From a one-man business to a third-generation family company
What began in 1961 as a small landscape gardening business is now a company with more than 70 employees – run by the third generation. The key milestones in our story:
The beginning: Klaus Fuchs goes it alone
In spring 1961, Nikolaus “Klaus” Fuchs (1933–2026) registers his landscape gardening business in Lenggries – with a second-hand VW pickup, a small tractor and a sign he designed himself, showing a fox with a spade. A logo of one's own was highly unusual back then. Rosemarie Gruber becomes the first employee.
The next generation joins
Daughter Angelika meets the landscape gardener Fred. The two marry – and Fred takes the family name Fuchs. This paves his way into the company.
25 years – and the whole team in front of the fleet
For the 25th anniversary, the team lines up in front of its vehicles. Klaus Fuchs stands in the middle. The one-man business of 1961 has become a company with its own fleet.
The first mini excavator
At first mocked as a “flower-picking machine”, the nimble Schaeff HR 3 quickly proves its worth when excavating private gardens – a noticeable relief in the day-to-day work.
Honoured at the State Garden Show
At the State Garden Show in Dinkelsbühl, Klaus Fuchs is honoured for his work on historic walls. Dry stone walls built using traditional craftsmanship – we still build them today.
Flood and new office building
While the family is on a study trip to Japan, the Arzbach floods the company grounds. The new office building is already under way, so lessons are learned and the plans adapted.
Our own Erdenwerk
Our own Erdenwerk is created on a former military site. Since then, high-quality, dry substrate of tested quality has been on hand for every garden project – and anyone who wishes can buy it there too: visit the Erdenwerk.
Founding of Fuchs baut Gärten GmbH
Klaus and Marianne hand over the business and family home to Angelika and Fred. Fuchs baut Gärten GmbH is born – the number of employees and projects grows steadily.
Founding member of the Biotop network
Inspired by historic water gardens, Fred Fuchs brings water into clients' gardens – as a partner of swimming pond pioneer Biotop, since its early years.
Lenggries open-air pool becomes a natural swimming pond
The open-air pool, threatened with closure, is transformed into a single natural pond, cleaned without chlorine. In 2003 it wins the district's environmental prize. Right next door is the Isarwelle family pool – our team built its outdoor facilities too.
Founding member of the Gärtner von Eden
Joining the cooperative premium network of leading garden designers in the German-speaking world.
TASPO Award: Garden Designer of the Year
Award for an outstanding private garden – realised by managing director Fred Fuchs and designer Jürgen McClanahan.
The third generation marries in
Balbina Fuchs and Ludwig marry. The architect (Dipl.-Ing. FH) becomes part of the Fuchs family and carries on the family tradition.
Balbina and Ludwig join the company
With clearly separated areas of responsibility, running the business together comes easily. As an architect, Ludwig completes additional training as a site manager, building a bridge to landscape gardening.
Four generations at one trade fair stand
At the Rosentage in Bad Tölz, the family stands together on the stand: the company founder, his son-in-law, the son-in-law's son and the two grandsons. Four generations in one picture – the quickest proof that this really is a business in which the family works, rather than just appearing on the letterhead.
The senior mows the wildflower meadow
On a June day, company founder Klaus Fuchs, aged over 80, stands with a scythe in the wildflower meadow at the company grounds – not for a photo, but because he wanted to. A meadow with ox-eye daisies, clover and bellflowers only stays rich in species if it is mown late and gently; anyone who can do it by hand needs no machine. His eye for meadows and soils has remained in the company.
Honorary award from Biotop
For the long, successful partnership and many “Goldene Froschkönige” won, Fuchs receives the Biotop honorary award.
The 100th apprentice
Apprenticeships are a priority at Fuchs: in 2019 the 100th apprentice signs his contract – a rare number for a company of this size.
State honorary award – and a handover in the yard
The Bavarian State Ministry recognises Fuchs as one of only 19 companies for exemplary apprenticeships in landscape gardening. Because of Covid, the ceremony is cancelled – the certificate is presented on 21 December 2020 in our own yard, between the office building and the Christmas roses. On the same day, Markus Wasensteiner is honoured for 30 years with the company – by now it is over 35. The plaque is held by Rosemarie Gruber – in 1961 she was this company's first employee, and she has since retired. On the right stands Fred Fuchs, who ran the company as the second generation. The distance between the three of them was mandatory at the time.
Handover to the third generation
Balbina and Ludwig Fuchs take over the company. A new office building, largely paperless working and digital site tablets shape the firm.
The company founder's 90th birthday
On 29 August 2023, the whole company lines up in the yard in front of the office building and congratulates Klaus Fuchs on his 90th birthday. He had started alone in 1961 – with a used VW pickup truck, a small tractor and a first employee. 62 years later, the entire team stands around him in work clothes. A picture like this only happens once.
TASPO Award “Best Company Garden” & new managing director
Another TASPO Award for Balbina and Ludwig Fuchs. And Elisabeth Simon joins the management – from apprentice to journeywoman and master gardener, all the way to the top of the company.
Farewell to Marianne and Klaus Fuchs
In February 2026 we say goodbye to Marianne Fuchs, and in March to company founder Klaus Fuchs. What they both built and lived by lives on to this day – in the third and fourth generations.
Thank you for everything, Grandpa
On 11 March 2026, our company founder Nikolaus “Klaus” Fuchs passed away at the age of 92 – a few weeks after his wife Marianne. In 1961 he had started with courage, hard work and a used VW pickup truck; his life's work is now carried on by the third and fourth generations. The short film tribute shows him as we remember him.
His conversation with granddaughter Balbina Fuchs from summer 2025 is available on the podcast: Episode 9 – Gärten für Generationen.
The whole story on film
For our 60th anniversary we looked back – from the grandfather's tree nursery to today.
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