Condominium Garden Maintenance in Geneva

Maintaining the green spaces of a condominium in Geneva rests on three things: a precise specification, an annual contract that sets out the visits season by season, and a single point of contact who reports on what has been done. With these three in place, the property management company or the owners’ board knows what it is ordering, can compare quotes on the same basis and avoids debates at the general meeting about what was or was not included. This guide goes through each point, from lawn to trees, so that you can write a clear brief.

Defining the scope and the specification

Maintenance is judged against what was decided at the outset. Before asking for any quote, describe in writing the areas concerned and what you expect for each. A plan, even a rough one, with numbered zones prevents a great deal of misunderstanding.

Start by listing the surfaces:

• lawns and meadows, with their use (play, simple decoration, difficult access);
• hedges, distinguishing those along the street, those between two plots and those screening a technical room;
• flower beds, borders and tree bases;
• trees, with their location and, if you know it, their species;
• hard surfaces: paths, entrances, parking spaces, areas around garages;
• fittings: automatic irrigation, planters, benches, bin store, fences.

Then specify the expected standard of finish for each zone. A very even ornamental lawn in front of the entrance does not call for the same frequency as a wildflower meadow at the back of the plot. Say also what is excluded: if owners look after their own private gardens, the specification must say so, otherwise the contractor will not know where to stop.

Finally, state the constraints of the site: vehicle access, passage under an archway, quiet hours, presence of children, required parking for the removal of green waste. This information changes the way the work is done and therefore the quote.

The annual contract and the frequency of visits

For a condominium, an annual contract is almost always preferable to one-off jobs. It gives the property management company budget visibility, ensures that the contractor sets aside time for your grounds and allows follow-up over time. The clauses are covered in detail in our guide to the garden maintenance contract; here we keep to what applies specifically to apartment buildings.

The frequency of visits depends on the season, not on a fixed calendar. What holds true from one year to the next:

1. Spring: end-of-winter clean-up, first mowing, pruning of shrubs that need it, mulching of beds, checking and restarting the irrigation.
2. Summer: regular mowing, watering, weeding of beds, formative or maintenance trimming of hedges depending on species.
3. Autumn: leaf collection, last mowing, planting, pruning of shrubs, preparing the irrigation for winter.
4. Winter: pruning and structural cuts of trees while they are bare, restoration work, planning for the following year.

The contract must state the number of visits planned for each period, what each one includes and how additional requests are handled. A catch-up visit after a storm or a period of fast growth should be possible to order without renegotiating the whole contract. Also provide for clear renewal and notice clauses, so that the owners’ board remains free to change contractor if the work is not satisfactory.

Items not to forget

Mowing and lawn

Mowing is the most visible item. Specify the cutting height wanted, what happens to the clippings (removed, or left in place for meadows), the treatment of edges and the blowing of paths after the visit. The contract should also say who handles less frequent tasks such as aeration, over-seeding or fertilising. For more detail on this item, see our explanations on lawn mowing and care.

Hedges along plot boundaries

Boundary hedges are a sensitive subject, because they also concern the neighbours. The specification must indicate the height and width to respect, the side of the hedge to trim and how the clippings are removed. Agree also on what happens with shared hedges: who decides the height, and how the neighbour is informed. Trimming done at the right time, with suitable tools, keeps the hedge dense and prevents it from thinning out. Good practice is detailed on the hedge trimming page.

Trees and felling

The trees of a condominium engage the responsibility of the owners: a branch threatening a building, a vehicle or a path must be dealt with without delay. Have the condition of the largest trees checked regularly and entrust work at height to properly equipped professionals. For felling, a cantonal authorisation is required in Geneva; the application is prepared before any cutting, and a reputable contractor will tell you whether they consider it necessary. Never cut first in the hope of regularising afterwards. To understand what these operations involve, see the page on tree pruning and removal.

Leaves and green waste

In autumn, leaves block gutters, make paving slabs slippery and clog access routes. The contract must provide for collection, its frequency and removal, as well as the handling of green waste: removal by the contractor, on-site composting if a space is set aside, or a skip. Also specify the cleaning of the rainwater grates located in the green spaces.

Automatic irrigation

In a complex of several buildings, a well-adjusted automatic irrigation system saves water and time. It does, however, need follow-up: commissioning in spring, checking the nozzles and controllers during the season, draining before the frosts. Mention it explicitly in the contract, otherwise nobody is responsible for it. The principles are presented on our page on automatic irrigation.

Safety, access and life in the building

A gardening job in a condominium takes place a few metres from the residents. This calls for rules that the specification should state rather than assume:

• marking off the work zones and the pedestrian route, especially near entrances and play areas;
• working hours compatible with residents’ rest, including for noisy machinery;
• parking of vehicles and the skip without blocking access for the fire service, deliveries or parking spaces;
• protection of vehicles, façades and windows against flying debris during mowing and brush cutting;
• respect for the surroundings of technical rooms and meters, which must remain accessible.

Think also of informing residents before major work: a notice in the entrance hall, a few days before tree pruning or noisy work, avoids calls to the property management company. The contractor must be able to show that they are insured for their activity; ask for this certificate before signing.

A single contact and a report

In a condominium, requests come from all directions: an owner reports a hedge that is too tall, the caretaker a leaning tree, the property management company an invoice. Without a single channel, the contractor receives contradictory instructions. Appoint one person on the condominium side, usually the property manager or a board member, and require a single contact on the gardener’s side.

Then ask for a report after each visit or each period: zones treated, work carried out, problems noted (diseased tree, broken branch, leak in the irrigation) and proposals for additional work, priced separately. This follow-up forms the basis for the decisions of the general meeting and proves what was done in case of dispute. Photographing before and after is a simple and very useful habit.

Requesting comparable quotes

To compare properly, send the same basis to each company consulted: the plan with the zones, the specification, the access constraints and the desired length of the contract. Ask for quotes that detail each item (mowing, hedges, leaves, trees, irrigation) rather than a global total, which lets you see what is included and what is charged extra.

A comparison table helps the board to decide:

For an idea of orders of magnitude without committing to an amount, see our guide to the cost of a gardener in Geneva. A quote that is far lower than the others often hides a reduced scope: always re-read what is excluded.

In Geneva: what is different

The climate around Lake Geneva, mild but exposed to the bise wind, has concrete effects on the green spaces of a building. The bise dries out exposed hedges and young plantings, especially at the end of winter. Summers can be dry: lawns turn yellow if not watered, and recently planted trees need their water monitored for the first few years. In some districts, clay soils hold water in winter and then crack in dry spells, which affects the choice of plants, drainage and the frequency of watering.

The context varies greatly from one area to another. Large developments in the urban belt, such as in Vernier or Carouge, often have broad lawns and rows of trees, whereas smaller plots call for a finer approach to boundaries and neighbours. Whatever the area, remember that felling a tree in Geneva requires a cantonal authorisation: build this delay into your planning rather than waiting for an emergency.

Calling on a landscape gardener

The simplest approach is to have a landscape gardener come on site: they walk the grounds with the property management company or the board, identify the access constraints and sensitive points, then price the work on a precise basis. On Mon-jardinier.ch, you describe your project and a qualified landscape gardener contacts you within 24 hours for a visit and a free, no-obligation quote. You can request a quote in a few minutes by stating the number of buildings, the surface areas and your expectations.

Frequently asked questions

Who decides on the maintenance contract in a condominium?

This depends on the condominium’s regulations and on the decision taken at the general meeting. Often, the property management company or the administrator prepares the consultation and submits a proposal, which the board or the meeting approves. Check your regulations to find out which expenses can be decided without a vote.

Is an annual contract really better than one-off jobs?

For common areas, yes in most cases. The contract guarantees regular visits in the right seasons and makes budgeting easier. One-off jobs remain suitable for specific work, such as pruning or restoration.

Is authorisation needed to fell a tree in a condominium?

In Geneva, felling a tree requires a cantonal authorisation. The application must be made before the tree is cut, by the condominium or with the help of the contractor. A reputable gardener will tell you whether they think authorisation is necessary.

How can disputes with neighbours over hedges be avoided?

Set the height and width to respect in writing, and inform the neighbour before a shared hedge is trimmed. A report with photos of the work done helps to clear things up if a disagreement arises.

What should a visit report contain?

It should state the zones treated, the work carried out, the problems observed and the additional work proposed, priced separately. Photographing before and after is good practice. The document then serves as a reference for the board and the general meeting.