Gardening · Updated August 2026
Gardener Cost UK 2026: Hourly & Day Rates
A general gardener charges £14–£25 an hour across most of the UK, rising to £35–£49 in London and the South East. A full day is £150–£300. Regular fortnightly visits cost less per hour than one-off rescues — an overgrown garden is priced as a project, not a visit.
Gardener cost by booking type — 2026
Labour only. Green-waste removal, skip hire and materials such as compost or plants are usually added at cost.
| Booking | Typical cost | What it covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly visit | £14–£25 / hour | Mowing, weeding, pruning | Small gardens, top-ups |
| Half day | £80–£150 | 3–4 hours of general work | Seasonal tidy |
| Full day | £150–£300 | 7–8 hours, one or two gardeners | Bigger jobs, catch-ups |
| Fortnightly maintenance | £50–£120 / month | Standing slot through the season | Keeping on top of it |
| One-off overgrown rescue | £250–£800 | Clearance-grade work, waste away | Neglected or new-build plots |
| Hedge cutting (add-on) | £40–£80 / hour | Trimming, shaping, arisings removed | Tall or long runs |
Indicative 2026 UK prices, compiled from published installer pricing (Checkatrade, MyJobQuote, MyBuilder and BookaBuilder cost guides, August 2026). BestBuilders has no quote history in this category yet, so treat these as a budgeting guide and confirm against three written quotes.
What changes the cost
| Cost factor | Typical impact | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Where you live | +25–30% in London | Labour is the whole bill, so the regional spread hits harder than on supply-and-fit trades |
| Waste removal | +£20–£80 per visit | Licensed green-waste disposal is charged on top unless you have a garden bin |
| Access and slope | +10–25% | Terraced rear gardens with no side gate mean everything travels through the house |
| Equipment needed | +£30–£100 | Chippers, scarifiers and long-reach hedge kit are hired against the job |
| Regularity | −10–20% | A standing fortnightly slot is cheaper per hour than ad-hoc call-outs |
| Season | +0–15% in spring | March to June is peak demand; winter slots are easier to book and often cheaper |
Gardener hourly rate by UK region — 2026
Modelled from regional labour rates rather than measured in this category - materials cost much the same everywhere, the labour does not.
| Region | Typical installed cost | vs UK average |
|---|---|---|
| London | £20–£30/hr | +25–30% |
| South East | £20–£30/hr | +15–20% |
| South West | £10–£30/hr | +5% |
| Midlands | £10–£20/hr | baseline |
| North England | £10–£20/hr | −5–10% |
| Scotland | £10–£20/hr | −10% |
| Wales | £10–£20/hr | −10% |
| Northern Ireland | £10–£20/hr | −15% |
Getting it priced properly
1. Walk the garden together first
A photo quote misses the compost corner and the bramble bank. Ten minutes on site gets a price that holds.
2. Agree what happens to the waste
Taken away, composted on site, or left bagged for your green bin - each changes the price.
3. Book the season, not the visit
A standing slot through March-October costs less per visit and keeps the garden from sliding back.
What this costs at a glance
The same table, drawn.
Gardener cost — frequently asked questions
Around £14–£25 an hour for general maintenance in most regions, and £35–£49 in London and the wealthier commuter belt. Most gardeners set a minimum visit of one to two hours.
Typically £150–£300. Two-person crews charge more but clear roughly double the work, which is usually better value on overgrown plots.
Yes. A fortnightly standing slot usually works out 10–20% cheaper per hour than one-off bookings, and the garden never reaches rescue-job state, which is where the big bills live.
Only if agreed - disposal is licensed and costs them money, so expect £20–£80 per visit on top, or use your council green bin.
Related gardening & garden guides
Patios, decking, walls and full redesigns priced.
What a full clearance costs and when a skip beats a van.
Insulated rooms from £10,000 - the step up from a shed.
Reviewed by the BestBuilders editorial team on 12 August 2026 · Next scheduled review: November 2026 · See our editorial standards.