Dark Green occupationAgriculture, environmental and animal care
Horticulture or landscape construction operative - Horticulture operative
Building and managing parks, greenspaces and other areas.
Summary
This occupation is found in a wide range of outdoor spaces with horticultural spaces including public parks and gardens, green spaces, schools, tourist attractions, business and retail parks, historic gardens, private gardens, and estates. Some organisations own the horticultural space such as public gardens and private estates. Some will work on a variety of spaces belonging to other people such as domestic gardens, construction sites, retail and business parks. Employers may be charities, commercial businesses or governmental organisations and range in size from micro businesses through to large employers. Many organisations will be specialised in their activities, such as grounds maintenance or landscape construction.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to undertake practical operations required to create and maintain horticultural spaces. This includes both the soft aspects (plants and soil) and the hard elements (surfaces, features and structures). Some will carry out the full range of operations from landscape construction through to maintenance, although the majority will focus on one specialism due to the breadth of skills required. Horticultural specialists maintain soft and hard elements of the space. This will include planting and maintenance activities. Landscape construction specialists will install landscapes including building hard surfaces, structures and features and planting. This will include planting and maintenance activities. Horticulture or landscape construction operatives frequently work outdoors year-round and in all weathers. They sometimes work at heights for example pruning taller plants and hedges. Horticulture or landscape operatives will require qualifications and or training to undertake activities such as use of machinery.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with supervisors and colleagues. Depending upon the employer they will interact with clients, members of the public, other trades and landowners.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for completing their own work to specification, with minimal supervision, ensuring they meet set deadlines. They are responsible for meeting quality requirements and working in accordance with legislation, environmental, health, safety and welfare considerations. They are accountable for the health and safety of themselves and others. Horticulture or landscape operatives are responsible for checking their tools, equipment and personal protective equipment (PPE) are maintained and safe to use. They report to supervisors, team leaders, head gardeners or clients.
Typical job titles include
- Gardener | Grounds maintenance operative | Horticulturalist | Landscaper
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
(Core) Importance and application of health and safety legislation, codes of practice and policies including risk assessment, manual handling, use and storage of pesticides and hazards associated with horticultural environment.
K2:
(Core) Concepts of good environmental and sustainable good practice, including a basic understanding of how to contribute to government-led sustainability and zero carbon targets.
K3:
(Core) Environmental controls and compliance with regulations including pollution control, waste reduction, management and recycling.
K4:
(Core) Situations where special care should be taken including where heritage, environmental or planning designations may be present. The importance of complying with rules in place to protect the site.
K5:
(Core) Maintenance, operational requirements, pre start checks and legislation for tools, equipment and machinery including operator competence requirements.
K6:
(Core) The importance of maintaining records in a business setting.
K7:
(Core) Techniques for communicating with technical and non-technical audiences and the importance of effective communication in the workplace with colleagues, customers and the public. The value of effective and timely communication in customer care.
K8:
(Core) Methods to identify plants and their limitations including the importance and role of scientific names and terminology.
K9:
(Core) Main introduction routes for plant pests and diseases.
K10:
(Core) The importance of controlling invasive species including identification features, environmental impacts and legislation and actions that should be taken if present (includes invasive plants, pests and diseases).
K11:
(Core) Biosecurity and phytosanitary measures and why they are important.
K12:
(Core) Sources of information on plant pests and diseases, their control measures and actions required if listed as notifiable by Government.
K13:
(Core) Plant biology and implications for plant health and growth, including plant structures and their adaptations, lifecycles, germination, photosynthesis, respiration, transpiration and requirements.
K14:
(Core) Impact of environmental conditions on plant growth and how this affects plant care.
K15:
(Core) Soil science including soil formation, characteristics, texture and components, biological processes and their impact on plant growth.
K16:
(Core) Soil management practices, when and why to cultivate and when to use other methods. Techniques to achieve tilth, levelling, aeration, drainage, level, pH, nutrient levels. Implications of site types, end use and finish to include fertilisers, soil amelioration, mulches.
K17:
(Core) Techniques for clearing sites and controlling weeds including identification and reasons for removal, techniques for control (including chemical) and situations for use.
K18:
(Core) Impact of pruning on the plant and the importance of placing pruning cuts correctly.
K19:
(Core) Planting techniques for shrubs and trees (using a simple tree pit including support and protection), storage and handling of containerised and bare root plant material and impact of poor storage and planting practice.
K20:
(Core) Techniques and tools for maintaining turf including quality standards.
K21:
(Core) Types of turf, their characteristics and methods for installing.
K22:
(Core) Reasons for maintaining or protecting hard landscape features, maintenance specifications and maintenance techniques including suitability to different situations.
K23:
(Core) Role of business policies, vision and values. Workers’ contribution to earning profit and or awareness of implications of actions on business (for example work rate). How project management informs a team to achieve objectives.
K24:
(Core) The importance and benefits of green-space and the types of quality standards appropriate to different businesses and horticultural sites.
K25:
(Horticulture) Propagation techniques including environment, preparation and aftercare. Components of growing media, purpose, sustainability implications and formulation.
K26:
(Horticulture) Techniques of establishing ornamental turf and species rich meadows.
K27:
(Horticulture) Purpose, importance and features of turf maintenance activities to achieve quality standards and how they are presented in turf maintenance specifications.
K28:
(Horticulture) Factors influencing plant selection including planting combinations, microclimate, soil, purpose, aesthetics
K29:
(Horticulture) Techniques for maintaining soft landscapes.
K30:
(Horticulture) Reasons for pruning and pruning techniques including timing and species suitability.
K31:
(Horticulture) Stock types and techniques for planting trees (other than simple tree pits). Techniques for planting herbaceous plants and those for seasonal display.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0225: Horticulture or landscape construction operative - Horticulture operative (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0225A
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £25,974 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5113 Gardeners and landscape gardeners
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5113/99 Gardeners and landscape gardeners n.e.c.
- 5113/02 Gardeners (excludes horticultural/market gardening)
- 5113/04 Landscape gardeners
S1:
(Core) Apply health and safety processes and procedures including risk assessments and or construction design management (CDM), manual handling, legislative requirements and organisational policies. Follow safe systems of work and safety information in line with employer requirements or site context (for example clearing their route before transporting materials).
S2:
(Core) Apply environmental mitigation measures including storage and disposal of waste, for example sorting materials for recycling or composting, acting in compliance with legal requirements, organisational policies and pollution controls.
S3:
(Core) Select, undertake a pre start check, set up, clean, store and safely operate tools, equipment and machinery (including pedestrian controlled and handheld) in line with current legislation and business policies.
S4:
(Core) Communicate with technical (for example supervisors or managers) and non-technical audiences (for example clients or the public) using language appropriate to the audience.
S5:
(Core) Identify plants commonly grown in the UK by scientific names including genus species and or cultivar.
S6:
(Core) Maintain the correct phytosanitary and bio-security procedures for the site, in accordance with legal requirements.
S7:
(Core) Identify and report symptoms and or signs of commonly found UK plant pests, pathogens and disorders.
S8:
(Core) Maintain plant health for example providing for basic needs such as water, nutrition (either organic or inorganic), light.
S9:
(Core) Cultivate, improve and preserve soils by mechanical methods and or by hand including amelioration and mulching (these might be imported or natural).
S10:
(Core) Clear unwanted vegetation, selecting techniques to be used (for example weeding).
S11:
(Core) Remove unwanted or damaged growth from plants using a pruning cut.
S12:
(Core) Plant shrubs and a tree using a simple tree pit.
S13:
(Core) Install turf for situation.
S14:
(Core) Mow turf using pedestrian controlled powered driven mower.
S15:
(Core) Maintain or protect hard surfaces, features or structures for example painting, re-gravelling, removing weeds from paving, drain clearance, cleaning.
S16:
(Core) Use digital tools and techniques for research, collaboration, continuous professional development and resolution of problems.
S17:
(Horticulture) Propagate plants by cuttings and seed sowing (this might be indoors or outdoors). Including selection of suitable growing media and or soil.
S18:
(Horticulture) Provide aftercare to recently installed turf and maintain established turf or species rich meadows including irrigation, maintenance, monitoring health and protection from use.
S19:
(Horticulture) Identify if plants are suitable to site, purpose and aesthetics.
S20:
(Horticulture) Maintain soft landscapes for example - staking or support, division, seasonal clearance, and re-planting.
S21:
(Horticulture) Monitor and control plant pests, pathogens, and disorders using basic control methods (including application of chemicals or organic equivalents).
S22:
(Horticulture) Plant herbaceous and seasonal planting (for example bedding, herbs or bulbs).
S23:
(Horticulture) Prune plants to achieve healthy growth and form (including natural habit and formal or trained form).
Technical Educational Products
- ST0225: Horticulture or landscape construction operative - Horticulture operative (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0225A
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £25,974 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5113 Gardeners and landscape gardeners
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5113/99 Gardeners and landscape gardeners n.e.c.
- 5113/02 Gardeners (excludes horticultural/market gardening)
- 5113/04 Landscape gardeners
B1:
Puts safety first for themselves and others.
B2:
Respectful of others including customer care.
B3:
Sources solutions and seeks to continuously improve and develop.
B4:
Takes pride in and ownership of work.
B5:
Team focused and works effectively with colleagues and others.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0225: Horticulture or landscape construction operative - Horticulture operative (Level 2) Approved for delivery
- Reference:
- OCC0225A
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £25,974 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 5113 Gardeners and landscape gardeners
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 5113/99 Gardeners and landscape gardeners n.e.c.
- 5113/02 Gardeners (excludes horticultural/market gardening)
- 5113/04 Landscape gardeners
