Garden and Landscape Construction in Cologne

Gardens in Cologne: soil, climate and local characteristics

Cologne lies in the Cologne Lowland (Kölner Bucht) on the lower terrace of the Rhine and is largely flat; only in the east, towards the Königsforst and Dellbrück, does the ground rise towards the Bergisches Land, while the Ville ridge lies to the west. The soils are as varied as the districts themselves: loamy sands through to loam on the lower terrace; heavy alluvial soils under the influence of groundwater close to the river, in Rodenkirchen, Poll or Niehl for instance; fertile loess-derived brown earths (Parabraunerden) on the loess-covered terraces in the west; and sandy, gravelly, quick-drying ground on the middle terrace east of the Rhine in Porz and Dellbrück.

The climate is among the mildest in Germany: around 3 °C in January, some 19 °C in July and roughly 800 mm of rainfall a year. A pronounced urban heat island and increasingly frequent hot summers make drought-tolerant planting, mulching and well-planned irrigation the single most important subject in Cologne gardens – above all in sealed inner courtyards and on the sandy middle terrace.

• Close to the Rhine (Rodenkirchen, Poll, Niehl): alluvial loam, a high water table and flood-prone plots – foundations, drainage and the choice of plants all need to be matched to them
• Lower terrace and the west (Lindenthal, Junkersdorf, Weiden): loamy to loess-rich soils – a good basis for lawns and perennials, but still worth watering in summer
• Middle terrace east of the Rhine (Porz, Dellbrück): sandy and dry – soil improvement, mulch and drip irrigation pay for themselves

Tree protection and local rules in Cologne

Cologne has a tree protection by-law (Baumschutzsatzung), which was tightened in the version of 18 July 2023: broadleaf trees are protected from a trunk circumference of 80 cm, measured at a height of 1 m (previously 100 cm), and conifers from 130 cm. Multi-stemmed broadleaf trees fall under the by-law once two stems each measure 40 cm in circumference. Felling a protected tree on private land, or cutting it back hard, requires permission. We measure beforehand to establish whether your tree is affected and, if you wish, submit the application to the city for you.

Independently of that, a nationwide ban on cutting woody plants applies from 1 March to 30 September under the Federal Nature Conservation Act (Bundesnaturschutzgesetz, § 39 BNatSchG). We therefore schedule hard cutbacks and the clearance of hedges for October to February; light shaping and maintenance cuts are possible all year round. In Marienburg, Hahnwald and Lindenthal in particular there are a great many mature specimen trees – here it is well worth checking before you fix a date for felling.

Typical projects in Cologne

In the affluent districts of Marienburg, Hahnwald, Lindenthal, Braunsfeld and Junkersdorf the brief is frequently a park-like plot: crown care for mature trees, formally trimmed hedges, large areas of lawn with automatic irrigation, natural stone patios and paved driveways. In the Gründerzeit quarters of Ehrenfeld, Nippes, Sülz and the city centre it is usually small inner courtyards and front gardens, which gain a great deal from lifting hard surfacing (Entsiegelung), raised beds, low-maintenance planting and a clean, properly laid path surface.

In the family-home and terraced-house areas of Rodenkirchen, Weiden, Widdersdorf, Dellbrück and Porz, patio construction, privacy fencing, turf and regular garden maintenance come first. For residential blocks – in Chorweiler, Kalk or Mülheim, for example – we take on the upkeep of the grounds, the hedge trimming and, on request, the winter service, all from a single source.

Getting to you and appointments in Cologne

From Schwelm and Ennepetal we drive to Cologne on the A1 – around 60 to 70 km, usually 50 to 70 minutes. After the free on-site visit you receive a fixed-price quote in which travel, materials and waste disposal are set out transparently. On larger schemes we bundle the working days on site together; for maintenance contracts we plan fixed rounds through Cologne and neighbouring towns such as Leverkusen, Bergisch Gladbach or Hürth. We normally reply to your enquiry within 24 hours – the simplest thing is to send us a few photos on WhatsApp beforehand.