
• spraying and dusting plants and trees to control insects and disease, and felling diseased trees 

Study Pathway  

A Certificate III including at least 2 years of on-the-job training, or a Certificate IV, or at least 3 years of relevant experience, is usually needed. Around two in five workers have a Vocational Education and Training (VET) qualification. Sometimes experience or on-the-job training is needed in addition to a qualification. (ANZSCO Skill Level 3) 

Find a VET provider here.

Soft Skills 

• good communications skills 
• enjoy working outdoors 
• physically fit 
• able to work as part of a small team