As the gardening season gets going, it can be tempting to cram in work even on bank holidays—especially when the weather’s fine and the diary’s full. But if you’re regularly working Easter Monday, May Day, or August Bank Holiday just to keep up, it’s time to ask whether that’s really good business.
Spoiler: it’s probably not.
1. If You Need to Work Holidays, Your Business Model Might Be Broken
If your income depends on working every public holiday, the numbers aren’t adding up somewhere. A well-structured gardening business should allow time off without making you panic about lost income. Undercharging, doing too much solo, or chasing too many small jobs might be the culprit. A proper review of your pricing structure and workload is long overdue if you’re working 365 just to stay afloat.
2. When You Start Employing, It Gets More Complicated
Bringing in staff changes everything. Legally and ethically, you can’t expect employees to give up their holidays unless they’ve agreed in advance—and even then, you’re likely paying extra. Many won’t want to work them at all. Forcing work on public holidays creates resentment, burnout, and high turnover. A strong business model should account for proper time off for everyone—not just the boss.
3. What Do Bank Holidays Really Cost—and How to Build Them In
If you’re self-employed and don’t get paid when you don’t work, bank holidays can feel like lost income. But instead of working them, you can build the cost into your regular rate.
There are 8 standard public holidays in England and Wales:
- New Year’s Day (1 January)
- Good Friday (March or April)
- Easter Monday (March or April)
- Early May Bank Holiday (first Monday in May)
- Spring Bank Holiday (last Monday in May)
- Summer Bank Holiday (last Monday in August)
- Christmas Day (25 December)
- Boxing Day (26 December)
Let’s say:
- You work around 230 days per year (allowing for time off)
- Your day rate is £150
To cover all 8 bank holidays:
- £150 x 8 = £1,200 lost income
- £1,200 ÷ 230 days = £5.22
So if you add just £5.22 per day to your standard rate, you can take all public holidays off without losing a penny.
New rate: £155 a day.
You get your time off—and your income stays protected.
4. You’re Out of Sync With the World
When everyone else is relaxing, you’re weeding someone else’s garden. That’s not work-life balance—that’s burnout waiting to happen. It’s especially rough when the weather’s good and you’re working in someone else’s dream garden instead of enjoying your own.
5. It’s Not Always Welcome
Showing up to a client’s garden on a holiday can backfire. They may be entertaining guests, having a BBQ, or simply wanting peace. Even if they said it was okay, they might not really mean it—or realise how disruptive it’ll feel until you’re mowing under their conversation.
6. Fewer Safety Nets
You’re more likely to be working solo, especially if suppliers and nearby workers are off. If something goes wrong, it takes longer to get help. From equipment breakdowns to injuries, everything’s harder on a holiday.
7. You Deserve the Break Too
This job takes a toll. Muscles, joints, and energy levels need rest—so do your brain and mood. If you never stop, you’ll eventually lose the passion for it. And if you’ve got a team, show them by example that it’s okay—and important—to take a day off.
Make Holidays Sacred Again
You didn’t start a gardening business to become a slave to the seasons. You did it for independence, a love of nature, and control over your time. Start treating bank holidays as non-negotiable rest days. If your business can’t afford that, it’s time to revisit the structure—not give up your rare days off.
Take the day. The brambles will still be there tomorrow.
