Choosing a Landscape Gardener in Geneva: Guide

To choose a landscape gardener in Geneva well, start by defining the nature of your need (regular maintenance or building work), insist on a site visit before any quote, then compare detailed written quotes. Ask every candidate the same questions: how often they will visit, waste removal, equipment, professional liability insurance and guarantees on plantings. A serious professional answers plainly and accepts being compared.

Gardener, landscape designer, landscaping contractor: who does what?

These job titles often overlap, but they do not describe quite the same work. Telling them apart stops you from approaching the wrong person.

• The gardener looks after the day-to-day life of the garden: mowing, pruning, weeding, seasonal planting, leaf clearance, care of flower beds. Their work recurs through the year, often on an agreed schedule.
• The landscape designer thinks about the space as a whole: where to plant, how people move through it, levels, materials, atmosphere. They step in when a garden needs to be designed or transformed.
• The landscaping contractor carries out heavier jobs: earthworks, low walls, terraces, fencing, ponds, full lawn laying, irrigation systems. They generally have crews and suitable machinery.

In practice, many professionals cover several of these trades. What matters is not the job title but their ability to deliver precisely what you ask for. For regular upkeep, look at garden maintenance. To start from bare ground or redo an entire space, garden creation is the right starting point. For a transformation project with planting, paths and materials, landscape design is the best fit.

Insist on a site visit before any quote

This is the most useful rule in this guide. A garden cannot be priced from a distance: the real surface area, the slope, machine access, the condition of the soil, the existing vegetation and neighbour-related constraints all change the work to be done.

During the visit, a good professional will:

1. listen to your request and ask what you expect from the garden (use, approximate budget, desired level of upkeep);
2. walk the whole plot and spot the tricky points (embankments, trees close to the boundary, very wet or very dry areas);
3. note the access points, the location of a water tap and any existing irrigation;
4. tell you frankly what is feasible, what is less so and what can wait;
5. say when and in what form you will receive the quote.

Be wary of anyone who announces a firm price over the phone without having seen the plot. Either they are mistaken, or they intend to recover the difference later through extras. Conversely, a professional who takes the time to look, ask questions and suggest alternatives is already showing how they work.

Reading a detailed written quote

A verbal quote is worthless in a dispute. Always ask for a written, dated document that describes the work clearly. It should let you compare two offers item by item.

Here is what it should contain:

• a description of the work, with the surfaces or quantities involved;
• the materials and plants planned (species, sizes or heights at planting, type of materials);
• labour and equipment, if the breakdown is presented that way;
• removal and disposal of green waste or rubble, stating whether it is included or not;
• the planned schedule and the estimated duration of the job;
• the payment terms;
• what is expressly excluded from the quote.

A quote that fits on one line (“garden: flat fee”) does not protect you. If an item looks vague, ask for it to be clarified before signing: that is the right moment to ask. To get a sense of price ranges without committing yourself, see the guide on the cost of a gardener in Geneva.

Questions to ask before you sign

Ask every candidate the same questions: you will quickly see the differences.

For regular maintenance

• How often will they visit? Specify the periods of the year, as the garden does not need the same rhythm in spring as in the depths of winter.
• Who will work at your property? Always the same person, or a changing team?
• What does a visit include? Mowing, edging, weeding, pruning, leaf clearance: ask for the list.
• What happens in poor weather? Is a postponed visit made up?
• How can the terms change? Length of commitment, notice period, termination arrangements. The guide on the garden maintenance contract covers these points in detail.

For all work

• Waste removal: do they handle it, and where is the waste taken?
• Equipment: do they bring their own tools and machines, or do they count on yours or your neighbours’?
• Insurance: do they hold professional liability insurance? Ask for a certificate. It covers damage caused during the job, for example to a façade, a vehicle or a neighbour.
• Guarantees on plantings: what happens if a tree or shrub does not take? What are the conditions and the duration, and what must the owner do (watering, upkeep) for the guarantee to apply?
• Subcontracting: will part of the work be handed to another company?

The quality of the answers matters as much as their content. A professional who hesitates to produce an insurance certificate or dodges the question of guarantees is giving you valuable information.

References, site photos and warning signs

What you can ask for

Ask for photos of projects comparable to yours, ideally with before and after views. A garden maintained over several seasons says more than a picture taken on handover day. If possible, ask for the contact details of a client willing to vouch for them, or the chance to see a job in progress. A systematic refusal is not proof of dishonesty, but a professional who is comfortable with their work is happy to show it.

Warning signs

A single one of these signs does not condemn a candidate, but several together justify walking away.

In Geneva: what is different

The canton has its own particularities, and a good professional knows them. The climate around Lake Geneva alternates summers that can be dry with damp winters; the bise, a cold, dry wind, dries out exposed hedges and young plantings. In many areas, clay soils hold water in winter and crack in summer: the choice of plants, drainage and watering while plants establish deserve real thought. Ask the candidate how they adapt their proposals to these conditions rather than receiving a standard plant list.

The territory is also very varied: left-bank properties with large trees, sloping gardens, small urban spaces, condominiums. A professional based near you knows the local terrain and gets around more easily. You can find out about work in communes such as Cologny or Carouge. For trees, hedges or structures close to boundaries, certain communal or cantonal rules may apply: ask the professional to tell you what to check before the work begins.

Calling on a landscape gardener

On Mon-jardinier.ch, you describe your project in a few lines; a qualified landscape gardener contacts you within 24 hours to arrange a site visit. The quote is free and without obligation: you remain free to compare it with others and not to go ahead. To start the process, simply request a quote.

Frequently asked questions

How many quotes should I ask for?

Two to three quotes are already enough to compare approaches, the items priced and each firm’s way of working. Beyond that, the comparison becomes cumbersome without always adding much. Make sure every candidate receives the same description of the project, otherwise the offers will not be comparable.

Is the cheapest a bad choice?

Not necessarily, but a large gap with the other offers should make you ask questions. Check what is included: waste removal, supplies, number of visits, guarantees. A low price that leaves out half the work ends up costing more.

Should I pay a deposit?

For small-scale maintenance, one is generally not needed. For a job involving the purchase of materials or plants, a deposit may be justified, but it must stay reasonable, appear in the quote and correspond to real expenses. A high deposit requested before any visit or anything in writing is a warning sign.

Can I trust a gardener without an insurance certificate?

It is better to require one. Professional liability insurance covers damage the professional might cause during their work. Without it, you risk having to pay for the damage yourself or starting a lengthy procedure.

What should I do if the plantings do not take?

Refer to the guarantees set out in the quote or contract, and report the problem promptly in writing. The usual conditions concern watering and upkeep after planting: keep a record of your care, and ask the professional to explain it to you at handover.