LANDSCAPING

About Landscaping


Landscaping is a skilled trade that blends creativity, technical knowledge, and hands-on work to shape and maintain outdoor environments. Landscapers are responsible for building, improving, and caring for a wide range of spaces, including homes, schools, parks, commercial properties, healthcare facilities, and public areas. Their work supports healthy plant growth while ensuring outdoor spaces are safe, functional, and visually appealing.


Modern landscaping involves more than aesthetics. Landscapers apply practical skills in planting, maintenance, irrigation, and grounds care while following environmental guidelines and safety standards. Attention to detail, organization, and communication are essential, as landscapers often work as part of a team and interact with property managers, supervisors, or clients. Work is primarily performed outdoors and may involve a variety of weather conditions.


Landscaping is well suited for individuals who enjoy working outside, staying physically active, and seeing the results of their work take shape over time. With the right training, foundational skills, and professionalism, landscaping offers opportunities across both public and private sectors and plays an important role in maintaining the outdoor spaces that communities rely on every day.


Examples of

Landscaping Skills


Students develop practical landscaping and grounds-maintenance skills commonly used in residential and commercial environments, including:


  • Safe and proper use of common tools and job site safety practices
  • Planting, pruning, transplanting, and maintaining trees, shrubs, and plants
  • Lawn care techniques such as seeding, edging, trimming, and raking
  • Installing and maintaining basic irrigation or water features such as ponds or fountains
  • Building and repairing landscape features such as fences, walkways, and terraces
  • Monitoring grounds to maintain a clean, healthy, and visually appealing appearance
  • Applying pest and weed control practices in accordance with safety and environmental guidelines


What Landscaping

Work Involves:


Landscaping professionals work on both residential and commercial projects, supporting properties such as homes, apartment complexes, business campuses, and public spaces. Employers may include remodeling companies, facility management firms, land developers, and property operators. Landscaping work is primarily performed outdoors and may involve working in various weather conditions. Creativity, attention to detail, and clear communication with team members and clients are important parts of the role.


Opportunities in a Landscaping Career


Landscaping professionals are in consistent demand across both the public and private sectors. Opportunities exist in parks and recreation departments, landscaping and design firms, nurseries, historic sites, and property maintenance services. Landscapers play an important role in improving outdoor spaces, supporting environmental health, and maintaining safe and attractive properties.


Because landscaping skills are adaptable and widely needed, individuals may find opportunities across many regions and project types. Landscaping professionals are also often involved in restoration and cleanup efforts following severe weather events, highlighting the essential nature of this work within communities.


Potential Careers


With training, experience, and continued skill development, individuals with landscaping skills may pursue roles such as:


  • Landscape Technician
  • Landscape Installer
  • Groundskeeper or Grounds Maintenance Technician
  • Landscape Contractor
  • Landscape Designer
  • Facilities or Property Maintenance Technician


Earning Potential for Landscaping Careers


Earnings in landscaping vary based on experience, role, employer, and geographic location. Nationally, individuals entering landscaping and grounds-related roles typically begin at entry-level hourly wages, with opportunities for increases as skills, responsibility, and reliability grow.


In South Carolina, starting wages may be slightly lower than the national average, with steady growth as individuals gain experience across landscaping, maintenance, and outdoor services.

More experienced landscaping professionals may earn annual salaries ranging from approximately $40,000 to $55,000 or more, particularly in roles that involve specialized skills, crew leadership, or property management responsibilities. Overall, landscaping offers a skilled trade career path where hands-on ability, professionalism, and consistency can lead to long-term employment opportunities and wage growth.