What's included in garden maintenance for a villa over a year?

What tasks does a yearly plan for the villa garden cover?

A full-year plan for a villa in Stockholm is built around the seasons rather than calendar months, since the start of spring and the first autumn frost vary from year to year. Most plans group the recurring tasks into four blocks: spring, summer, autumn and winter, where each block contains the work the garden needs at that particular time.

How much is included in each block depends on the size of the plot, which plants are present and how much time you want to put in yourself. An example of a broad yearly plan might look like this, but every item can be added, removed or adjusted in frequency when we go through the plot together.

• Spring: spring cleanup, first lawn mowing, fertilising, hedge and shrub pruning before leaf burst
• Summer: regular lawn mowing and trimming, watering during dry spells, weed control in beds and paths
• Autumn: autumn cleanup with leaf handling, final lawn mowing, pruning of trees and shrubs that rest over winter
• Winter: snow removal from paths and driveway, anti-slip measures, sometimes protection of sensitive plants ahead of the cold

What does spring maintenance look like?

Spring is about clearing away winter damage and getting growth started before weeds and moss have a chance to establish themselves. Work usually begins once the frost has left the ground and the lawn has dried out, which in the Stockholm area typically happens in April.

A spring cleanup removes twigs, leaves and gravel that have accumulated over winter, while pruning of hedges and most shrubs is done before the buds open so the plant has time to heal and produce new growth during the season.

• Spring cleanup of beds, lawn and hard surfaces
• First lawn mowing once the grass has dried out after the snow melts
• Fertilising to give the lawn a strong start
• Hedge and ornamental shrub pruning before leaf burst

What's usually included during summer?

Summer is the most labour-intensive period since grass and hedges grow quickly and drought can become a problem during July and August. Lawn mowing is usually scheduled every other week, but many villa owners choose more frequent intervals to keep the lawn dense and resistant to weeds.

Watering becomes especially important in years when Stockholm experiences long dry spells, and it's often easier to include a watering round in the contract than to fit it in yourself between work and holidays.

• Lawn mowing, usually every two to three weeks during peak season
• Trimming of edges and hard-to-reach areas
• Watering of the lawn, new plantings and sensitive beds
• Weed control in beds, gravel paths and paving

Which tasks belong to autumn?

Autumn is about clearing away summer's growth and preparing the garden for winter before the ground freezes. The autumn cleanup is usually scheduled during October–November depending on when the leaves have fallen, and is often the most extensive job of the year since leaves, twigs and withered perennials need to be collected and removed.

The final lawn mowing is usually done once the grass has stopped growing actively, and some trees and shrubs are pruned during the winter half of the year while they're dormant.

• Autumn cleanup with leaf handling and removal of garden waste
• Final lawn mowing ahead of winter dormancy
• Pruning of trees and shrubs that benefit most from winter pruning
• Possible protection of roses and sensitive perennials ahead of the cold

What's included in winter?

Winter in Stockholm usually requires snow removal from the driveway, paths and entrance, as well as anti-slip measures when temperatures hover around freezing. How often this is needed depends entirely on the weather, so a winter contract is usually based on call-outs at a certain snow depth rather than a fixed schedule.

Some villa owners choose to include a check of trees and shrubs during winter, since heavy snow loads can damage branches that are otherwise hard to spot until the damage is done.

• Snow removal from paths, driveway and entrance as needed
• Anti-slip measures using sand or salt depending on the surface
• Possible inspection of trees after snow-laden branches
• Removal of snow in exceptional cases of very large amounts

How does Service Plus put together a full-year plan for your villa?

Service Plus Stockholm AB goes through the plot together with you before any contract is signed, and it's that visit that determines which tasks are actually included and how often they're carried out. Lawn mowing is handled by Mulle, edge trimming by Kanten, hedge trimming by Tuja, pruning by Saxa, and spring and autumn cleanup by Lövet, and they work to the same plan so the garden stays coherent throughout the year.

We bring our own equipment to every visit and remove garden waste and leaves on an ongoing basis, so you don't have to handle bags and trips to the recycling centre yourself. As a private individual you get a RUT deduction of up to 50% of the labour cost directly on the invoice, while waste removal and materials are invoiced without the deduction. Get in touch and you'll receive a free quote within 24 hours with a clear price or hourly rate before any work begins.