What is the difference between Gardening and Landscaping?

Last Updated: November 24, 2025

Landscaping
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Michael Rosenberg

Specializes in translating complex information into readable, engaging content. Michael@top10us.com

Usually, you could mistake Gardening for Landscaping because both have activities that make them look intertwined. You can either take both a profession or hobby, both involve maintaining and building the outer space to make it more pleasing to the eye. However, as similar, both activities might look, there are many differences between them. Below are some of the differences between Gardening and Landscaping. 

Gardening

Difference between Gardening and Landscaping

Gardening involves growing plants and can vary from keeping a single plant to a whole garden with different plants. This involves cultivating and caring for plants in pots or the soil. 

Landscaping deals more with the professional design of the garden and construction of ponds and sculptures. Landscaping is the art of arranging and enriching the outer space with plants and various structures for aesthetic purposes. On a large scale, it may include public gardens or recreational areas. 

Gardening includes activities such as pest control, but landscaping is more about aesthetics or practical purposes. Although many landscaping companies also do gardening services

Gardening is a continuous activity, as gardens require specialized care and attention all through the year. Gardening also needs knowledge of various natural processes, including soil ecology, climates plant physiology, pest infestation, and water drainage. The knowledge can either be gained through experience or education. While landscaping only involves a one-time design of the garden.

Landscaping is a Four-year apprenticeship, four days in a week for professional training, and one day in a week for the course training. The landscaping course covers the design, construction, and maintenance of gardens, with a special focus on construction. Landscapers should be called landscape builders because that is what they are. A landscaper will build you a garden where you did not have a garden.

Gardening is also an apprenticeship and is normally done by someone who wants to work in nurseries to maintain plants, parks, and gardens. The course focuses heavily on plants, trees, cutting plant habitats, soil types, and plant-related pests and diseases. Gardeners tend to understand plants better, how they grow, their preferred position in the garden than a landscaper because landscaping education is more focused on the construction aspect. Even though some landscapers also have an excellent knowledge of plants.

Landscape professionals, such as architects, designers, and contractors, offer different services. Landscape architects must have a degree in landscape architecture and pass the national exam before they can be qualified for a license. These professionals work on different types and scales of the project, such as design, implementing yards, planning transportation facilities, and developing resorts and waterfronts. As a Landscape Designer, you do not need formal education before practicing, but can be accredited by professional associations according to their work history.

On the other hand, Gardening professionals might need to obtain a degree in botany or horticulture. Some professional gardeners complete a master’s in gardening. Obtaining a master’s in gardening usually requires receiving many hours of training from academic and professional mentors in gardening or horticulture. For instance, obtaining a Master in Gardening in California requires over 50 hours of classes and volunteering and continuous education.

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