Costs of gardeners in Zwitzerland: Complete Guide

Typical Hourly Rates for Gardeners

In Switzerland, hiring a professional gardener usually costs around CHF 70–100 per hour. In major cities like Zurich, rates tend to be at the upper end of this range (often CHF 90–100/hour) due to higher living costs and demand. However, prices can vary based on who you hire and the service arrangement:

Professional gardening companies: Expect roughly CHF 80–100 per hour for a certified gardener’s labor. This often includes standard equipment and sometimes green waste disposal, but travel fees may be extra (commonly a set charge, e.g. CHF 30–85 for travel). Zurich-area companies typically charge near the high end of the range.
Independent/freelance gardeners: Many smaller contractors or self-employed gardeners charge lower rates, approximately CHF 50–70 per hour on average. These rates depend on the gardener’s experience and qualifications. An experienced independent gardener might quote closer to CHF 70+, whereas someone newer or less specialized might be near the lower end.
Casual labor / garden helpers: If you hire a part-time “garden help” (e.g. via online platforms or informally), the cost is often much lower. For example, in Zurich the typical house & garden helper asks about CHF 27–35 per hour. These individuals may not be trained horticulturalists, but can handle basic tasks like mowing or weeding. Keep in mind that at such rates, you may need to provide tools or oversee the work more closely, and there may be no insurance or guarantees.
Regional variations: Prices can differ by region. In general, urban and high-income areas (Zurich, Geneva) see higher rates, while rural areas may be slightly cheaper. One Swiss source notes that a professional landscaper in the French-speaking (west) Switzerland averages CHF 60–80/hour, whereas in German-speaking regions like Zurich, quotes of CHF 80–100/hour are common. Regional labor costs, demand, and even local regulations (e.g. minimum wage laws in some cantons) can influence the price.
Other factors: A gardener’s experience and specialization will influence their rate. A skilled landscape designer or horticulturist might charge premium rates. In fact, landscape architects or garden designers can bill around CHF 120/hour for planning/design consultations. Additionally, if you agree to a regular maintenance contract (e.g. weekly or monthly service), some gardeners offer slightly reduced hourly rates or package deals. This means a routine yearly contract could be more cost-effective per visit than one-off calls for service. Always clarify whether quotes include equipment, waste removal, or travel, as these can add to the cost.

Typical gardening project costs

Lawn Maintenance (Mowing, Fertilizing, Aerating)

For basic lawn care, gardeners may charge by the hour or by area. Mowing is often priced by surface area: about CHF 0.25–0.35 per square meter of lawn. This works out to roughly CHF 25–35 for a 100 m² lawn, assuming it’s a straightforward mowing job. If the service includes additional lawn treatments like scarifying (aerating/dethatching) to rejuvenate the grass, the cost is higher – roughly CHF 1.00–1.10 per m² when combined with mowing. (Scarifying or core aerating is more labor-intensive and often done once or twice a year.) In terms of hourly rates, these area-based prices correspond to roughly CHF 80–100 per hour of work, which aligns with standard labor rates.

Fertilizing: Applying fertilizer is usually a quick task and might be included as part of a seasonal lawn care visit. Gardeners typically fertilize lawns a couple of times per year. The cost for fertilization mainly comes from materials (the fertilizer itself) plus a small amount of labor. Often, if you’ve hired a gardener for an hour or two for mowing and upkeep, they can spread fertilizer during that time at little extra labor cost (you’d just pay for the fertilizer product). Always confirm if fertilizer application is included in a maintenance package or charged separately – many will include it in their hourly service.

Aerating: In Swiss gardening, the term Vertikutieren (scarifying) is commonly used for dethatching lawns – this overlaps with core aeration. As noted, combining mowing with such aeration can be about CHF 1+ per m². If charged hourly, it falls under the gardener’s hourly rate (so expect ~CHF 80+ per hour). Some companies have a flat fee for lawn aeration based on size. For example, a medium-sized lawn might cost a few hundred francs for a complete mow, aerate, and fertilize treatment as a bundle.

Summary for lawn care: For a small to medium garden in Zurich or elsewhere in Switzerland, expect on the order of CHF 80–150 per visit for mowing and basic lawn maintenance, depending on lawn size and services. A simple mow might be on the lower end, whereas mowing plus aeration and fertilizing will be higher. Guideline rates are about CHF 0.25–0.35/m² for mowing and up to CHF 1.10/m² for mowing + aerating), which you can use to estimate your costs. These figures are averages; actual quotes may vary.

Hedge Trimming

Hedge trimming costs can be quoted per length of hedge or by time, depending on the complexity. For a simple hedge trim (lightly shaping the hedge), a typical rate is at least CHF 1 per linear meter of hedge (Houzy Magazin). This is a base guideline – in practice many gardeners might charge a bit more, especially if the hedge is tall or requires ladder work. A more realistic “normal” price for trimming might be around CHF 5 per meter for an average hedge, according to some industry guidelines (Gartenpflege Preise) (about CHF 5/lm being a “normal price” in one cost calculator).

For extensive hedge work – for example, pruning an overgrown hedge significantly or cutting it “down to the stock” (near ground level) – costs are much higher. This can run up to about CHF 50 per linear meter for a radical cut-back ). High hedges or very long hedges will likewise increase labor time and cost. Gardeners may instead quote an hourly rate (e.g. if it takes 2 hours at ~CHF 90/hour to trim your hedges, that’s CHF 180). The guideline of CHF 1–50 per meter gives a sense of the spectrum: a quick trim on a small hedge is cheap, while a major pruning on a dense, tall hedge is labor-intensive and costly.

Disposal of clippings: Note that disposing of the cut branches/leaves might be an extra charge. Some quotes include hauling away green waste, others charge per bag or per trip. One source mentions that disposal could be charged by volume (e.g. per cubic meter of waste) if not included. It’s wise to clarify if the price per meter includes cleanup and disposal.

In Zurich and other urban areas, hedge trimming services tend to use the standard hourly rates (CHF 80–100/h) as a basis. So if you have, say, 20 meters of hedge that takes ~1.5 hours to trim, you might pay on the order of CHF 120–150. For very precise topiary cuts or formal hedges, some gardeners might charge a premium. But for typical residential hedges, expect the range of CHF 1–10 per meter for light trimming, and up to tens of francs per meter for heavy pruning).

Seasonal Planting (Flowers, Shrubs, etc.)

Seasonal planting services – such as planting annual flowers in spring, replacing shrubs, or installing new plants in your garden beds – are generally charged at the gardener’s standard hourly rate plus materials. You will pay for the plants themselves (either you purchase them, or the gardener supplies them and bills you), and for the time it takes to plant and arrange them. For example, if a gardener spends 2 hours planting flower beds, and their rate is CHF 80/hour, that’s CHF 160 labor, plus whatever the flowers cost. As one Swiss source emphasizes, labor costs are separate from material costs like plants, soil, or mulch. So expect ~CHF 80–100/hour for the work and plan additional budget for the plants/soil.

For small jobs (like planting a few flats of seasonal flowers or potting plants), gardeners might have a minimum charge (often one hour of work). If you only need 30 minutes of work, you may still pay for an hour. In Zurich, one might hire a gardening service for a half-day in spring to do seasonal planting – e.g. 4 hours at CHF 90 = CHF 360 labor. If using an independent gardener or a hobby gardener, you might get a lower hourly rate (say CHF 50), but you should still factor in materials.

It’s hard to give a flat per-unit price for planting, since it depends on the plant size and effort:

Planting flowers or bedding plants: This is relatively quick. A gardener could plant many small flowers within an hour. Often it’s just billed hourly. Some might quote a package like “spring flower planting in flowerbeds – CHF X for a set number of plants,” but hourly is most common.
Planting shrubs or perennials: Involves digging proper holes, adding compost, etc. This still uses hourly rates; a rough estimate might be a few shrubs per hour depending on size. Large shrubs or fruit trees take more time and equipment.
Bulb planting (seasonal, like tulips): Sometimes offered at a rate per bulb or per area (e.g. CHF Y for planting 100 bulbs), but again based on labor time needed.

As a point of reference, preparing plants for winter (“winterizing” garden beds, wrapping delicate plants) has an estimated cost of CHF 60–120 per m² of area cared for. This suggests that seasonal tasks requiring careful work can be quite labor-intensive. Planting new flowers is usually less intensive than winter protection, but if a task like changing out all the seasonal flowers in spring involves design and arrangement, it could take a few hours of work. Bottom line: seasonal planting is typically charged by time; expect to pay standard hourly rates, and discuss the scope (number of plants, bed size) to get a cost estimate upfront.

General Garden Maintenance (Weeding, Pruning, Soil Care)

General maintenance encompasses routine tasks like weeding flower beds, pruning shrubs, and soil care (edging, mulching, etc.). Gardeners often bundle these tasks into an hourly service or a regular maintenance package.

Weeding: This can be surprisingly time-consuming. Guideline prices are about CHF 2–4 per square meter of garden bed for weeding. For example, a 50 m² area of flowerbeds might cost on the order of CHF 100–200 to weed thoroughly. In hourly terms, that aligns with roughly 1–2 hours of work (since a diligent gardener might weed ~20–30 m² per hour depending on how dense the weeds are). If your gardener charges CHF 80/hour, and they spend 1.5 hours weeding, that’s CHF 120. The CHF 2–4/m² figure is a rule of thumb to estimate from area. Keep in mind, some gardeners prefer to simply charge hourly for weeding because the effort can’t be known exactly until they do it.
Pruning (trees and shrubs): For ordinary shrub pruning or trimming back perennials, this would usually fall under the standard hourly rate (done during a maintenance visit). Small shrub pruning might be, say, an hour of work for several bushes. However, larger scale pruning – especially for trees or very large shrubs – is often quoted per job. Many gardeners have separate pricing for tree work. For instance, tree trimming can cost roughly CHF 400 to CHF 1,000 per tree depending on the tree’s size and difficulty. This kind of work often includes additional factors like bringing in a specialist or equipment (chainsaws, cherry-picker, etc.) and disposal of large branches. If you just need low fruit trees or rose bushes pruned, you likely won’t face such high costs; those would be done within an hourly gardening session. Always specify the size and type of plants to be pruned so the gardener can differentiate between a simple pruning and a complex one.
Soil care and other tasks: General soil care might include adding compost or fertilizer, mulching beds, aerating soil, and so on. These tasks are typically done as part of a maintenance visit and charged hourly. If a gardener brings special equipment (e.g. a soil tiller) there might be a small extra fee, but usually the hourly rate covers the labor and use of typical hand tools. For example, preparing flower beds in spring (tilling soil, edging and mulching) might be a half-day job for which you’d pay the hourly rate (perhaps a few hundred francs total). If new topsoil or mulch needs to be delivered, you’d pay for those materials in addition to labor.

Regular maintenance schedules can often be arranged (e.g. a gardener comes weekly or monthly). Under a yearly maintenance contract, the hourly rate might be a bit discounted (since it guarantees the company ongoing work). For instance, a gardening company might normally charge CHF 90/hour for one-off visits, but offer a seasonal contract at an effective rate of CHF 75/hour with a set number of visits. This varies by provider, so it’s worth asking.

Experience and expertise: If your maintenance needs include specialized care (like identifying plant diseases, expertly pruning fruit trees for better yield, etc.), hiring a more experienced gardener or horticulturist might cost more per hour, but could be worth it for the quality. A less experienced gardener may handle basic weeding and mowing just fine at a lower rate. Thus, prices are influenced by the skill level required for general maintenance tasks.

Regional Price Variations Across Switzerland

Regional differences in gardening service prices within Switzerland exist but are moderate. Generally, the hourly rates mentioned (roughly CHF 70–100/h for pros) hold true across most cantons, with adjustments mostly for local wage levels and demand. In major urban centers such as Zurich or Geneva, labor costs are a bit higher than the national average, which can translate to slightly higher gardening rates in those areas (Gardener Greenhouse). For example, a gardener’s average pay in Zurich is about 5–6% above the Swiss average , suggesting that hiring services in Zurich might likewise cost a bit more than in a smaller town.

That said, the pricing bands overlap significantly between regions. A homeowner in a more rural area might find offers toward the lower end of the typical range (perhaps closer to CHF 60–70/hour for basic garden work), while someone in Zurich may commonly see CHF 90+ hourly offers. In practice, travel costs play a role too – if you hire a gardener from your local area, you avoid high travel surcharges (which are often around 70–90 CHF per hour of travel time) . This means it’s often the distance and availability that cause variation, rather than a fundamentally different base rate per canton.

In summary, while Zurich gardeners are known to be on the pricier side within Switzerland, the difference is not extreme. Expect Zurich prices to align with the top of the national range, whereas elsewhere in Switzerland you might more easily find mid-range quotes. However, the same nationwide benchmarks (CHF ~70–100/h and the task rates listed above) are a useful guide everywhere.

Independent Gardeners vs. Gardening Companies (Pricing Differences)

The type of service provider – an independent freelancer versus a company – can influence the price you pay:

Independent gardeners or “garden helpers”: Hiring an individual directly (such as a self-employed gardener, a retiree, or a student offering garden help) can be more affordable. According to one source, the cost for a gardener in Switzerland hired privately is often around CHF 25–35 per hour, depending on their experience. In fact, some online job marketplaces list casual gardening help starting at CHF 25–30/hour for basic tasks. For example, a platform for odd-jobs cites gardeners available from CHF 27/hour for small jobs. These independent providers typically have low overhead and may not have formal qualifications, so their rates are lower.
Professional gardening companies: Established gardening or landscaping companies tend to charge higher rates, reflecting their business overhead, professional training, and equipment costs. A typical landscaping firm or certified gardener service charges roughly CHF 50–100 per hour in Switzerland, usually landing in the upper half of that range in cities. Many quotes from companies for garden maintenance come in at about CHF 70–90/hour. Companies may also have a minimum charge or call-out fee. For instance, one garden care business advertises a standard rate of CHF 90/hour for regular maintenance and even CHF 120/hour for very physically demanding work like heavy hedge trimming. The higher company rates often include insurance, professional-grade tools, and expertise (and they will handle disposal of garden waste, etc., usually built into the cost or charged additionally).

In essence, independent gardeners are generally cheaper per hour than corporate services. You might pay roughly half the price (in the CHF 25–50/hour range) if you find a solo gardener or part-time helper, whereas full-service companies charge closer to the CHF 80–100/hour level for one-off visits. Keep in mind that with independent hires, you should clarify what is included (tools, waste removal, etc.), as those might be more informally arranged, while companies tend to include professional equipment and can take away green waste (sometimes for an extra fee).

Factors Influencing Gardening Costs

Several factors influence the cost of residential gardening services in Switzerland. Key factors include the gardener’s qualifications, the complexity of the work, and practical considerations like travel and frequency of service. Here are some of the main factors:

Gardener’s Experience and Training: More experienced or formally trained gardeners charge higher rates. A well-qualified professional gardener or landscaper will price their services above what a less-experienced helper would. In Switzerland, the skill level and training of the gardener is a decisive cost factor. For example, you wouldn’t pay the same rate for a certified landscape architect as for a hobby gardener mowing lawns.
Task Complexity and Scope: The nature of the gardening tasks greatly affects price. Routine upkeep (mowing, simple weeding, basic hedge trimming) is priced at base hourly rates, whereas specialized or difficult tasks cost more. If a job requires special expertise – say, tree pruning, large-scale landscaping, or treating diseases/pests – the rate or total cost will be higher to reflect that complexity. Even within similar tasks, complexity matters: trimming a low hedge vs. cutting back a 5-meter tall hedge are very different jobs (the latter might be billed at a higher rate or take many more hours).
Equipment and Material Needs: If the work requires special equipment or materials, those costs influence the price. Many gardeners will charge extra or build in fees for things like heavy machinery, power tools, and waste disposal. For instance, in tree care, it’s common to add a flat charge for equipment setup and debris disposal (chipper machines, safety gear, hauling away branches) on top of the labor time. Similarly, if the gardener provides materials (plants, soil, fertilizer), these are charged in addition to labor.
Travel and Location: The distance the gardener must travel to reach your home can add cost. Travel time is often billed (somewhere around 70–90 CHF per hour of travel) or a transport fee is applied. Hiring someone local can therefore reduce cost, whereas if a company comes from a different region, you might pay for an hour or more of travel on top of the work. This is one reason regional differences in pricing are small – gardeners typically work within their area and charge standard rates but will add travel fees for long distances.
Season and Demand: Gardening work peaks in spring and summer. During the high-demand growing season, gardeners’ schedules book up, which can implicitly drive costs up (or at least you might not find discounted rates). Some gardeners may charge more for urgent jobs in peak season or have slightly higher rates during the busiest months. In quieter winter months, rates generally remain the same, but there is less work to be done (and some independent gardeners might negotiate on price for off-season tasks due to lower demand).
Frequency of Service: Whether you arrange a one-off job or a regular maintenance schedule can influence the rate. One-time, ad hoc visits might come at the full hourly rate (and sometimes with a minimum charge). In contrast, if you hire a gardener for recurring weekly or monthly maintenance, they may offer a better effective rate or a fixed package. It’s noted that having the same gardener on a recurring basis, since the gardener values steady work (some companies even offer seasonal contracts at a slight discount per hour).

Each of these factors – from the person’s expertise to the job’s difficulty – will shape the final price. It’s wise to get detailed quotes that break down these elements (hourly rate, estimated hours or unit costs for tasks, travel fee, etc.) so you can understand exactly what you’re paying for. But overall, by focusing purely on pricing: the more skilled the gardener and the more complex the task, the higher the cost, and straightforward jobs by a basic garden helper will sit at the lower end of the price spectrum.

Cost of Hiring Residential Gardeners in Zurich & Switzerland