How to Start a Garden Services & Maintenance Business in the UK: The Ultimate Guide
Why Start a Garden Services Business?
If you enjoy working outdoors and want to run your own flexible, hands-on business, starting a garden services company is one of the best trades you can launch in the UK right now. And it's one of the best trade businesses you can start
From regular lawn care to full garden clearances, there’s year-round demand from homeowners, landlords, property managers, and businesses who don’t have the time (or interest) to keep their gardens tidy.
Whether you're solo, building a team, or adding it as an upsell to an existing property or maintenance business, garden services offer:
✅ Low start-up costs
✅ Flexible working hours
✅ Recurring income
✅ Huge upsell opportunities (fencing, turfing, patios, and more)
🌳 Services You Can Offer
You don’t need to jump straight into landscaping. Start simple and expand as you grow:
Grass cutting (weekly, fortnightly, or as and when)
Hedge trimming & shrub maintenance
Garden clearances & waste removal
Turf laying & re-seeding
Pressure washing patios & driveways
Leaf clearance & seasonal tidy-ups
Fence repair, painting, and staining
Small planting or replanting jobs
Weed control and border maintenance
The beauty of this trade? Clients often become repeat customers who need your help month after month.
🧰 Equipment You’ll Need
The great news is, you can start small and invest as your business grows:
✅ Petrol or battery lawn mower (commercial grade ideal)
✅ Hedge trimmers
✅ Strimmer/brush cutter
✅ Blower or vacuum
✅ Hand tools (pruners, spades, forks, rakes)
✅ Van, pickup or trailer for transport & waste
✅ PPE (gloves, boots, goggles, ear protection)
💡 Optional upgrades: Ride-on mower, zero-turn mower, wood chipper, commercial power washer, professional branding on your vehicle.
🎓 Qualifications & Licensing
Unlike some trades, garden services don’t require formal qualifications — but extra training helps you stand out:
PA1/PA6 Certificate – if applying weed killers (chemical spraying)
Waste Carrier Licence – if removing green waste from properties
Insurance – Public Liability cover is essential
Many successful operators build up knowledge through experience, customer service, and offering reliable, tidy, professional work.
💷 How Much Can You Earn?
Earnings vary depending on services, area, and how many clients you build:
Lawn cutting: £20–£50 per visit (higher for larger properties)
Hedge trimming: £80–£300 per job
Clearances: £150–£800 depending on size
Turfing & small landscaping: £300–£3,000+ per project
Ongoing maintenance contracts: £300–£800/month per customer
A solo operator can easily build a £30K–£50K/year business, while small teams can push £60K–£100K+ depending on scale and reputation.
How SMB Booster Helps You Get Found Online
Here’s the truth: your equipment means nothing if customers can’t find you.
✅ Most people search for garden services and grass cutting/weeding services online
✅ If your website doesn’t show up (or doesn’t exist), they’ll hire your competitor
✅ Reviews, quick quotes, and easy contact options close the deal
That’s where SMB Booster comes in.
We build fully managed, mobile-optimised websites for garden services and local trades, starting at just £79/month with no contracts. You get:
A fast, beautiful website that ranks on Google
Quote forms & tap-to-call buttons that turn visitors into leads
Google Review widgets to build trust instantly
Live chat and contact automation
Location pages for every town you cover
Fully managed updates & support
You focus on the work — we make sure your website works for you. 💻🌱
🚀 Ready to Launch Your Garden Services Business?
Starting a gardening business is one of the lowest-cost, fastest ways to go self-employed in the UK. And with SMB Booster, you can look like the pros from day one.
👉 Visit smbbooster.co.uk and see exactly how your website could bring you leads every single week.
