Landscaping and gardening seem like they should be almost the same thing. While both involve the care of a garden, the differences between landscaping and gardening are quite significant.
You wouldn’t ask a gardener to level out a hill, and you wouldn’t ask a landscaper to tend to your rose bush. That’s just one example of how both a landscaper and a gardener come with different responsibilities.
What is the Difference Between Landscaping and Gardening?
Landscaping and Gardening: They’re Not the Same Thing!
Landscaping and gardening are similar, but not identical.
A landscaper is there to assess and modify the greater landscape. Structural changes to the garden and any major alterations to the garden’s appearance fall under the responsibilities of a landscaper.
Landscaping changes the landscape, whereas gardening does not.
The installation of a water feature or the leveling out of a couple of feet of the garden surface is a landscaper’s job. Landscapers work with large and small surfaces, and usually change the underlying structure of a garden, but not the plants.
Everything else you might want to do with your garden, that’s where the art of gardening comes in.
What is Landscaping?
Landscaping is the art of changing the landscape, surface, or overall appearance of your garden and its surroundings.
If you would like to even out a surface, add a hill, or make any small or large structural change to your garden, that’s what a landscaper is for.
Landscaping isn’t always massive, complex, or a huge job. A few feet of a garden that needs to be leveled or reshaped falls under the same category as a large golf course that requires surface adjustments.
What is Gardening?
Gardening is the art of tending to the garden. Most often, gardening involves taking care of the individual plants that make up a garden. Gardeners can have small or large gardens under their care. You are just as much of a gardener with a few flowerpots as you would be if you had several farms filled with rose bushes.
If your job involves watering, planting, or growing plants, that falls under gardening and not landscaping. If you need to trim or transplant anything, that’s gardening and not landscaping.
A gardener’s job is to take care of the garden, whereas a landscaper has a lot more to do with the surface on which the gardener will work.
The Gardener and the Landscaper
A landscaper and gardener should ideally always work together, or else you’ll have two entirely different mindsets in the same garden. Not always do the two approaches align.
When a gardener and landscaper cooperate, you’ll see the most beautiful garden as a result. However, when they don’t, it’s difficult to plan a coherent design. This can lead to a patchwork-style garden.
If you need to hire both a landscaper and a gardener, make sure they work together to achieve the best possible results.
Even if you are working on a smaller garden, you will need the same cooperation from both sides to make the project successful. This is true for amateurs as well as professionals.
Professional Gardening or Landscaping Services
Professional garden and landscaping services are sometimes provided by the same company. However, in some cases, you might have to hire two different professionals for the job.
If you do, make sure that each company knows they will be collaborating. Gardeners and landscapers should work together if you want a balanced design (and a functional, attractive garden as the final result).
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is the primary distinction between landscaping and gardening?
Landscaping typically involves modifying the land’s structure, such as leveling ground or installing features, while gardening focuses on cultivating and caring for plants.
When should a homeowner hire a landscaper instead of a gardener?
Hire a landscaper when the project requires major physical changes to the terrain, like adding patios or water features; hire a gardener for plant care and routine garden maintenance.
Can the same company provide both landscaping and gardening services?
Many companies offer both services, but sometimes separate professionals are needed, so it is important to confirm and coordinate between the two for optimal results.
Why should landscapers and gardeners collaborate on a project?
Joint effort ensures that both the underlying structure and the plantings work harmoniously, preventing disjointed outcomes and achieving a cohesive design.
Additional Reading:
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Arbor Hills Landscaping Company Omaha | Best Landscaping Company in Omaha, NE
Arbor Hills Trees & Landscaping Services can provide you with everything from detailed maintenance programs to unique plant production and other services in between. That means we build water features, walls, patios, irrigation, walkways, outdoor kitchens, lighting, and anything else you can help us dream up. Our professionally trained staff can build the landscape of your dreams and keep you from breaking any Home Landscaping Rules.
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