How much to charge for garden maintenance
Updated 26 September 2026
Gardeners generally charge by the hour per person, with a minimum visit, and add green waste removal and materials on top. Regular customers often get a slightly lower rate, because a garden kept on a schedule is quicker to look after.
Example garden maintenance prices
| Job | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two hours every 2 weeks, green waste left in the customer's bin | $110 – $125 | £90 – £105 | A$160 – A$185 | CA$145 – CA$165 |
| Four hours once a month, small load of green waste taken away | $270 – $310 | £220 – £255 | A$400 – A$460 | CA$360 – CA$415 |
| One-off clean-up of an overgrown garden, 8 hours, trailer load taken away | $600 – $690 | £495 – £570 | A$900 – A$1,035 | CA$800 – CA$920 |
Priced with the starting rates in our garden maintenance template, in each country's currency. They're a starting point, not a survey of local rates, so set your own from what your jobs take and what others charge near you.
How gardeners and landscapers set their prices
By the hour
An hourly rate per gardener, with a minimum of an hour or two per visit. It fits garden work well, since what needs doing changes from one visit to the next.
Per visit
A set price for each regular visit, worked out from how long the garden usually takes you. Customers like knowing the price in advance, and you keep the difference when you get quicker.
Quoted clean-ups
A fixed price for one-off jobs, like an overgrown garden or a tidy-up before a house goes on sale. Estimate the hours, add the waste and materials, and say what's included.
Sample garden maintenance price list
The prices in our template, as a list you can adapt. Percentages change the price of the job; fixed-price extras are added on top.
| Item | US | UK | Australia | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time needed, per hour | $60 | £50 | A$90 | CA$80 |
| Green waste: Small load (a few bags) | +$40 | +£30 | +A$60 | +CA$55 |
| Green waste: Trailer load | +$120 | +£95 | +A$180 | +CA$160 |
| How often: Monthly | Save 5% | Save 5% | Save 5% | Save 5% |
| How often: Every 2 weeks | Save 10% | Save 10% | Save 10% | Save 10% |
| Minimum job price | $90 | £70 | A$140 | CA$120 |
Put this price list on your website
Customers answer a few questions about the job, see the price and send you their details. This is our garden maintenance quote form with the prices above. Try it as a customer would, then start from these prices and change any of them.
Green Thumb Gardens
Garden maintenance price
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Taking green waste away for free. Loading the trailer, driving to the tip and paying to unload all cost you. Our template charges $40 in the US for a small load and $120 for a trailer load.
- Selling materials at cost. Mulch, plants and fertiliser take time to buy, collect and carry in. Add a margin, or ask customers to buy their own.
- Giving regulars too big a discount. Our template takes 5% off monthly visits and 10% off visits every 2 weeks, since the weeds never get far ahead on a garden you see often.
- Guessing short on overgrown gardens. Clean-ups often run longer than they look, and the waste pile ends up bigger. Our template's range goes up to 15% above the estimate, which tells customers the job can run long.
- No minimum visit. Driving across town for half an hour of weeding loses money. Our template sets the minimum at $90 in the US.
Not sure what your time is worth? Work out your hourly rate with the pricing calculator, then check your job prices cover it.
Questions
- Is an hourly rate better than a set price per visit?
- Hourly suits most garden work, especially a first visit or a one-off tidy-up. Once you know how long a regular garden takes, turn it into a set price per visit, which many customers prefer.
- Do I charge per gardener or per team?
- Per gardener, per hour. If two of you finish a two-hour job in one hour, charge two hours of labour.
- How should I charge for green waste?
- By the load or the bag, based on what you pay at the tip plus the time to load and unload. On our template, customers who keep it in their own green bin pay nothing extra.
- How do I estimate hours for a garden I haven't seen?
- Ask for photos of each part of the garden and a list of what they want done. Allow extra time for the first visit, then set the regular time once you've done it.
- How do I put gardening prices on my website?
- Put your hourly rate on a quote form, with questions for the hours, how often you come and the green waste. Customers see what a visit costs before they get in touch.