Show off your home by creating a boulevard garden

By Heather Grummett

As published by the Real Estate Update www.guelphanddistrictrealtors.ca

Transforming your boulevard from a simple section of grass into a colourful garden not only cuts down on the energy used to mow the lawn, but also grabs attention and adds to your curb appeal. 

The boulevard is the strip of city-owned land at the edge of your property line that runs between the sidewalk and the road. Every municipality has different guidelines or regulations when it comes to boulevard planting.  It is important to keep maximum visibility for cyclists, pedestrians and motorists at driveways and intersections.  It is also important to keep safety in mind for people walking down the street, by making sure plants don’t interfere with the sidewalk, limit access, or create areas where someone could trip.   Plants should be set back to avoid overgrowth and to allow proper access for passengers exiting cars.

In Guelph the City’s boulevard bylaw states that plants cannot be higher than .8 metres or 2.5 feet. Any rocks or paving stones must be below the grade of the sidewalk and curb so they do not interfere with road and sidewalk maintenance.  Also be sure not to block fire hydrants or utility valves. 

Depending on the area of Guelph in which you live, the space you have between the sidewalk and the road may be narrow, with only a foot or two to work with; in the older downtown neighbourhoods, you may have four to five feet of space. 

If you choose to take advantage of the nutrients in the existing lawn, you can prepare your garden by covering the sod with fabric cloth or thick wet newspaper. Cover the newspaper with a layer of mulch or leaves and wait until the grass has decomposed.  Often gardeners will begin this process in the fall, for spring planting.  Cut through the cloth or newspaper for each plant, leaving the rest in place to deter weeds.  Place additional mulch around your plants to help conserve moisture. 

When choosing plants, remember that what grows well at your front door, may not do well on the boulevard.  Pedestrians, traffic, winter salt and exhaust fumes are hard on plants. For best results, select drought tolerant plants that grow well in shallow gardens.  Perennials are a better choice over annuals so you don’t spend the entire season adapting your plants, just to start over next spring. 

It is also best to avoid expensive plants since they may be damaged through the winter. Plus your plants may be disturbed if the city needs to repair sidewalks, install signs or prune street trees. City utility lines may be buried under the boulevards, so shallow digging is best. 

Plants that survive salt and traffic but require sun exposure are: sedum, lavender, lamb’s ear, blue lyme grass, yarrow, and woolly thyme for a carpet of purple. Daylilies are also a great choice; however, plant them in the centre, away from the edge, as they will spread. For a shade garden consider bugleweed or hostas. Ground cover is always a great safe choice, as are spring bulbs such as crocus, snowdrops, and grape hyacinth. Even drought tolerant plants need time to become established – water your boulevard garden regularly for the first year or two.

If you live in an area that is busy with pedestrian traffic, consider creating a path with stepping-stones or mulch through your garden to discourage people from stepping on your plants while providing access to the road. 

A boulevard garden is a great use of space and brings attention to your property and your street, while minimizing lawn care. If you are looking for inspiration take a drive through downtown Guelph.  Some homeowners have created boulevard gardens on streets including Glasgow, Dublin, Suffolk and Oxford.