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Garden labourer

Also called gardener, garden worker, garden laborer

Garden labourers perform simple tasks in cultivating and maintaining flowers, trees and shrubs. This work can take place in either parks or private gardens.

Will there be jobs?Limited prospects3 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €700 (Bulgaria) to €3,800 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourersWhat do I need to study?Basic schooling6 in 10 have basic schooling only. 6 in 10 train through vocational routes.Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourersWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Garden and horticultural labourers · ILO

What you'd do

Garden and horticultural labourers · ILO
  • Loading, unloading and moving supplies, produce and equipment
  • Preparing garden sites and plots using hand tools and simple machines
  • Assisting with planting and transplanting flowers, shrubs, trees and lawns
  • Maintaining gardens by watering, weeding and mowing lawns
  • Cleaning gardens and removing rubbish
  • Assisting with propagating, planting and potting seeds, bulbs and cuttings
  • Tending plants by hand watering and weeding
  • Harvesting and packaging plants for sale and transport
  • Performing minor repairs on fixtures, buildings, equipment and fences
Propagate plantsGrow plantsPrepare planting areaOperate hand pruning equipmentPlant green plants+ 15 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Mostly outdoors
  • A mix of sitting and standing
  • Some contact with people
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Varied tasks, little repetition
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse"

Will there be jobs?

Limited prospects

Fewer jobs than in most work will need filling by 2035.

People working as agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers in the EU
1.81m1.92m1.45m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
455,000 replacing leavers 405,000 jobs disappear
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers3
All jobs29
Right now
7 of 27 countries report a shortage of garden and horticultural labourers, 6 a surplus.
Garden and horticultural labourers · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €700 a month (Bulgaria) to €3,800 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among elementary occupations in the EU, women earn 9% less per hour than men. Elementary occupations · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Basic schooling

Most people start with basic schooling and learn on the job.

Highest qualification of agricultural, forestry and fishery labourers (EU, 2025)
Degree 5%Vocational 25%General secondary 8%Basic schooling 61%
Fields that teach it
Crop and livestock production · Horticulture
Vocational route, EU
6 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.12 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 9 tasks
Harvesting and packaging plants for sale and transport0.15
Performing minor repairs on fixtures, buildings, equipment and fences0.14
Maintaining gardens by watering, weeding and mowing lawns0.12
Preparing garden sites and plots using hand tools and simple machines0.12
Assisting with propagating, planting and potting seeds, bulbs and cuttings0.12
Loading, unloading and moving supplies, produce and equipment0.11
Assisting with planting and transplanting flowers, shrubs, trees and lawns0.11
Tending plants by hand watering and weeding0.09
Cleaning gardens and removing rubbish0.09

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for garden and horticultural labourers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).