Can Gardeners Be Called Professionals?

With concrete jungles making their presence felt, people are now looking out for homes that have a small garden attached to it just so they have that little bit of greenery to soothe tired eyes. Apartment blocks plan their buildings so that there is space for landscaping and gardening. For these gardens, one needs people to care for and maintain them. Gardeners, as professionals, are a minority breed, but at the same time it is the oldest profession around today.

So how would one define a gardener? You can say that he is a person involved with the planting and subsequent maintenance of the plants. This person can belong to any race and any profession. They can be hobby gardeners in small residential homes where one would find a tiny vegetable patch along with flowering plants or they could be part of an orchard involved in the production of fruit and vegetables and maintaining greenery for commercial use.

One would be surprised to know that even this profession has a long and old history. The 18th century saw many gardeners who pioneered this profession and went on to acquire critical acclaim for their contribution to this field. They built their idea around the theory of no dig.

This profession can also be categorized. There are the maintenance gardeners who look after small gardens and there are head gardeners for large estates. Then there are landscape gardeners who specialize in landscapes.

Lets start with a head gardener who also goes by the name Curator. These are people who have a medium to large staff under their command and they work mainly in botanical gardens, very big private home gardens, public parks, museums, garden islands, theme gardens etc. This then broadens the job description to include activities related to the construction industry, landscaping and designing companies etc and involves an ability to communicate effectively so the end product is perfect. They need to be clued up on rockery, fernery, lawns, climates that will affect the flora and fauna etc.

Next we have landscape gardeners who are people qualified in conservation and restoration of the land. They also deal with places like golf courses where landscaping is required, keeping the natural habitat in mind. UK has a special landscape institute where people are trained to excel in this field and they earn an undergraduate degree for the same.

Now we have a new breed called celebrity gardeners. Percy Thrower from Britain tops the list today. These are people who have gained popularity through their knowledge of gardening that has been showcased on television thereby bringing the world of plant lovers into an elite circle.

You can be all thumbs when it comes to gardening or you can be green fingers but in reality all you need is a keen sense of color and truckloads of enthusiasm. Whether you are dealing with miniature gardens or bonsai ones – you are the creator and nature is there to assist you. Take on the profession of a gardener – its rewarding and fulfilling.