What Do Landscapers Do? Duties and Responsibilities

Ever looked at a beautifully manicured garden and wondered about the mastermind behind it? That’s the superpower of a skilled landscaper: turning ordinary outdoor spaces into works of art.

Landscapers are professionals who shape and maintain outdoor environments. They combine technical knowledge of nature with artistic vision to create aesthetic, livable solutions.

In this article, we’ll answer the question, “What do landscapers do?” You’ll learn about the essential skills landscapers need and their typical duties and responsibilities. You’ll also find out about the different types of landscaping specialists and potential earnings.

What Is Landscaping?

Landscaping is the art and science of shaping outdoor spaces. It’s all about taking a piece of land and making it more beautiful and functional. Landscapers work with plants, trees, flowers, and even rocks or water features. The main goal is to create eye-catching outdoor areas.

But landscaping isn’t only about making things look pretty. It’s also about making outdoor spaces work better for people and the environment. This might mean adding paths, building retaining walls, or setting up irrigation systems.

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Must-Have Skills for Landscape Contractors

Young attractive landscaper woman working in a public park

To be a successful landscaper, you need a mix of physical and mental skills. Here are six of the must-haves:

Visual Thinking. You need to build a good mental model of how a space will look before starting. This helps plan how plants will grow together or where to put new features in.
Physical Stamina. Landscaping involves long days of hard work outdoors. Being in good shape helps you handle digging, planting, and moving equipment.
Creativity. Every outdoor space is unique, so you’ll need fresh ideas to bring the clients’ visions to life.
Analytical Skills. You’ll need to think about practical issues like water drainage, soil types, and sunlight. Good problem-solving skills help tackle these challenges.
Tool Mastery. Landscapers use specialized tools like pruning saws, sod cutters, electric clippers, and mowers. As in any field, it’s critical to have a solid understanding of the tools of trade.
Communication. Landscapers work in teams and talk with clients throughout the course of a project. Clear communication helps make sure everyone is on the same page.

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What Is the Work Environment for Landscapers Like?

Landscapers spend most of their time working outdoors. Their workspace is often under the open sky, surrounded by plants and nature. You might find yourself shaping bushes in someone’s backyard, planting flowers in a city park, or keeping the grass in pristine condition on a luxury golf course.

While most of the work happens outside, landscapers also spend time indoors. You might head to the office to plan new projects, draw designs, or meet with clients. Chances are, you also need to do basic bookkeeping and accounting to manage your finances. This mix of outdoor and indoor work keeps the job varied and interesting.

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What Do Landscapers Do?

Landscapers Men Working Together in Garden

Landscapers have a diverse set of responsibilities. Here’s a closer look at what a landscaping project typically involves:

Surveying the Land

You need to carefully examine the area you’ll be working on for each new project. This means looking at how water flows across the land and spotting any drainage issues. You’ll also check the soil type and sunlight patterns to decide which plants will grow best.

Planning and Design

Landscapers create detailed plans for outdoor spaces. They sketch layouts, choose plants that work well together, and decide where to place features like footpaths and water elements.

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Planting

With the survey complete and a workable plan in hand, it’s time to get your hands dirty. You’ll select and arrange bushes, flowers, and shrubs to bring your designs to life. After planting, you’ll take care of the new garden by watering, mulching, pruning, weeding, and adding fertilizer to help plants grow strong and healthy.

You’ll also take care of lawn areas by mowing them to the right height, removing dead patches, planting new grass seeds, and setting up irrigation.

Revitalizing Natural Spaces

Some landscapers work on bringing damaged environments back to life. This involves things like replanting native species in wetlands or cleaning up polluted streams to help local plants and animals thrive.

Pest Control

When harmful insects threaten plants, landscapers step in. Carefully use the right amount of bug spray in affected areas to protect plants without harming helpful insects or the environment.

You’ll also need to watch for hostile plants, which you might need to remove to make a yard safer. No one wants a field of poison ivy where their kids play.

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Types of Landscapers

Landscaping is a wide and varied field, and landscaping contractors can choose to specialize in different areas. Some of the most common types of landscaping specialists include:

Arborists and Tree Service Technicians. These landscapers prune branches, remove dead trees, and keep living trees healthy.
Gardeners. These specialists plant and care for flowers, vegetables, and ornamental plants. They often work in smaller spaces like home gardens, but they may also maintain larger spaces for commercial buildings, residential developments, or parks. The main difference between a typical landscaper vs. a gardener is that gardeners tend to be more hands-on and less involved in the planning and design stage.
Lawn Care Specialists. These pros know everything there is to know about grass and how to keep it in pristine condition. They handle tasks like mowing, fertilizing, and treating lawn diseases.
Landscape Architects. These skilled designers handle the high-level planning of outdoor spaces. They understand and apply design principles to bring the best out of outdoor spaces.
Irrigation Specialists. These experts set up and repair watering systems to make sure plants get the right amount of water.

How Much Do Landscapers Make?

As in many fields, landscapers’ earnings vary significantly. According to 2024 data from Indeed, the average landscaper makes about $18.787 per hour. Some might earn as little as $13.26 per hour when they’re just starting out. Experienced landscapers can make as much as $26.60 per hour or more.

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4 Pro Tips for Managing Landscaping Projects

Landscaping isn’t all about working with your hands. Project management skills are key to delivering a great final product. Here are some helpful tips for running a well-planned landscaping project:

Plan Carefully. Make a clear schedule of what you need to get done each day. This helps you stay on track and finish on time.
Communicate With Clients. Keep your customers in the loop about how the project is going. This builds trust and helps avoid misunderstandings.
Stay Flexible. Be ready to change your plans if something unexpected happens, like bad weather or a client changing their mind about a design.
Build a Strong Team. For big jobs, hire reliable workers and train them well. A skilled team can handle more work in less time.

Stay Organized and Manage Customers on the Go

Developing beautiful outdoor spaces is only half the battle. Simplify the business side by storing, accessing, and exporting customer information from anywhere, at any time. Keeping track of customers and jobs just got that much easier.

Streamline Client Management