Gardener



The gardener is an NPC that can be hired in The Sims and The Sims 2 to take care of a family's plants. They can be pricey, but they leave your Sims free to do other things.

In The Sims, the gardener will come every three days, will care for both indoor and outdoor plants, and charges 10 simoleons per hour. She will leave if she encounters a plant she can't get to, or if her route is blocked for too long.

In The Sims 2, the gardener will come three times a week, and charges 5 simoleons per visit plus 10 simoleons per hour. He or she will check on Money Trees, but otherwise will only care for outdoor plants, as it appears that ordinary indoor plants in The Sims 2 don't need to be watered or tended. However, tending outdoor plants in The Sims 2 involves more than watering flowers. If bushes or hedges are present, they will occasionally need to be trimmed, and weeds will need to be pulled.

If Seasons is installed, the gardener will rake leaves and dispose of them, but will not dispose of dead plants. The gardener will also care for orchard trees and garden plants, should they need it while he or she is there. A gardener will usually, but not always, have a Bronze talent badge in gardening.

In The Sims 3 a Sim can manage their own garden, growing plants like potatoes or apples. The produce can then be used to sell or use in their Cooking. Gardening is a skill, when certain levels are reached more plants can be grown, there are also Opportunities related to gardening. There is also the green-thumb trait, which enables Sims to excel in their gardening skill. All of this means that Sims can not hire a gardener, but the plants in Build mode do not need gardeners, as they do not grow weeds, need watering or die.