Gardener in Western Switzerland: Upkeep, Pruning and Outdoor Landscaping

A garden needs long-term care, and its needs change with the seasons: mowing and pruning in spring and summer, clearing leaves and preparing the soil in autumn, protecting plants before the frosts. When time, physical fitness or equipment are lacking, hiring a gardener stops the outdoor space from deteriorating.

This page sets out what the trade covers, the situations where a professional is worth calling, the points specific to Western Switzerland and how to prepare a quote request. The site puts you in touch: your request is passed on to craftspeople and companies in the region, who contact you to prepare a free quote with no obligation.

What the gardener’s trade covers

The term is broad. Depending on the company, it can mean regular upkeep of properties, planting work or full outdoor landscaping. The most common services are the following:

• Lawn mowing and care: mowing, scarifying, overseeding, watering, treatment of damaged areas.
• Pruning: hedges, shrubs, roses, fruit trees, pruning of garden trees.
• Planting: flower beds, hedges, trees, vegetable plots, replacement of dead plants.
• Care of beds and paths: weeding, mulching, hoeing, cleaning of borders.
• Green waste removal: leaves, branches, grass cuttings, stumps.
• Landscaping: creating or renovating a lawn, laying edgings, paths, living fences, small low walls, terraces, irrigation systems.
• Seasonal upkeep: spring clean-up, winter preparation, snow clearing of walkways as agreed.

Some companies limit themselves to upkeep, others are equipped for heavier jobs including earthworks. State clearly in your request which category your project falls into.

When to hand the garden over to a gardener

Not everything calls for a professional: a small lawn or a few pots can be managed on your own. Help becomes useful in several cases:

• the area is too large for the time you have;
• the work requires equipment you do not own (chainsaw, shredder, ride-on mower, pole hedge trimmer);
• work has to be done at height, on a tree or near a power line, which carries a real risk;
• the ground is sloping, which makes upkeep harder and may call for retaining structures;
• you are regularly away and want continuous upkeep;
• you are preparing to sell or let a property and want tidy outdoor areas;
• you manage a co-ownership or the grounds of a building, where a maintenance contract is simpler than arrangements between neighbours.

For felling, major pruning or work close to a building, it is better not to improvise: a mistake quickly costs more than the quote.

Training and rules of the trade in Switzerland

In Switzerland, the trade relies on initial vocational training in horticulture, leading to a federal certificate of competence (CFC), notably with a focus on landscaping. Many professionals complete this path with further training. However, the qualification is not a legal requirement for all garden upkeep: you can ask the company about its training and references, and ask about its liability insurance.

The site has no craftspeople of its own and does not check companies on your behalf. Before signing, it is up to you to ask for the documents you find useful and to compare them from one offer to the next.

A few points come up often, whatever the canton:

• tree felling and pruning are frequently regulated by the municipality, sometimes with prior authorisation;
• hedges, fences and plantings on the property boundary are subject to distance rules that depend on cantonal and municipal law;
• green waste has its own collection or composting channels depending on the municipality;
• plant protection products are regulated, all the more strictly near watercourses and public areas.

For each of these subjects, the reliable contact remains your municipality or the relevant cantonal service: contact them before starting work.

Permits, energy and heritage: what varies from one canton to another

Lawn upkeep requires no permit. However, as soon as outdoor landscaping involves construction (a wall, a covered terrace, a pergola, changes to the terrain), the question of a permit arises. The rules differ by canton:

• Geneva: building permits are issued by the canton (Office des autorisations de construire). In the old town and in protected districts, the constraints are stronger, including for outdoor spaces. As many rental buildings are managed by agencies, work on shared areas often goes through them.
• Vaud: the building permit is issued by the municipality, with the file going through the cantonal permit centre (CAMAC) when cantonal services must give an opinion. The old towns and the Lavaux vineyards, a World Heritage site, call for particular care with any visible landscaping.
• Valais: the building permit is issued by the municipality in the building zone, and by a cantonal commission outside the building zone. Around chalets and second homes, the federal law on second homes may apply in the municipalities concerned.
• Fribourg: applications are submitted through the cantonal platform FRIAC; the permit is issued by the prefecture or the municipality depending on the type of work. The canton is bilingual and its old towns are protected.
• Neuchâtel: applications go through the cantonal desk SATAC, with the decision taken by the municipality. The watchmaking heritage of La Chaux-de-Fonds and Le Locle, listed by UNESCO, may influence the surroundings of certain buildings.
• Jura: the permit is issued by the municipality or by the canton depending on the scale of the project. The old towns of Delémont, Porrentruy and Saint-Ursanne have their own requirements.
• Bern (Biel/Bienne): the permit is issued by the municipality or the prefecture depending on the project. As Biel/Bienne is officially bilingual, exchanges in French or German are possible.

On energy, the gardener is rarely directly concerned. If your landscaping is linked to a wider project (outdoor heat pump, ground-mounted solar installation, facade renovation), the cantonal energy departments manage the subsidy programmes: the Office cantonal de l’énergie in Geneva, the direction de l’énergie in Vaud, the service de l’énergie et des forces hydrauliques in Valais, the service cantonal de l’énergie in Fribourg, the service de l’énergie et de l’environnement in Neuchâtel, the section de l’énergie in Jura, the office de l’environnement et de l’énergie in Bern. Check the conditions with them before work begins.

In every case, confirm with the municipality or the relevant cantonal service whether your project requires a permit.

Preparing your gardener request

The more precise the description, the more comparable the quotes. Gather these items before writing:

1. The nature of the work: one-off upkeep, regular contract, pruning, planting, landscaping.
2. The area and layout: lawn, hedge, trees, slope, access for equipment, a narrow gate or steps.
3. Photos of the current state, which avoid many misunderstandings.
4. Your status: owner, co-owner, tenant (with the landlord’s agreement) or manager.
5. Known constraints: protected trees, property boundary, neighbours, co-ownership rules, a protected building.
6. Your expectations on frequency: a single visit, seasonal or regular.

If the project is landscaping, also say what must stay in place, the style you are after and what you wish to do yourself.

What a reliable gardener’s quote details

A useful quote is written and describes the services one by one. Look in particular for:

• the exact nature of the work and its scope;
• the supplies (plants, soil, mulch, materials) with their origin or species;
• the equipment and labour;
• the removal of green waste, included or not;
• the number of visits for upkeep, and the frequency;
• the payment terms and the period of validity of the offer;
• the items not included, for example watering after planting or the replacement of plants that fail to take.

Comparing two quotes means checking that they cover the same things. A lower offer is not necessarily an advantage if it excludes removal or the replacement of plants.

What makes a gardener’s cost vary

No amount can be given without seeing the land. The main factors are:

• the area and the nature of the work: mowing a lawn has nothing in common with pruning a large tree;
• access: a garden reachable by vehicle is handled differently from a sloping plot with steps;
• the starting condition: overgrown land or land left unmaintained for a long time requires restoration work;
• the plants: species, size at planting, quantity;
• the equipment needed, in particular for work at height or shredding;
• the removal of waste and the distance to the waste collection site;
• the frequency: a regular contract is planned differently from a one-off job;
• the season, which affects companies’ workload.

The simplest course is to request a quote: it is free and without obligation.

Legal guarantees after garden work

Guarantees are set by the Code of Obligations (CO). For a fixed structure (a terrace fixed to the ground, a wall, paving, landscaping durably tied to the land), the warranty period against defects is 5 years under art. 371 CO. For a movable work, it is 2 years.

If your contract refers to the SIA 118 standard (the Swiss Society of Engineers and Architects’ general conditions for construction work), its rules add to or replace the general provisions. Check what the document you are signing says.

A few habits help you assert your rights: keep the quote and the invoices, inspect the work at handover, note defects in writing and report them to the company without delay. A plant that fails to take also depends on watering conditions and the season: it is better to discuss this with the company when the quote is drawn up.

Making a gardener request

To describe your work, use the form: request a quote. State the municipality, the nature of the work, the approximate area and your status. Your request is passed on to craftspeople and companies in the region, who contact you for a free quote with no obligation. You remain free to compare offers and to follow up on none of them.

A gardener near you, from Geneva to Biel/Bienne

Gardening needs vary between the lakeside, the slopes, the Alpine valleys and the Jura heights. Find local information by canton:

• canton of Geneva
• canton of Vaud
• canton of Valais
• canton of Fribourg
• canton of Neuchâtel
• canton of Jura
• canton of Bern

In each one, municipal, heritage and permit rules may differ: check them before you start.