You have not touched the garden in a few months. The lawn needs cutting, the hedges are starting to push over the fence, and the flower beds are half weeds. You want to know what it will cost to hand it over to someone who actually knows what they are doing, and whether it is worth booking someone regular or just getting a one-off tidy.
That is the situation most people contact us from. This guide gives you the real 2026 prices we charge at Urban Gardeners, a worked example of what a typical first visit actually costs, and an honest answer to the question most gardening websites avoid: why does the hourly rate feel high when the job looks simple?
Most SE London homeowners pay between £80 and £200 for a first garden maintenance visit, depending on the size and condition of the garden.
Our garden maintenance service covers everything from a quick monthly tidy to a full seasonal clear-out. Read on for the full breakdown.
2026 Garden Maintenance Prices in South East London
These are the rates we charge in 2026. There is no minimum charge and no call-out fee.
| Service | Price |
|---|---|
| Garden maintenance - first hour | £80 |
| Garden maintenance - every subsequent hour | £60 |
| Minimum booking | No minimum charge |
| First visit (recommended) | At least 2 hours for an initial tidy-up |
| Ongoing visits | Bookable from 1 hour |
| Green waste disposal | Not included |
What is included in every visit: lawn mowing and edging, weed removal and control, hedge trimming and reshaping, bush and shrub pruning, ivy trimming, flower bed maintenance, tree pruning up to 3 to 4 metres, garden edging.
Quotes for first-time clients are provided within 24 hours based on photos of the garden. Send us a few photos via the contact form and we will give you a realistic time estimate before you commit to anything.
See the full prices page for all services including turfing, fencing, and decking.
How to Estimate Your Own Garden Maintenance Cost
The honest answer is: it depends on two things. Garden size and current condition.
A small, tidy garden that just needs a regular mow and a quick weed might be done in one hour. A medium garden that has been neglected through winter will realistically take two to three hours on the first visit.
Rough planning guide for a first visit:
| Garden Size and Condition | Estimated Time | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Small garden, reasonably tidy | 1 to 1.5 hours | £80 to £110 |
| Small garden, overgrown | 2 to 2.5 hours | £140 to £170 |
| Medium garden, reasonably tidy | 1.5 to 2 hours | £110 to £140 |
| Medium garden, overgrown | 3 to 4 hours | £200 to £260 |
| Large garden, any condition | Survey recommended | Contact us |
These are planning estimates. Send us a couple of photos and we will give you a more accurate time estimate within 24 hours, free of charge, with no obligation to book.
What Is Included in Garden Maintenance?
A lot of gardening companies charge separately for each task. We do not. Every maintenance visit from Urban Gardeners covers whatever the garden needs on that day from the list below, within the time booked.
- Lawn mowing and edging
- Weed removal and control
- Hedge trimming and reshaping
- Bush and shrub pruning
- Ivy trimming and management
- Flower bed maintenance
- Tree pruning up to 3 to 4 metres
- Garden edging
- Garden clearance
Hedge trimming with Urban Gardeners.
What is not included in standard maintenance: specialist services such as ivy removal, stump grinding, bamboo removal, and tree root treatment. These are quoted separately. If we spot something during a visit that falls outside standard maintenance, we will flag it and quote before doing anything extra.
If your garden needs more than maintenance before it is ready for a regular plan, our garden clearance service at £85 per hour is designed for heavier overgrowth, full clear-outs, and pre-landscaping preparation.
Why Does Garden Maintenance Cost More in South East London?
This is the question most people have when they compare our rates to something they saw on a flyer through the door. Here is the honest answer.
You Are Paying for a Two-Person Team
Our maintenance visits use a two-person team. One person can mow and edge while the other trims hedges and tackles the beds. A job that would take one person three hours takes a two-person team ninety minutes. The hourly rate reflects two sets of hands, two people's wages, and the professional equipment they bring with them.
A solo gardener charging £20 an hour sounds cheap. But if it takes them four hours to do what our team does in two, the total cost is similar and you have had a stranger in your garden for twice as long with half the productivity.
London Running Costs Are Higher
Fuel, insurance, equipment maintenance, congestion charges, and parking in SE London all cost more than anywhere else in the UK. These are not excuses. They are the real costs of operating a professional, insured gardening team in this part of London. We are transparent about them because you deserve to understand what you are paying for.
Equipment Is Included
Every visit includes professional-grade mowers, edgers, hedge trimmers, and collection equipment. You do not supply anything. You do not need to store anything. The team arrives, does the work, and leaves the garden clean. That is part of what the rate covers.
One-Off Visit or Regular Plan: Which Makes More Sense?
This comes up on almost every first enquiry. Here is our honest take.
If your garden is in decent shape, a regular plan from the start makes sense. Monthly or fortnightly visits keep everything under control and each visit stays within one to two hours. The cost per visit stays low because the garden never gets out of hand.
If your garden has been neglected, start with a one-off first visit to get it back under control, then move to a regular plan. Trying to fit a neglected garden into a standard one-hour maintenance slot does not work. The first visit takes longer and costs more. That is normal and expected. After that, regular visits are quick and affordable.
If you just need a seasonal tidy, a one-off visit is absolutely fine. We do not require ongoing contracts. Book when you need us, as often or as rarely as that is.
Garden Maintenance vs Garden Clearance: What Is the Difference?
These two services overlap in people's minds but they serve different purposes.
Garden maintenance is ongoing care. Mowing, trimming, weeding, pruning. It is about keeping a garden that is already manageable in good condition. Think of it like a haircut: regular visits, relatively quick, keeps things looking right.
Garden clearance is a reset. It is for gardens that have gone beyond maintenance: heavy overgrowth, brambles, old materials to remove, pre-landscaping strip-outs. It takes longer, costs more per visit, and uses different equipment. Our garden clearance service is priced at £85 per hour for a two-person team.
Before and after - Garden clearance with Urban Gardeners
If you are not sure which one your garden needs, send us a few photos. We will tell you honestly.
Lawn Care: Is It Included?
Standard lawn mowing and edging is included in every maintenance visit. What is not included in standard maintenance is specialist lawn treatment: aeration, fertilising, moss treatment, and overseeding. These are quoted separately after a free on-site survey, typically starting from £60 to £80 depending on lawn size and condition.
If your lawn needs more than a cut, our lawn care service covers the full range of treatments to get it healthy and keep it that way.
How to Book Garden Maintenance with Urban Gardeners
The process is quick:
- Send us photos of your garden via the contact form or call 07760800457
- We reply within 24 hours with a realistic time estimate and cost
- Confirm the booking and we schedule your visit Monday to Saturday
- First visit gets the garden under control. Ongoing plan agreed if you want one.
No contracts. No minimum commitment. No obligation to continue after the first visit.
We cover all SE postcodes: Eltham SE9, Greenwich SE10, Lewisham SE13, Blackheath SE3, Woolwich SE18, Charlton SE7, Catford SE6, Brockley SE4, Camberwell SE5, Deptford SE8, Lee SE12, plus Bromley, Bexley, and Dartford. See the full list of areas we cover.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every visit includes lawn mowing and edging, weed removal, hedge trimming, bush and shrub pruning, ivy management, flower bed tidying, tree pruning up to 3 to 4 metres, and green waste collection and disposal. All tools and equipment are provided.
For most SE London gardens, fortnightly visits in spring and summer and monthly visits in autumn keep things in good shape. In winter, a single seasonal tidy is often enough. We will advise on the right frequency for your garden after the first visit.
For maintenance and lawn care, we provide photo-based quotes within 24 hours. Send us a few photos of your garden via the contact form and we will give you an honest time estimate and cost before you commit to anything.
Ready to Get Your Garden Back Under Control?
Urban Gardeners has been looking after SE London gardens since 2016. We are a small family-run team based in Eltham SE9, fully insured, and with 12 years of experience on the specific conditions of this part of London: clay soil, terraced gardens, limited access, and the kind of overgrowth that a wet SE London winter produces.
Send us a few photos and we will come back with a realistic quote within 24 hours. No pressure. No obligation.
Call 07760800457 (Monday to Saturday, 9am to 6pm) or use the contact form.
If your garden needs more than maintenance, our garden landscaping and design service covers full redesigns, turfing, and planting schemes. We can survey and quote both in a single visit.
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