Created in 2009 by the merger of Marin-Epagnier and Thielle-Wavre, La Tène stretches along the end of Lake Neuchâtel. Its villa gardens, lawns and hedges need regular attention through the seasons. A gardener in La Tène can look after routine maintenance as well as restore a neglected plot, and your request is passed on to a professional landscape gardener in the region.
Climate and terrain in La Tène
The municipality lies on the shore of Lake Neuchâtel, in the lower part of the canton. This position gives a fairly mild climate, similar to that of the lakeside and the vineyards, and quite different from the neighbouring Jura heights, where winters are long, cold and snowy. The lake softens extremes: frosts are generally less severe than at altitude, and vegetation starts growing early in spring.
This closeness to the water has practical consequences for the garden. The air is often more humid, which helps lawns grow but also encourages damp-related diseases on some plants. In areas close to the lake, the soil can stay cool and heavy after heavy rain; on flat ground, water sometimes drains slowly. Winds coming off the lake can also dry out or batter exposed hedges and young plantings.
Every plot has its own features: orientation, shade cast by trees or buildings, soil type. A gardener who visits the site will take them into account when choosing plants, deciding how often to mow and how to prune.
The gardening year in La Tène
Spring
In this mild climate, the garden wakes up early. It is the time to clear the beds, prune shrubs that are not yet in flower, fill in lawn areas damaged by winter and start the first mowing, set quite high at first. Planting of perennials and shrubs is prepared now, while the soil is still cool.
Summer
Heat and wind can quickly dry out a garden near the lake. Mowing less closely, watering infrequently but deeply and mulching the beds help plants cope. Fast-growing hedges are generally trimmed once or twice in the season, avoiding periods of intense heat and checking that no nest is occupied.
Autumn
Leaves fall in abundance around villa trees and can smother the lawn if left. It is also the right time to scarify and reseed the lawn, plant trees and shrubs, and give some hedges a last trim before winter. For clearing leaves, our guide to clearing autumn leaves offers practical pointers.
Winter
On the lakeside, winter is milder than on the heights, but it still calls for a few precautions: protecting frost-sensitive plants, avoiding walking on a frozen lawn, cleaning and storing equipment. It is also the season for tree pruning, when foliage is not in the way and the structure of the branches is clearly visible.
The most requested work in La Tène
Villa garden maintenance
Villa gardens make up most of the municipality’s residential landscape. A garden maintenance contract spreads the work across the year: weeding, shrub pruning, bed clearing, plant care. Garden maintenance in La Tène follows the rhythm of a mild climate, with work starting early in spring and continuing late into autumn.
Lawn mowing and care
On a plot near the lake, grass grows readily, especially after rain. Lawn mowing and care covers mowing frequency, a cutting height suited to the season, removal of clippings, and also scarifying and reseeding when moss takes hold in damp or shaded areas.
Hedge trimming
Hedges mark the boundaries of many plots and shield them from view and wind. Hedge trimming depends on the species: thuja, laurel, hornbeam or country hedges are not treated in the same way. A landscape gardener can also reshape a hedge that has been left to itself, where this is still possible.
Lakeside gardens
A garden next to the water raises its own questions: sometimes damp soil, wind, and choosing plants that tolerate these conditions. A well-thought-out garden creation or landscape design takes account of water drainage, exposure and how you want to use the space, whether for relaxing, outdoor meals or a vegetable patch.
Tree pruning and removal
Large trees add charm to a plot, but they need looking after. Tree pruning and removal should be entrusted to properly equipped professionals, especially when the tree stands near a house, a power line or a property boundary.
To check before certain work
Some garden work is regulated. For tree removal, hedges on a property boundary or garden structures such as a pergola, a shelter, a wall or a pool, the rules depend on the canton and the municipal regulations. Check with the municipality before starting. The professional handling your request can advise you on the steps to consider for your project.
Making a request
- You describe your project online: type of garden, work required, intended timing.
- A professional landscape gardener from the region contacts you and, if needed, visits the garden.
- You receive a free quote and are free to accept it or not.
To get started, you can request a quote.
Around La Tène
If your plot is a little further away, gardeners are also available in Saint-Blaise, Cornaux and Cressier. Find the whole region on the page gardener in the canton of Neuchâtel or browse all areas.
Frequently asked questions
When should I start looking after my garden in La Tène?
The mild climate of the lakeshore lets you start early, as soon as winter ends. A first clear-out of the beds, a light pruning of shrubs and a first high mow open the season. A gardener can suggest a calendar suited to your plot.
Can a landscape gardener look after a garden near the lake?
Yes. They take soil moisture, wind and exposure into account when choosing plants and organising maintenance. During the visit, they spot areas where water stands or the lawn is struggling, and suggest practical solutions.
How do I look after a hedge exposed to the lake wind?
An exposed hedge needs regular trimming and enough watering in the first years. The gardener chooses the time of cutting according to the species and avoids periods of intense heat. For a damaged hedge, they will tell you whether a reshaping cut is enough or whether it needs replanting.
Is the quote really free?
Yes, the quote is free and without obligation. The gardener from the region who contacts you reviews your request, visits the garden if necessary, then gives you a proposal that you are free to accept or decline.
Do I need to notify the municipality before felling a tree?
The rules depend on the canton and the municipal regulations, and they vary according to the tree and the project. Check with the municipality before any work. The professional can guide you, but checking the necessary steps remains your responsibility.