Landscape maintenance (or groundskeeping) is the art and vocation of keeping a landscape healthy, clean, safe and attractive, typically in a

garden A garden is a planned space, usually outdoors, set aside for the cultivation, display, and enjoyment of plants and other forms of nature. The single feature identifying even the wildest wild garden is ''control''. The garden can incorporate bot ...

yard The yard (symbol: yd) is an English units, English unit of length in both the British imperial units, imperial and US United States customary units, customary systems of measurement equalling 3 foot (unit), feet or 36 inches. Sinc ...

park A park is an area of natural, semi-natural or planted space set aside for human enjoyment and recreation or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. Urban parks are urban green space, green spaces set aside for recreation inside t ...

, institutional setting or estate. Using

tools A tool is an object that can extend an individual's ability to modify features of the surrounding environment or help them accomplish a particular task. Although many animals use simple tools, only human beings, whose use of stone tools dates ...

, supplies, knowledge, physical exertion and skills, a

groundskeeper Groundskeeping is the activity of tending an area of land for aesthetic or functional purposes, typically in an institutional setting. It includes mowing grass, trimming hedges, pulling weeds, planting flowers, etc. The United States Department o ...

may plan or carry out annual plantings and harvestings, periodic weeding and fertilizing, other

gardening Gardening is the process of growing plants for their vegetables, fruits, flowers, herbs, and appearances within a designated space. Gardens fulfill a wide assortment of purposes, notably the production of Aesthetics, aesthetically pleasing area ...

, lawn care,

snow removal Snow removal or snow clearing is the job of removing snow after a snowfall to make travel easier and safer. This is done both by individual households and by governments institutions, and commercial businesses. De-icing and anti-icing De-icin ...

, driveway and path maintenance, shrub

pruning Pruning is the selective removal of certain parts of a plant, such as branches, buds, or roots. It is practiced in horticulture (especially fruit tree pruning), arboriculture, and silviculture. The practice entails the targeted removal of di ...

, topiary, lighting,

fencing Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. It consists of three primary disciplines: Foil (fencing), foil, épée, and Sabre (fencing), sabre (also spelled ''saber''), each with its own blade and set of rules. Most competitive fe ...

, swimming pool care, runoff drainage, and

irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering of plants) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has bee ...

, and other jobs for protecting and improving the

topsoil Topsoil is the upper layer of soil. It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms and is where most of the Earth's biological soil activity occurs. Description Topsoil is composed of mineral particles and organic mat ...

plants Plants are the eukaryotes that form the kingdom Plantae; they are predominantly photosynthetic. This means that they obtain their energy from sunlight, using chloroplasts derived from endosymbiosis with cyanobacteria to produce sugars f ...

, and garden accessories. Groundskeepers may also deal with local animals (including birds, rodents, reptiles, insects, and domestic animals or

pet A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive/ cute appearances, inte ...

s), and create means to attract or repel them, as desired or necessary. A garden may also be designed to include exotic animals, such as a

koi pond Koi ponds are ponds used for holding koi carp, usually as part of a garden. Koi ponds can be designed specifically to promote health and growth of the Nishikigoi or Japanese Ornamental Carp. Koi ponds or lakes are a traditional feature of Ja ...

. In larger estates, groundskeepers may be responsible for providing and maintaining habitat for wild animals.

Landscape maintenance industry

According to IBISWorld, who published an article in September 2019 on the Landscape Industry in the US, the Landscaping Industry is worth $98.8 billion. From 2014-2019, the industry had an annual growth of 4.4%, but it is estimated that from 2019- 2024 the industry will decrease to only a 1.5% annual growth. The Industry is suspected to have a 1.2% growth in the number or businesses and low entry barriers for new companies. Due to the continuous and stead growth of this industry, competition for new businesses is high. In May 2017, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics ( BLS ), estimated that 912,360 "Landscape and Groundskeeping Workers" maintained jobs under this job title. These workers have an average annual pay of $29,700 paired with a mean hourly wage of about $14.28. These jobs hold a variety of hourly rates ranging from $9.59, which equals an annual pay of $19,960 a year, to $20.61, which holds an annual pay of $42,870. The exact description of this job can change solely based on the company that has posted the job description, but according to the BLS, " Landscape or maintain grounds of property using hand or power tools or equipment. Workers typically perform a variety of tasks, which may include any combination of the following: sod laying, mowing, trimming, planting, watering, fertilizing, digging, raking, sprinkler installation, and installation of mortarless segmental concrete masonry wall units." The BLS also claims that this job title excludes "Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse (45-2092)." Demand for landscaping and pool installation work increased during the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

due to the increased number of

remote work Remote work (also called telecommuting, telework, work from or at home, WFH as an initialism, hybrid work, and other terms) is the practice of work (human activity), working at or from one's home or Third place, another space rather than from ...

ers spending time in their homes. Landscape maintenance encompasses not only the routine upkeep of outdoor areas but also integrated property care solutions that enhance both aesthetics and functionality. For example, companies lik
KD Landscaping in Syracuse, New York
illustrate this broader approach by offering comprehensive property maintenance services. These services include landscape design and installation, drainage management, deck and fence construction, and other specialized repairs aimed at protecting property value and preventing damage. This integrated model ensures that landscapes are not only well-maintained but also resilient against environmental challenges, thereby contributing to long-term sustainability and enhanced curb appeal.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Landscape Maintenance Landscape architecture

Landscape maintenance industry

See also

References