Basic garden maintenance (mowing, weeding, bed tidy) runs £25–£40 per hour in Kent in 2026, with some firms quoting per-visit rather than per-hour for regular clients. Landscaping labour (patios, turfing, fencing) is £35–£55 per hour. Tree work and stump grinding is a specialist rate, £50–£90 per hour plus plant hire. West Kent (Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells) sits at the top of these ranges.
A gardener maintains — mowing, pruning, weeding, seasonal planting, leaf clearance. A landscaper builds — patios, decking, fencing, turfing, garden walls, drainage, steps. Many Kent firms do both, but at quote stage be clear which you need: if your job is "install a new patio," you want a landscaper (or landscape contractor), not a maintenance gardener. If your job is "keep the garden tidy every month," a gardener is the right fit.
A mid-range Indian sandstone patio in Kent costs £100–£160 per m² fitted, including dig-out, hardcore, wet-bed mortar, jointing and disposal. Porcelain paving is £140–£220 per m². Concrete flags (the cheapest solid option) £65–£100 per m². A 25 m² patio therefore lands between £2,500 (concrete) and £5,500 (porcelain). Add £400–£800 for a skip. Always specify "wet mortar bed" not "sand bed" for longevity — sand beds fail after 3–5 winters.
No. Tree work above about 3 m or any felling requires a qualified arborist (NPTC-certificated chainsaw operator, usually CS30, CS31, CS38 at minimum). Larger tree removal needs climbing or MEWP access. An un-qualified "gardener" with a ladder and a chainsaw is the single biggest insurance and safety risk in the trade. Always ask to see chainsaw certificates and public liability of £5 million+ for any tree work. For pollarding or full fell of a mature tree, use an Arboricultural Association-registered firm.
A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is a statutory instrument that protects specific trees. Cutting, pruning, uprooting, or felling a TPO tree without local authority consent is a criminal offence — fines up to £20,000 per tree. Check with your Kent district council (Maidstone BC, Canterbury CC, Tunbridge Wells BC, etc.) by postcode before any significant tree work. If your property is in a Conservation Area, most tree work (for trees above 75 mm diameter at 1.5 m) requires 6 weeks' notice to the council even without a TPO.
Standard feather-edge fence panels (closeboard) fitted on concrete posts cost £80–£130 per linear metre in Kent in 2026. Lap panels (cheaper, less robust) £55–£90 per metre. Horizontal slatted contemporary fencing £140–£220 per metre. Add £120–£250 for concrete gravel boards, £80–£180 for an entry gate. A 20-metre back-garden fence therefore lands between £1,600 and £4,400 depending on spec. Post-digging into Kent's clay-heavy soil adds labour, especially in the east of the county.
From April to October, most Kent lawns want cutting every 10–14 days. In peak growth (May–June) every 7–10 days. Outside growing season (November–March), once a month is enough — and not at all in frost. A regular gardener visit of 60–90 minutes per fortnight usually covers mow, edge, and basic tidy for a typical Kent back garden. Front gardens add 30–45 minutes.
For patios, decking and hard landscaping: book Jan–March for a spring start, or September for a winter project. Spring/summer books out fast and prices firm up. For planting: autumn (October) is the best time for hedges, trees, and herbaceous planting — the ground is warm, rain is frequent, roots establish over winter. For turfing: April–June or September–October.
Yes. A professional Kent gardener arrives with mower, strimmer, blower, hedge cutter, pole saw, secateurs, and basic hand tools. For stump grinding and tree work, they'll hire specific plant or bring it from the yard. You shouldn't be supplying anything beyond access to water and — for longer jobs — a power point. If a gardener asks you to supply fuel for their machinery, that's a flag.
Public liability of £1 million minimum for basic gardening, £5 million for tree work or anything involving a ladder, mini-digger, or skip. Ask to see the certificate — it's current and shows the name trading. Without insurance, damage to your property or to a neighbour's (say, a branch falling on their greenhouse) is your problem. For larger landscape jobs, employers' liability is also required if the firm has any employees.
A standard privet or laurel hedge cut (once or twice a year) runs £80–£180 for a typical Kent back-garden length, including disposal of clippings. Conifer hedges (Leylandii, Thuja) that need stepping back are £120–£280. Tall laurel or yew hedges over 3 m are arborist work, not general gardening — expect £200–£500+ depending on length and access. August and February are the standard cutting months for most hedges; avoid spring (nesting-bird protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981).
No. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 makes it illegal to intentionally take, damage, or destroy the nest of any wild bird while in use or being built. In practice this means hedges and dense shrubs should not be cut between March and August without checking for active nests. A responsible Kent gardener will refuse to cut a hedge with an obvious nest and will come back in autumn — if yours doesn't, ask them to stop.
A full garden design by a qualified landscape designer (Society of Garden Designers registered) is typically £1,500–£4,500 for a 200–400 m² garden, including site survey, concept plan, planting plan, and specification for builders. Many design-and-build landscapers roll the design fee into the project (free design if they get the build). A standalone design is useful when you want to stage the work over several years.
Turf gives an instant lawn and costs £8–£14 per m² supplied and laid in Kent (professional grade turf with proper prep). Seed is £2–£5 per m² supplied and sown, but takes 6–12 weeks to establish and can't be walked on. For a visible front garden or rental turnaround, turf. For a large garden where cost matters and you can wait, seed in September or March–April. In both cases, soil prep is 60%+ of the success — a pro will till, level, add topsoil if needed, and roll before laying.
For maintenance, word-of-mouth from a neighbour is the best filter. For landscaping, shortlist three firms with photographed recent work in a similar style to yours, check insurance, and ask to walk a finished job. For tree work, always check NPTC certification and Arboricultural Association membership. Use our Kent gardener and landscaper directory to shortlist by town.
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