Garden Maintenance Contract: What It Covers

A garden maintenance contract entrusts the regular upkeep of your outdoor space to a landscape gardener throughout the year: mowing, pruning, flower beds, leaves, weeding, watering and inspections, all to a schedule agreed in advance. It replaces one-off visits, often arranged in a rush, with a predictable rhythm. Here is what it includes, what it does not, and what to check before you sign.

What a garden maintenance contract covers

The content varies from one contract to another, but the same items almost always appear. They are adapted to the size of the plot, the type of planting and the way you use the garden.

Mowing and lawn care: regular mowing, edging and, depending on the case, scarifying, overseeding or seasonal fertiliser.
Routine pruning: hedges, shrubs, roses and climbing plants. Maintenance pruning is done at the right time for each species.
Flower beds and borders: hoeing, mulching, removing spent flowers and replacing plants at the end of their cycle.
Weeding: in beds, along paths and at the foot of walls and fences.
Autumn leaves: collection and removal from lawns as well as beds, paths and ponds.
Watering: manual watering in dry spells, or upkeep of an automatic irrigation system (spring start-up, adjustments, draining before winter).
Inspections: general condition of the plants, spotting diseases and pests, and flagging anything that needs heavier work.

A good contract does not settle for a generic list. It specifies what is done, where, and at what time of year. That is the difference between a garden that is looked after and one that is merely “checked over”.

Visit frequency by season

A garden does not need the same attention in January as in May. A well-built contract therefore varies the rhythm of visits rather than spreading them at equal intervals.

Season	Usual priorities	Visit rhythm
Spring	Plants waking up, first mowing, weeding, mulching, restarting the watering	More frequent
Summer	Mowing, watering, light pruning, monitoring of beds	Regular, often the most frequent
Autumn	Leaves, pruning of some hedges, planting, preparing for winter	Frequent, especially when the leaves fall
Winter	Inspections, pruning of dormant plants, clearing up, small jobs	Reduced

The exact number of visits depends on the plot, the lawn, the amount of hedging and your expectations. It is set after a visit on site, never at random. To see what is done and when, the Geneva garden calendar gives the milestones of the year.

What is not covered by the contract

A maintenance contract looks after what already exists. As a general rule, it does not cover work that transforms or repairs the garden. It is best to know this from the outset to avoid misunderstandings.

Major pruning and tree felling: working on large trees requires specific equipment and skills. This work is priced separately; see tree pruning and removal if the need arises.
Creation or renovation: a new terrace, a new structural bed, redoing an entire lawn, changing paths.
Repairs: damaged fences, a cracked low wall, a faulty irrigation system, garden furniture.
Major supplies: trees, large quantities of soil or gravel, new plants in number.
Exceptional damage: branches brought down in a storm, severe frost, drought that has destroyed plantings.

Many gardeners offer this work as an extra, on a separate quote. The advantage of already having a provider is that they know your garden and can quote quickly.

The advantages of an annual contract

Why prefer a contract to occasional calls? The reasons come down to a few practical points.

A garden looked after over time. Tasks are done at the right moment: pruning that is too late or mowing skipped for three weeks shows in the result afterwards.
An established schedule. You no longer have to chase anyone or look for availability at the last minute. The visits are planned.
A predictable budget. The annual cost is known in advance, often spread over monthly payments, which makes things easier for a private owner as well as for a property management company.
A contact who knows the plot. The gardener notices how plants are developing, the fragile areas and emerging problems before they become costly.
Less for you to deal with. For a large property or a condominium, it is above all a saving in time and coordination.

Villa, large estate or condominium: what changes

Needs differ depending on the type of property.

A villa mainly needs regular care of the lawn, hedges and beds. The contract is generally simple, with visits adapted to the surface area.

A large estate adds constraints: several areas to maintain, more trees, sometimes a pond, an orchard or long paths. The contract then goes into detail zone by zone, and often provides for several people on the larger visits.

A condominium (PPE) brings a collective dimension. The contract is generally voted on or approved by the owners’ meeting or the management, it covers the common areas, and it must be clear to all co-owners. The guide to garden maintenance in a condominium covers these aspects in detail.

What to check before signing

A clear contract protects both parties. Before signing, go through these points.

The list of services: is each task named? “General maintenance” with no detail is not enough.
The number of visits: how many per season or per month, and what is the minimum frequency?
Green waste: is removal included in the price, or charged extra? Where is it taken?
Products and equipment: who supplies what (fertiliser, mulch, bags, tools)?
Work outside the contract: how is it proposed, and on what basis is it priced?
Term and renewal: initial term, whether renewal is automatic, and the date on which it takes place.
Termination: notice period, required form, consequences during the year.
Visit conditions: day or time slot, access to the plot, and what happens in case of rain or absence?
The provider’s insurance: ask what is covered if damage occurs during a job.
Billing method: annual amount, monthly payments, possible adjustments.

If a point remains unclear, ask for it to be set out in writing. A serious gardener will have no objection.

In Geneva: what is different

The climate around Lake Geneva gives the contract its local features. Summers can be dry, which increases the need for watering and makes upkeep of an automatic system particularly useful. The bise, a cold, dry wind, is hard on hedges and young plantings, especially in open exposure: pruning and protection need to be planned with the wind in mind. Clay soils, common in the canton, hold water in winter and harden in summer, which affects lawn care and the choice of plants.

Constraints also vary according to the municipality, the size of the plot and the proximity of neighbours. Properties on the left bank, such as in Cologny, often have large gardens with mature trees, whereas in a more urban area like Carouge, gardens are more compact and closer to the neighbours. For the rules that apply to your plot (planting distances, protection of certain trees), check with your municipality before undertaking major work.

Calling on a landscape gardener

The surest way to define a suitable contract is to have the state of the garden assessed on site. A qualified landscape gardener visits the plot, listens to your expectations, proposes the services and visit rhythm that suit, then gives you a quote. This quote is free and without obligation. To get started, request a quote describing your garden: you will be contacted within 24 hours.

Frequently asked questions

Is a garden maintenance contract compulsory?

No, nothing obliges you to take one. It is a practical choice, suited to those who cannot or do not wish to look after their garden regularly. You can also call on a gardener on a one-off basis, for example for hedge trimming once a year, but you then lose the regularity and predictability of a contract.

What is the difference between a contract and one-off jobs?

With one-off jobs, you order each task case by case, with no guarantee of availability or rhythm. With a contract, the visits are planned and the budget is known. A contract suits better when the garden needs continuous care, and one-off jobs when the need is limited.

Is green waste included in the contract?

It depends on the contract, and this is precisely a point to check. Some providers include routine removal, others charge extra, especially for large volumes such as autumn leaves or hedge clippings. Ask for it to be put in writing.

Can a maintenance contract be terminated during the year?

The termination conditions are set out in the contract itself: term, notice period, form of notification. Read this clause before signing and ask for clarification if it seems vague. If in doubt, opt for a reasonable initial term with a clearly stated notice period.

What if the garden needs work not provided for in the contract?

The gardener points it out and offers you a separate quote. This applies to major pruning, a repair or new planting. It is part of the value of regular care: problems are spotted early and priced before they get worse.