A Horticulturist – A person who ‘applies the science of horticulture – the art and science of the care, maintenance and management of plants’.
Those who follow this path are rightly called horticulturists.
(NOTE: The suffix is ‘ist’, being a noun there is no ‘al’ . )
A Journey Rooted in Growth
Practising as a Horticulturist is a fulfilling and constantly interesting journey – gathering knowledge and skills in the world of plants and soil – sharing our love of our vocation with our world’s communities, striving to ensure our planet’s health.
More Than a Career — A Calling of the Heart
A Horticulturist is not just an ‘occupation’, going about our daily work. Horticulture is a vocation, some say a calling, that excites one’s passion, our values, is deeply rewarding and one that provides a sense of purpose that goes beyond just making a living. It is a profession, which requires specialised education and acquisition of knowledge, and a vocation that excites our senses and challenges our practical skills.
Listening to the Silent Voices of Plants
Although many horticulturists develop intense connections with the natural world, we have yet to develop a spoken language between the horticulturist and the plant world. A profession in which our captured patients can only express their maladies often through an encyclopaedic selection of physical symptoms and causal agents. When the plant can’t up-roots and look for better living spaces, the horticulturist is called upon to save it from a miserable demise.
Guardians of the Living Landscape
As professionals we therefore are obliged to develop our diagnostic skills deciphering that encyclopaedia to manage the health of the plant kingdom and their communities – both natural and the built environment – we are an important cog in our planetary health.
What is the Horticulture Industry ? – The vocations we can follow
Worldwide, the horticulture industry may be referred to in English as the Landscape, Lifestyle, Garden, Ornamental, or Amenity Horticulture Industry. It is a dynamic, evolving sector that connects science, art, and practical skills to create and maintain thriving plant-based environments. Horticulture is more than gardening—it encompasses professional practice, education, and innovation across public, private, and commercial spheres.
Traditionally, industry education and vocational pathways have been based around seven key sectors, each sharing core horticultural knowledge and skills. These sectors provide a foundation that ensures professionals can transfer skills across multiple areas, adapt to emerging trends, and meet the demands of a rapidly changing environment.
Seven Historical Key Sectors
Arboriculture – The science and practice of tree care, including pruning, planting, transplanting, and health management. Arboriculture professionals are also responsible for assessing risks, protecting heritage or endangered species, and providing expert advice on tree management.
Interiorscape – Designing, establishing, and maintaining indoor plant environments. This sector combines aesthetics, plant health, and climate control management to create functional and visually appealing spaces within commercial, domestic, and institutional settings.
Landscape Design, Construction, and Maintenance – A diverse mix of horticultural, construction, and engineering skills. Professionals in this sector design, construct, and maintain softscapes and hardscapes for residential, commercial, and public projects, integrating plants, water systems, and recreational structures.
Nursery – Retail and Production – Focus on the propagation, cultivation, and sale of plants and related products. This sector includes wholesale and retail nurseries, garden centres, and production facilities that supply plants, soil, fertilizers, irrigation, and landscape materials.
Parks, Reserves, and Gardens – Managing and maintaining public and private green spaces, including parks, botanic gardens, recreation areas, and conservation zones. Professionals provide horticultural expertise in planting design, maintenance, irrigation, and ecosystem management.
Production Horticulture / Floriculture – The cultivation of fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, mushrooms, flowers, and foliage for domestic and export markets. This sector requires knowledge of crop management, growing environments, post-harvest processes, and supply chain logistics.
Turf and Sports Turf – Propagation, production, and maintenance of turf for recreational, commercial, and domestic use. This sector covers sports turf, golf courses, bowling greens, and residential lawns, requiring expertise in soil science, irrigation, pest and disease management, and surface design.
Emerging and Specialist Sector Skills
In addition to traditional sectors, modern horticulture increasingly requires specialized skills tailored to urban, environmental, and therapeutic contexts. Examples include:
Urban Infrastructure – Management of green roofs, green walls, and urban public spaces to improve city and regional ecosystems and community well-being.
Therapeutic Horticulture – Using plant-based environments to support physical, mental, and emotional health in healthcare and community settings.
Environmental and Sustainable Horticulture – Conservation-focused work that integrates biodiversity, soil health, water management, and climate adaptation strategies.
Protected Environment Management – Operation and maintenance of greenhouses, controlled growing environments, and specialized plant propagation facilities.
These emerging sectors demonstrate the breadth of horticulture and its critical role in addressing global challenges such as urbanization, climate change, and food security.
Common Knowledge and Skills Across Sectors
Despite the diversity of vocational pathways, all horticulturists share foundational knowledge and skills, including:
Plant Selection and Classification – Understanding species, growth habits, and environmental requirements.
Plant Health Management – Diagnosing and treating pests, diseases, and physiological stress.
Soil and Water Management – Maintaining soil fertility, drainage, and efficient irrigation systems.
Sustainable Practices – Applying ecological principles to minimize environmental impact and enhance ecosystem services.
Many of these skills are portable across sectors, allowing horticulturists to move between roles in arboriculture, landscaping, nurseries, production, and parks management. Education and professional development often integrate these common skills within national training frameworks to maintain industry standards and ensure workforce mobility.
Operations
Skills Application
Market
Arboriculture sector
Specialist practices of tree surgery, pruning, tree health, planting and transplanting. Private contractors, commercial employed, government contractors.The sector uses specialist machinery with high inherent dangers requiring specialist training and management of safety factors
Maintenance and management of trees in private and public gardens, parks and streetscapes. Removal and/or transplanting of large, heritage or engendered species trees. Protection and rehabilitation of trees under structural or physical threat. Provision of advice on tree planting and maintenance.Evaluation and assessment of tree health and monetary value.
Parks owners, Town Councils, Domestic house owners, Property developers and managers, Forestry /Silviculture
Production Horticulture and Floriculture sector
Production: Growing a wide variety of products, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, nuts, mushrooms flowers and foliage. Farm management, seasonal cropping, Crop trialling, Supply chain managementFloriculture sector. This is in the specialist area of exotic and Australian native species flowers and foliage for cut flower market and export
Growing and harvesting of commercial produce. Flower seed; Foliage; Essential oil crops. Management and maintenance of field and controlled growing environments.Postharvest treatments and production of plant products. Irrigation specialists also work within this sector
The design, establishment and maintenance of an interiorscape. Mix of design, plant care, maintenance of gardens in interior or built environment protected areas.
Species selection, implementation and maintenance issues; Theme and seasonality of display; Combination of floral and foliage display; Level of Air-conditioning, climatic control systems, ventilation; Watering and/or irrigation systems; Light source; Safety issues; Length of time of display; Pest and disease control management; Site access – setup, maintenance, out of trading hours, restricted security access
Commercial, domestic, conferences, hotels, displays, indoor water features
Landscape Design, Construction and Maintenance sector
Diverse mix of construction, engineering and horticultural skills application applied in the built environment. Range of operations with 2 key foci:hardscape construction, and softscape development with plant use and landscape development. Irrigation specialists also work with this sector
Design of gardens and commercial landscapes.Installation and maintenance of gardens.Construction and installation of amenity and recreational landscape features and structures.Provision of technical advice and forward estimates on landscape development proposals.Public Open Space design and construction
Landscape work is associated with commercial construction, hotel and resort construction, engineering projects along transport corridors, new housing developments, and improvements to residential, commercial and industrial properties
Nursery Sector
Production of plants.Wholesale and retail sale of plants Sale of allied products – landscape materials, cut flowers, dried flowers.Dry goods- irrigation products, chemicals, fertilisers, plant treatments, pots, statuary, water features, sands, soils, potting mixes, giftware.Irrigation specialists also work with this sector
Propagation, production and maintenance of plants for sales and/or hire.Wholesaling and retailing of plants and associated products.Horticultural consultation, plant health assessments, plant community assessments.Provision of advice on plant selection, care and health and garden design.Marketing and promotion of plant products and services.
There is a wide diversity of enterprises across the Nursery Sectors in size, provision of species groups, target markets and clients. The major distinction of nurseries is generally between their wholesale/production and retail activities and often home centres and tourist attractions.
Parks, Reserves and Gardens Sector
The Parks and Gardens sector covers the management, development and maintenance of Parks and gardens. Contract administration and management.Turf, trees and garden bed maintenance.Irrigation specialists also work with this sector
Public Open Space design and construction.Management and maintenance of public and private open spaces parks.Gardening for all markets.Design and implementation of special plant displays.Provision of advice on plant selection and use in commercial and industrial situations.Playground equipment installation and maintenance.
Park Users, Parks Managers Domestic garden owners.Themed gardens: Zoos, botanic, avian parks, fun parks, cemeteries.Institutional lands: historic, cultural, special use areas. Natural bushland, reserves recreation areas, wetland and coastal zones.Conservation areas and community gardens.
Turf, Sports Turf and Greens Sector
The turf sector covers the propagation, production and use of turf in the community. Mowing contractors.Turf is sold as sods, seed, plugs, sprigs, rolls, flats.Turf Irrigation specialists also work with this sector
Establishment maintenance of commercial and recreational turf.Design and preparation of sports turf playing surfaces.Domestic mowing and turf maintenance operations.Commercial growing and supply of turf.Management of recreational and sports turf facilities.Provision of technical advice on turf irrigation, pest, disease control, turf management practices.
Gold Courses, bowling greens, wicket and pitch preparation.Elite and recreational sports turf clubs.Schools and other Institutions.Parks, gardens,domestic gardens,Industrial sites, racing clubs, institutional and recreational playing fields.
Allied Industries
Horticulture relies on a network of allied industries, which support construction, retail, wholesale, and technical applications. Many employ horticulturists to enhance their products and services. These include suppliers of:
Fertilizers, compost, growth media, pesticides
Garden furniture, art, statuary, and giftware
Machinery and irrigation systems
Landscape materials and construction supplies
Specialized construction and technical consulting (electrical, lighting, green roof implementation)
ref. Irish.A. 2008 (ed 2025 ) Comparative Study of Horticultural Careers.
Arboriculture
Arborist, Arboriculturist
Tree Surgeon
Forensic Arborist
Heritage and protected tree specialist
Tree Asset Valuer
Arboriculture assistant
Tree root zone assessor on construction sites
Bush Food/ Indigenous Food
Producer, harvesting and packing
Indigenous food specialist often focused on identification, cultural significance, and ecological roles
Indigenous food producer – with a focus on sustainability and cultural practices
‘Wild Growing’ Trainer
Crop preparation for consumption
Floriculture / Production Horticulture
Floriculturist
Cut Flower, Foliage and Bulb producer
Harvester
Product preparation and packing worker
Production, growing environment manager and assistant
Marketing manager
Fruit, Vegetable, Small Crops Producer
Horticultural Manager
Horticultural worker
Specialist in horticultural fruit and nut crop production
Small acreage crop vegetable producer
Mushroom production, growing environment manager and assistant
Marketing manager
Hydroponic/ Aeroponic/Aquaponics systems
Designer
Installer
System maintenance worker
GreenSpaces Specialist Designer and Maintenance
Green roofs, Green Walls – urban built spaces
Urban infrastructure management – city and regional
