A gardening contract defines either recurring maintenance (weekly or fortnightly visits, typically $100–$400/month residential) or a one-off project (planting, bed construction, garden makeovers quoted per job with a 25–50% deposit). The clauses that prevent disputes are the task list per visit, the plant-replacement warranty (commonly 30–90 days, conditional on client watering), green-waste disposal responsibility, and a weather/rescheduling policy.
Gardening Contract Template
Reviewed by the Agiled editorial teamUpdated June 2026
Most gardening disputes trace back to one missing sentence: what exactly happens on each visit, and who waters the new plants afterward. A gardening contract...
Part of our free contract template library — 75+ agreements in Word and PDF, ready to customize and sign.
Full template text
GARDENING SERVICE AGREEMENT
Date: _______________
Property Address: _______________
PARTIES
This Gardening Service Agreement ("Agreement") is entered into by and between:
Property Owner: _____________ ("Owner"), with a mailing address of _____________
Gardener: _____________ ("Gardener"), doing business as _____________, with a mailing address of _____________, Phone: _____________, Email: _____________, insured under Policy No. _____________
CLAUSE 1 — PROPERTY DESCRIPTION
The services described in this Agreement shall be performed at the Property Address. The garden areas included in this Agreement are: _____________
Total approximate garden area: _____________ square feet.
CLAUSE 2 — SCOPE OF SERVICES
The Gardener agrees to perform the following services:
Regular Maintenance (each visit):
- Mow, edge, and blow all lawn areas
- Weed garden beds and borders
- Deadhead flowers and remove spent blooms
- Monitor irrigation system for proper operation
- Inspect plants for pests and disease
- Remove green waste and debris
Monthly Services: - Prune shrubs and hedges as needed (seasonal)
- Fertilize lawns and garden beds per seasonal schedule
- Refresh mulch in designated beds (quarterly)
- Adjust irrigation timer for seasonal conditions
Seasonal Services: - Spring: Prepare beds, plant annuals, apply pre-emergent weed control
- Summer: Deep watering management, pest treatment as needed
- Fall: Leaf removal, cut back perennials, plant fall bulbs
- Winter: Protect frost-sensitive plants, clean and store seasonal equipment
Excluded Services: - Tree removal or major tree surgery
- Hardscape repair or installation
- Irrigation system installation or major repairs
- Licensed pesticide application (unless Gardener holds applicable license)
- Snow removal
CLAUSE 3 — SERVICE SCHEDULE
Services shall be performed [ ] weekly [ ] bi-weekly [ ] monthly, on approximately _____________ (day of week). The Gardener shall notify the Owner at least 24 hours in advance of any schedule change. Services may be suspended during extreme weather conditions, with makeup visits scheduled as soon as conditions permit.
CLAUSE 4 — PLANT MATERIAL AND SUPPLIES
Plants, soil, mulch, fertilizer, and other supplies shall be: [ ] Provided by Gardener (included in monthly fee) [ ] Provided by Gardener (billed separately at cost plus ___%) [ ] Provided by Owner.
For new plantings, the Gardener shall submit a plant list and cost estimate for the Owner's approval before purchasing.
CLAUSE 5 — PLANT WARRANTY
The Gardener warrants newly installed plant material for a period of _____________ days from the date of planting, provided the Owner maintains adequate watering as directed by the Gardener. The warranty covers plant death or failure to thrive due to improper planting technique or unsuitable plant selection by the Gardener. The warranty does not cover damage from extreme weather, pest infestation beyond the Gardener's control, Owner neglect, or acts of nature.
CLAUSE 6 — PRICING AND PAYMENT
Monthly Service Fee: $_____________
The monthly fee covers all regular, monthly, and seasonal services described in Clause 2. Additional services, new plantings, and extraordinary supplies are billed separately with prior Owner approval.
Payment is due on the _____ of each month. Accepted methods: ________. Late payments accrue a fee of $ or ___% per month, whichever is greater.
CLAUSE 7 — TERM AND RENEWAL
This Agreement begins on _____________ and continues for _____________ months ("Initial Term"). After the Initial Term, this Agreement automatically renews for successive _____________ month periods unless either Party provides written notice of non-renewal at least thirty (30) days before the current term ends.
CLAUSE 8 — OWNER RESPONSIBILITIES
The Owner shall provide the Gardener with access to the Property, including gate keys or codes. The Owner shall maintain adequate water supply for irrigation. The Owner shall inform the Gardener of any known hazards, underground utilities, or pet concerns. The Owner shall secure pets during service visits.
CLAUSE 9 — INSURANCE AND LIABILITY
The Gardener shall maintain general liability insurance with minimum coverage of $_____________ per occurrence. The Gardener shall exercise reasonable care to avoid damage to the Owner's property during service visits. The Gardener shall not be liable for damage caused by pre-existing conditions, extreme weather, pest infestation, disease, or the Owner's actions.
CLAUSE 10 — EQUIPMENT
The Gardener shall provide all tools and equipment necessary to perform the services described in this Agreement, unless otherwise agreed. The Owner shall provide water access and electrical outlets as needed.
CLAUSE 11 — TERMINATION
Either Party may terminate this Agreement with thirty (30) days' written notice. If the Owner terminates before the end of the Initial Term, the Owner shall pay for all services performed through the termination date. The Gardener shall return any Owner-supplied keys or access devices upon termination.
CLAUSE 12 — DISPUTE RESOLUTION
Any dispute arising under this Agreement shall be resolved through mediation. If unsuccessful, either Party may pursue legal remedies in the courts of the state where the Property Address is located.
CLAUSE 13 — INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
The Gardener is an independent contractor and is not an employee of the Owner. The Gardener is responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and benefits.
CLAUSE 14 — GOVERNING LAW AND ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of _____________. This Agreement constitutes the entire understanding between the Parties. Amendments must be in writing and signed by both Parties.
SIGNATURES
Owner: ___________________________ Date: _______________
Printed Name: ___________________________
Gardener: ___________________________ Date: _______________
Printed Name: ___________________________
- Residential maintenance
- $100 – $400/month, visit-based
- Hourly rate
- $40 – $80 per gardener
- Project deposit
- 25% – 50% before planting
- Plant warranty
- 30 – 90 days, watering-conditional
What your gardening contract should cover
Visit schedule and task list
"Fortnightly, weeding + pruning + mowing edges + green-waste removal" — per-visit tasks listed, not 'general garden maintenance.' Seasonal tasks (hedge cutting, mulching, autumn cleanup) get their own scheduled lines.
Scope boundary for extras
Tree work above a stated height, irrigation repairs, hardscaping, and pest treatment priced separately and approved before doing. The boundary clause is what stops the monthly fee absorbing unlimited add-ons.
Plant and materials supply
Who buys plants, soil, and mulch — and at what markup if the gardener supplies. Stating 'plants at cost + 20% sourcing' beats discovering the dispute at invoice time.
Plant-replacement warranty
Commonly 30–90 days on supplied plants, conditional on the client following the written watering schedule. Unconditional guarantees on living material are how gardeners fund other people's neglect.
Green-waste disposal
Hauled away (and the tip fee passed through), composted on site, or left in the client's bin — pick one. Disposal is a real per-visit cost and the most common silent margin leak.
Weather and rescheduling policy
Rained-out visits roll to the next available day without penalty; the monthly fee doesn't prorate for weather. Saying so up front prevents the 'you skipped a week' conversation every wet month.
Access, pets, and site conditions
Gate codes, dog secured during visits, water access for new plantings. A locked gate on arrival is a billable visit if the contract says so — and an argument if it doesn't.
Payment terms and cancellation notice
Maintenance bills monthly in advance or on completion, due within 7–14 days; either side can end with 30 days' notice. Projects: deposit, then balance on completion.
Typical gardening rates and terms (U.S., 2026)
| Item | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $40 – $80 | Per gardener; crews quoted per visit |
| Residential maintenance | $100 – $400/month | Weekly or fortnightly visits |
| One-off garden cleanup | $200 – $800 | Overgrown sites quoted on inspection |
| Planting project deposit | 25% – 50% | Covers plant orders |
| Mulch installed | $50 – $130/cu yd | Material + spreading |
| Hedge trimming | $50 – $75/hr or per-hedge | Height limits in scope clause |
| Plant warranty | 30 – 90 days | Conditional on client watering |
Rates vary widely by region, lot size, and overgrowth. Per-visit flat pricing from a defined task list is the residential norm; estates and commercial grounds run on annual schedules.
How gardening contracts work in practice
Recurring residential maintenance
The standard arrangement is a fixed per-visit or monthly price against a written task list — weeding, deadheading, pruning under a stated height, lawn edges, and green-waste removal. The contract runs month to month with 30 days' notice either way, and bills monthly. What keeps these relationships alive for years is the extras discipline: anything outside the task list is quoted as a separate line item first, so the client never finds surprise charges and the gardener never works free.
One-off planting or makeover projects
Garden makeovers quote a fixed price from a planting plan: bed preparation, soil amendments, plants by species and pot size, mulch, and disposal. A 25–50% deposit covers the plant order before anything goes in the ground, with the balance due on completion. The plant schedule attached to the contract — species, sizes, quantities — is what makes the warranty enforceable, because both sides know exactly what was planted and what it cost.
Seasonal contracts and estates
Larger properties run on an annual schedule: weekly visits in the growing season, fortnightly or monthly in winter, with scheduled seasonal operations (spring mulch, autumn cleanup, winter pruning) priced as part of the annual figure and billed in equal monthly installments. The contract states the annual visit count, so a mild January with two visits and a frantic May with five all net out — and neither side relitigates the monthly invoice.
Mistakes that weaken a gardening contract
Selling 'general maintenance' without a task list
Without per-visit tasks in writing, the client's definition of maintenance expands to whatever the garden needs that week. The task list is the product; everything else is a quoted extra.
Guaranteeing plants unconditionally
Plants die from neglect more often than bad stock. A warranty that doesn't condition on the client following the watering schedule makes the gardener the insurer of every dry August.
Eating disposal costs silently
Green-waste tipping fees are real money on every visit. If the contract doesn't assign disposal and its cost, the gardener absorbs it — and discovers at year-end that hauling ate the margin.
Prorating for weather
Letting clients deduct rained-out visits turns every wet month into an accounting argument. Roll missed visits forward instead, and say so in the contract.
No notice period on maintenance accounts
A client who cancels mid-month after you've scheduled the season's route costs you a slot you can't refill. Thirty days' written notice, both directions, is the industry-standard protection.
How to use this template
- 01
Download the gardening contract template in Word or PDF.
- 02
Choose the engagement type: recurring maintenance, one-off project, or seasonal schedule — delete the sections that don't apply.
- 03
List the per-visit tasks and the visit frequency, plus any scheduled seasonal operations.
- 04
Set rates: monthly or per-visit fee for maintenance, fixed quote with deposit for projects, and your markup on supplied plants.
- 05
Fill in the plant-warranty period and the watering conditions it depends on.
- 06
Set payment terms and the 30-day cancellation notice, then have both parties sign.
Skip this template if…
- Tree surgery and arborist work — height, insurance, and certification requirements make that a separate specialist contract.
- Landscape construction (retaining walls, patios, irrigation systems) — use a landscaping or construction contract with milestone payments.
FAQs
How much does a gardener cost per month?
Typical residential maintenance runs $100–$400 per month depending on garden size, visit frequency, and region — usually structured as weekly or fortnightly visits against a fixed task list. Hourly work runs $40–$80 per gardener.
What should a gardening contract include?
The visit schedule and per-visit task list, rates and payment terms, who supplies plants and materials, a plant-replacement warranty with its conditions, green-waste disposal responsibility, a weather policy, access arrangements, and a cancellation notice period — typically 30 days.
Should a gardener guarantee plants?
A 30–90 day replacement warranty on plants the gardener supplied is standard, conditional on the client following the agreed watering schedule. Plants supplied by the client, or losses from drought, frost, or animal damage, are normally excluded.
Who pays for green waste removal?
Whatever the contract says — which is why it must say. Common structures: hauling included in the visit price, tip fees passed through at cost, or clippings left in the client's green bin. Unassigned disposal costs default to the gardener's margin.
What happens if it rains on a scheduled visit?
Standard practice is to roll the visit to the next workable day without penalty or proration — weather delays aren't missed service. The contract should state this so monthly fees don't get disputed every wet stretch.
Do I need a contract for a small gardening job?
For a one-off half-day job, a written quote accepted by email does the legal work. Once there's recurring service, supplied plants, or anything above a few hundred dollars, a signed contract protects both sides — and several states require written contracts above small-dollar thresholds for home improvement work.
Pair it with the landscaping invoice template
The contract sets the terms — the invoice collects on them. Free download with the right line items pre-filled.
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