You want to work outdoors. You like the idea of doing something physical and seeing the results of your work at the end of the day. Maybe someone suggested landscaping, or maybe you stumbled across it yourself. Either way, you’re ready to go for it.
There’s just one thing in the way: the CV.
If you’ve never worked in landscaping before, it can feel like you’ve got nothing to put down. But here’s the truth: you have more to offer than you think. A good CV for a landscaping job isn’t about rattling off years of professional experience. It’s about showing you’re reliable, willing to work hard, and genuinely interested in the industry. That’s absolutely achievable, whether you’re fresh out of school or switching careers from something completely different.
This guide walks you through exactly what to put on your landscaping CV, how to lay it out, and what to leave off. There’s a simple template at the end too, so you can get started straight away.
What Employers Are Actually Looking For
Before you write a single word, it helps to know what a landscaping employer actually wants to see. Most employers in this industry, from small local contractors to large grounds maintenance companies, are looking for:
- Someone who will show up on time and work reliably
- Physical fitness and a willingness to do outdoor, hands-on work in all weathers
- A genuine interest in plants, outdoor spaces, or the environment
- Basic practical skills that are relevant to the role
- Good communication and the ability to work as part of a team
Notice that “five years of landscaping experience” is not on that list. Especially for entry-level roles and apprenticeships, employers know you’re starting out. What they want to see is potential, attitude, and relevant transferable skills.
If you’re applying for an apprenticeship specifically, have a read of our landscaping apprenticeship guide to understand what’s involved before you apply.
How to Structure Your Landscaping CV
Keep it clean, easy to read, and no longer than two sides of A4. Here’s the order to follow:
1. Contact Details
At the top of the page: your full name, phone number, email address, and your town or city (you don’t need your full address). Make sure your email address looks professional. If yours is something embarrassing from school, create a new one before you apply.
2. Personal Statement
This is a short paragraph of three to five sentences at the top of your CV. Think of it as your pitch. It should cover:
- Who you are (your background or current situation)
- What you’re looking for (the type of role or apprenticeship)
- Why landscaping or horticulture interests you
- What you can bring to the role
Example personal statement:
“I’m a recent school leaver looking for an entry-level role or apprenticeship in landscaping. I’m physically fit, reliable, and genuinely interested in working outdoors. I’ve spent the past year volunteering at a local community garden and I’m keen to build on that in a professional setting.”
Not sure what area of landscaping you’re drawn to? Take the GoLandscape career quiz to find out which role suits you best before you start applying.
3. Skills
List six to ten relevant skills. These can absolutely be transferable ones from school, sports, hobbies, or part-time work. More on what to include in the next section.
4. Work Experience
This is where people with no direct experience tend to freeze. Don’t. Include any work experience you do have, paid or unpaid, and focus on what you did and what it shows about you. Even weekend jobs, school placements, helping a family member with their garden, or volunteering counts.
For each entry, include the job title or role, the organisation, the dates, and two to three bullet points about what you did.
5. Education
List your school, college, or any other qualifications, with dates. Include your GCSEs (especially English and Maths), any relevant subjects like science, geography, or DT, and any vocational or T Level qualifications related to horticulture or the environment.
If you’ve completed any relevant courses, such as a First Aid certificate, a CSCS card course, or a Level 1 introduction to horticulture, include those here too.
6. Hobbies and Interests
This section matters more for landscaping CVs than it does for a lot of other industries. Employers want to see that your interest in the outdoors is genuine, not just something you’ve put on paper to get a job. Mention anything relevant: gardening, sport, walking, wildlife, conservation volunteering, or growing your own food.
What to Put When You Have No Experience
Here’s where we get specific. The following are all fair game for a landscaping CV, even if you’ve never been paid to dig a hole or plant a border in your life.
Transferable Skills from School or Other Jobs
Think about what skills you’ve used anywhere, then frame them in a way that makes sense for landscaping:
- Working in a team (school projects, group sports, part-time work)
- Time management and reliability (turning up to school or a job on time, meeting deadlines)
- Physical fitness and stamina (sport, active hobbies)
- Attention to detail (anything that required care and precision)
- Following instructions and working safely
- Customer service or communication (retail, hospitality, or any client-facing work)
Volunteering and Community Work
Volunteering is genuinely valued in the horticulture industry. If you’ve helped out at a community garden, a nature reserve, a church grounds, a school garden project, or anywhere that involved working outdoors, put it on your CV. Be specific about what you did.
Garden or Outdoor Projects at Home
Have you helped to maintain a family garden? Grown vegetables? Built something in the garden with a parent or family member? These are all relevant. It shows initiative and practical interest. Don’t dismiss them just because they weren’t a formal job.
School Projects and Qualifications
If you studied biology, geography, environmental science, or any subject that involved fieldwork, mention it. A school trip to a nature reserve or a project on ecosystems is still evidence of interest in the natural world.
If your school offered any work experience in a relevant area, even if it was just a week, include it.
Sports and Physical Activity
Landscaping is a physically demanding job. If you play sport regularly, go to the gym, do a lot of walking or cycling, or do any other physical activity that shows you’re fit and active, mention it. It’s a genuinely relevant detail for this kind of role.
What NOT to Include on Your CV
Just as important as what you put in is what you leave out. Avoid the following:
- A photo of yourself (this is standard practice in the UK and can unintentionally introduce bias)
- Your date of birth (not required and not relevant)
- Irrelevant personal details like your nationality, religion, or relationship status
- A list of references. You can write “References available on request” if you like, or just leave it off entirely
- Spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Read it back carefully, then ask someone else to read it too
- A generic personal statement that could apply to any job. Tailor it to landscaping specifically
A Simple CV Template You Can Use
Copy this structure and fill in your own details. Keep the layout clean, use a standard font like Arial or Calibri at size 11 or 12, and save it as a PDF before sending.
YOUR FULL NAME
Phone number | Email address | Town, County
PERSONAL STATEMENT
[3 to 5 sentences: who you are, what role you want, why landscaping, what you bring]
KEY SKILLS
[6 to 10 bullet points. Mix practical, physical, and interpersonal skills]
WORK EXPERIENCE
Job Title or Role | Organisation | Month Year to Month Year
[2 to 3 bullet points about what you did and what it demonstrates]
EDUCATION
School / College Name | Dates attended
[GCSEs, A levels, BTECs, T Levels, or other qualifications with grades if strong]
HOBBIES AND INTERESTS
[2 to 4 sentences. Focus on outdoor activities, physical hobbies, anything nature-related]
Tips for Career Changers
If you’re not a school leaver but someone looking to move into landscaping from a different career entirely, the same principles apply, but you have even more to work with.
Think about what your existing work life actually involved on a practical level. Someone coming from retail or hospitality has strong customer communication skills and knows how to work as part of a fast-moving team under pressure. A tradesperson, whether that’s a bricklayer, painter, or carpenter, brings a safety-conscious mindset, experience with tools, and an understanding of working on site. Someone from healthcare or care work has patience, attention to detail, and is used to physically demanding days. All of that translates.
The key is to frame your existing experience in a way that speaks to what a landscaping employer needs. Don’t just list your previous job titles. Write briefly about what those roles involved day-to-day, then connect the dots explicitly. Something like: “In my previous role managing a busy shop floor, I coordinated a team of six, managed timelines, and dealt directly with customers. I’m now looking to bring those same skills to an outdoor environment where I can also develop practical horticultural knowledge.”
Being clear about why you’re making the switch also matters. Employers respond well to people who have done their research and made a considered decision, rather than someone who seems to have applied on a whim. A sentence or two in your personal statement explaining your motivation goes a long way.
Take a look at the career changer section on GoLandscape for more guidance tailored specifically to people making the switch.
A Few Final Checks Before You Send
Before you hit send on any application, run through this quick checklist:
- Spell check everything, then read it out loud to catch awkward phrasing
- Ask someone you trust to read it and give you honest feedback
- Make sure your personal statement mentions landscaping or horticulture specifically, not a generic version
- Check the employer’s name is spelled correctly if you’ve referenced them
- Save and send as a PDF so the formatting stays intact
- Keep it to two sides of A4 maximum
Where to Find Landscaping Jobs and Apprenticeships
Once your CV is ready, it’s time to put it to use. Here’s where to look:
- The GoLandscape job roles page lists vacancies across the UK in all areas of the industry
- The apprenticeships section covers how to find and apply for landscaping apprenticeships in England
- The Lantra website lists approved training providers and qualifications across the horticulture and land-based sectors
- Local landscaping and grounds maintenance companies often recruit directly, so it’s worth reaching out speculatively with a strong CV and a brief covering note
It’s also worth knowing that BALI, the organisation behind GoLandscape, is the UK’s leading trade body for landscaping professionals.
Many BALI member companies actively recruit entry-level candidates and apprentices. You can find out more about the industry’s professional standards at bali.org.uk.
You’re More Ready Than You Think
Getting your first landscaping job or apprenticeship is not about having the perfect CV. It’s about having a CV that clearly shows who you are, what you care about, and what you can do. You have more relevant experience than you’re giving yourself credit for.
Take your time with it, be honest, and make it personal. A thoughtful, well-presented CV will always stand out over a generic one, regardless of how much formal experience it contains.
If you want to see where a career in landscaping can really take you, read the success stories from people who started exactly where you are now. Different backgrounds, different routes in, all building careers they’re proud of.
