Boulevard Garden and Maintenance By-law

The maximum height limit for the herbaceous (leafy) plants grown on your boulevard is 1.6 m. To ensure that clear sightlines exist in all rights-of-way, plants that grow between 1.0 m to 1.6 m in height must follow an alternating planting pattern.

Alternating Planting Pattern for Maximum Growth Height Plants

• Gardeners can plant 1.6 m tall herbaceous plants in any unrestricted area of their boulevard garden. Please see “Shrub Restrictions” to learn how to space woody shrubs.
• Herbaceous plants that grow taller than 1.0 m in height should be planted in 60 cm by 60 cm planting blocks.

• Planting blocks must be set back from driveways by at least 2.0 metres.
• Planting blocks cannot be placed in set-back or restricted areas.
• A 60 cm gap must be maintained between each planting block.
• Plants that grow less than 1.0 m tall can be planted between planting blocks.
• Planting Blocks should be placed parallel to sidewalks and roads so that drivers can see pedestrians moving through the boulevard area.
• Garden boxes should be considered when measuring the maximum growth height of your plants. The total height of the garden box and the plants that it holds cannot exceed 1.6 metres and must follow an alternating planting prescription.
• Seasonal support structures (except for tomato cages) can only be used in garden boxes. Tall plants must be able to stand on their own.

The maximum height limit for shrubs is 1.0 m. To maintain clear sightlines in all rights-of-way and allow sound to travel effectively through the boulevard area, all shrubs must follow an alternating planting pattern.

Quick-Facts: Alternating Planting Pattern for Shrubs 

• Shrubs should be trimmed and maintained regularly so that they do not grow over 1.0 m in height, or into set-back areas.
• If multiple shrubs are planted on a boulevard, they must be separated by 1.0 m. This space must be maintained as the shrubs grow – the shrubs should not be left to grow into each other and create a living fence. 

• The spaces between shrubs should be parallel to sidewalks and roads to create a direct path between roads and sidewalks.

• A 1.0 m space must be maintained between shrubs and garden boxes, plants that grow taller than 1.0 m, and tomato cages.
• Herbaceous plants can be planted in the space between shrubs, but they should not grow taller than 1.0 m.
• Shrubs cannot be planted in garden boxes.
• The shrub species planted on boulevards should not grow thorns or other sharp objects that could hurt people.

Set-back areas surround important infrastructure that City and utility workers need easy access to. The maximum height limit for the plants grown in the set-back areas of your boulevard garden is 60 cm.

Set-back areas include:

• 1.5 m radius surrounding hydrants, utility poles, electrical or utility boxes.

• 1 m set-back radius from the trunk of any City tree.

• Street corner sight triangles (a sight triangle is an imaginary triangle formed between points measured along the closest curb-lines of an intersection, 9 metres in each direction from the centre of each street).

• 60 cm set-back from closest edge of road curb (where curbs exist).

• 60 cm set-back from closest edge of road shoulder (where no curb exists).

• 60 cm set-back from closest edge of sidewalk.

• 60 cm from closet edge of driveway.

 

If you would like to grow edible plants in your boulevard garden, you should consider building a garden box. Garden boxes are straight-walled containers built to hold soil and herbaceous plants. They may provide better quality soil for your plants and allow you to use various kinds of support structures that will help you increase the yield of your garden.

Please keep the following rules in mind when building a garden box:

• The maximum height limit for garden boxes is 60 cm.
• Garden boxes must be made of smooth, untreated wood.
• Each corner of a garden box must be flagged with a winter safety hazard marker year-round. These markers must have reflective tops, be securely fixed to each corner, and measure between 0.91 m and 1.8  m in height. They should not exceed 2.5 cm in diameter and should not be made of rock, concrete, or steel products like t-bars and rebar.
• Garden Boxes can be decoratively painted or stained.
• Garden boxes can display one 10 cm X 25 cm address identification plate, but should not display any other signs, advertising, graphics, images, or posters.
• The total height of the garden box and the plants grown inside of it cannot be taller than 1.6 m.
• If the combined total height of the garden box and the plants growing inside it exceeds 1.0 m in height, gardeners must follow the alternating planting prescription for maximum growth height plants. Please see “Height Restrictions and Set-backs” for more information.
• Garden boxes cannot be placed in any set-back areas. Please see “Height Restrictions and Set-backs” for more information.

• Garden boxes must be set-back by 60 cm from the closest edge of any slope, ditch, or drainage swale.

• Plant support structures such as stakes, poles, and cages must be fully contained within the garden box and cannot exceed 1.6 m in combined total height.
• Plant support structures must be removed annually by November 15.
• You cannot grow shrubs in your garden box.

Invasive species are plants, animals, and micro-organisms that humans introduce to a new environment. These species take over habitats and decrease biodiversity by out-competing native species for food, reproducing rapidly, and interrupting food chains. This can result in threats to the environment, the local economy, and human health!

Please help us avoid the negative effects of invasive species. Do not plant the following invasive species in your boulevard garden:

• Amur maple (Acer tataricasspginnala)
• Autumn Olive (Elaeagnusumbellata)
• Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)
• Common buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica)
• Creeping jenny (Lysimachianummularia)
• Dame’s rocket (Hesperismatronalis)
• Daylily (Hemerocallis fulva)
• Dog-strangling vine, also known as black swallowwort and pale swallowwort (Cynanchum rossicum; Cynanchum louiseae)
• English ivy (Hedera helix)
• Euonymus, Wintercreeper (Euonymus fortunei)
• Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata)
• Giant hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
• Glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus)
• Goutweed (Aegopodium podagraria)
• Himalayan Balsam (Impatiens glandifulera)
• Italian honeysuckle (Lonicera caprifolium)
• Japanese barberry (Berberis japonica)
• Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
• Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica var. japonica)
• Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis)
• Manitoba maple, box elder (Acer negundo)
• Members of the Family Cannabaceae (Includes Cannabis Sativa)
• Miscanthus, silvergrass (Miscanthus sacchariflorusand M. sinensis)
• Multiflora rose (Rosa multiflora)
• Norway maple (Acer platenoides)
• Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus)
• Ornamental honeysuckles including: Tatarian (Lonicera tatarica), Amur (L. maackii), Morrow (L. morrowii), and Bells(L.×bella) honeysuckles.
• Pachysandra, Japanese spurge (Pachysandra terminalis)
• Pants or fungi (mushrooms) which have potential hallucinogenic properties.
• Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
• Phragmites (Phragmites australis subsp. australis)
• Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans)
• Purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria)
• Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)
• Russian olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)
• Sea buckthorn (Hippophaerhamnoides)
• Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
• Stinging Nettle (Urtica dioica)
• Tree-of-heaven (Ailanthus altissima)
• White mulberry (Morus alba)
• Winged burning bush (Euonymus alatus)
• Yellow archangel (Lamium galeobdolonsyn, Lamiastrum galeobdolon)

Stormwater Engineers use infrastructure housed in boulevard areas to prevent flooding during storms and spring melts. The original shape and grade of the boulevard must be maintained to move water effectively.

Protect stormwater infrastructure by making sure that your boulevard garden:

• Does not fill the bottom of slopes, ditches, or drainage swales. 
• Does not drastically change the existing bed height, designed elevation, or grade of the boulevard area. This means that you should not be adding or taking soil out of the boulevard area unless you choose to build a garden box.
• Does not contain impervious materials like rocks and concrete. You may choose to design a small walkway through your garden, but it should be placed at or below the grade of nearby curbs and sidewalks and it should not cover more than 5% of the total boulevard area.

Internet cables, water and wastewater pipes, electrical transformers, and City trees are housed in your boulevard, too! Protect this infrastructure by:

• Learning where your underground utilities are located before you begin to dig. Visit www.ontarioonecall.ca/homeowners to request a utility locate today.
• Hand digging in the boulevard area using small gardening tools rather than mechanical equipment or large spades.
• Avoiding the use of hard landscaping features such as stone, brick, and concrete.
• Making sure that water shut-off valves are easily accessible for workers who may have to access them quickly.

Anyone who establishes or maintains a boulevard garden should keep the boulevard area free of litter and other waste materials.

Litter and waste materials include:

• Objects that create immediate tripping hazards for pedestrians.
• An accumulation of rotting fruits or vegetables that creates foul odours or attracts unwanted wildlife.
• Improperly aged compost.
• Bulky items like appliances or furniture.
• Old vehicles, lawn mowers, lawn tractors, motor-powered equipment, or any of their parts.
• Broken concrete, patio stones, bricks, or pallets.
• Unused building materials or discarded demolition materials.
• Yard waste.
• Fallen trees or tree limbs larger than 5 cm in diameter.
• Animal or human feces.
• Tires.
• Garbage, litter and other discarded items that may accumulate in the garden over time due to wind and other environmental factors.

When materials such as aged compost, yard waste, brush, and branches are integrated into a planned, naturalized garden area they are not considered nuisance litter or waste material. These naturalized garden features can create ideal habitats for native pollinators! For public safety, please do not place these items in set-back areas or in places where they may cause tripping hazards.

Please do not use synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or rodenticides in your boulevard garden. The toxic chemicals found in store-bought pesticides are not selective – they will kill beneficial wildlife just as easily as pests.

You can avoid unwanted garden pests by:

• Keeping your soil healthy. This will support plant health and increase your garden’s resilience to pests.
• Understanding the lifecycle of pests and identifying the early stages of pest damage. Learn more about the biodiverse range of critters that live in your garden, and what growth stages are the easiest to control organically.
• Crop cycling edible plants. Plant different species year after year to maintain soil health and avoid pests that depend on specific plants to complete their life cycles.
• Maintaining high levels of biodiversity in your garden. Create habitats for birds and invertebrates that will eat your pests!

If you already have a pest infestation, try:

• Removing pests by hand, or with tools such as small gardening shovels or toothbrushes.
• Spreading diatomaceous earth in specific parts of your garden.
• Making homemade insecticidal soap and spraying it over targeted areas.
• Using crop or ground covers.
• Pouring vinegar or boiling water over specific herbaceous pests.

Please do not use synthetic fertilizers in your boulevard garden. Storms and spring melts will carry these chemicals off your boulevard and into our waterways, where they impact aquatic ecosystems by kick-starting excessive algae growth.

Instead of using store-bought fertilizers, try one of these eco-friendly alternatives:

• Spread aged compost over your garden bed. You can pick up aged compost for free at the City’s Solid Waste and Recycling Facility, or try making your own at home. Learn more about at-home composting by vising the EcoSuperior Website. 
• Cover your garden bed with a thin layer of dried grass clippings.
• Make your own compost tea. Steep fruit and vegetable scraps in water for a few days, strain of solids, and then use the water to feed your garden.
• Mulch your garden bed. Just make sure that you are not raising the height of your garden bed.
• Crop cycle edible plants. Planting different species year after year can help you maintain the health of your soil.

These natural fertilizers are best applied after a rainfall. Moist soil will soak up nutrients more easily, and your compost will not be washed away by the rain. 

Try and plant native species whenever possible. Native plant species are awesome habitat restorers. They compete with invasive species, create habitat for other native wildlife, and generally require less maintenance than their non-native counterparts.

Learn more about the native species that you can plant in your garden with information from the Lakehead Region Conservation Authority Native Plants of Northwestern Ontario.

Please do not use synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and rodenticides in your boulevard garden. The toxic chemicals found in store-bought pesticides are not selective – they will kill beneficial wildlife just as easily as pests!

Instead, you can try:

• Removing pests by hand, or with tools such as small gardening shovels or toothbrushes.
• Spreading diatomaceous earth in specific parts of your garden.
• Making your own insecticidal soap and spraying targeted areas.
• Using crop or ground covers.
• Pouring vinegar or boiling water over specific herbaceous pests. 

Please do not use synthetic fertilizers in your boulevard garden. Storms and spring melts will carry these chemicals off your boulevard and into our waterways, where they impact aquatic ecosystems by kick-starting excessive algal growth!

Instead of using store-bought fertilizers, try:

• Spreading aged compost over your garden bed. You can pick up aged compost for free at the City’s Solid Waste and Recycling Facility, or try making your own at home! To learn more about at-home composting in Thunder Bay, please visit: www.ecosuperior.org/home-composting. 
• Covering your garden bed in a thin layer of dried grass clippings.
• Making your own compost tea. Steep fruit and vegetable scraps in water for a few days, then use the water to feed your garden!
• Mulching your garden bed. Just make sure that you are not raising the height of your garden bed!
• Crop cycling edible plants. Plant different species year after year can help you maintain the health of your soil.

These natural fertilizers are best applied after a rainfall event. Moist soil will soak up nutrients more easily, and your compost will not be washed away! 

Nuisance litter can include:

• An accumulation of rotting fruits or vegetables that creates foul odours or attracts unwanted wildlife;
• Improperly aged compost;
• Animal or human feces; and,
• Garbage, litter and other discarded items that may accumulate in the garden over time due to wind and other environmental factors.

When materials such as aged compost, yard waste, brush, and branches are integrated into a planned, naturalized garden area they are not considered nuisance litter or waste material. These naturalized garden features can create ideal habitats for native pollinators! To ensure public safety, please do not place these items in set-back areas or in places where they may cause tripping hazards.

At least twenty-six other municipalities have boulevard garden guidelines or by-laws. This includes places like Barrie, Centre Wellington, Guelph, Kelowna, Kitchener-Waterloo, Markham, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Regina, Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Cambridge, Caledon, Clarington, Coburg, Edmonton, Halifax, Oshawa, St. Catharines, Whitby, Winnipeg. That being said, none of the other municipalities in Northern Ontario have regulations in place, which means that we are an exciting first! 

The City of Thunder Bay cannot provide any information about the soil composition of residential boulevards. To ensure your safety, you should have your soil tested for bioavailable heavy metals before you start growing edible plants. For more information on soil testing, please contact Lakehead University’s Environmental Laboratory at 807-343-8010, extension 8179. 

The Boulevard Garden and Maintenance By-law is a direct response to public requests to allow homeowners, property owners and tenants to utilize City-owned boulevards for gardening. It aligns with the City’s strategic goals of neighborhood beautification, climate action, and environmental sustainability. 

The Declaration and Acknowledgement Agreements allows gardeners to assume the risk, cost, loss, or expenses associated with planting a boulevard garden. It also makes the distribution of educational materials more efficient and allows City Staff to track program uptake. Learn about Acknowledging and Declaring your garden.

Gardeners who established a garden before the Boulevard Garden and Maintenance By-law was put in place are asked to sign the Garden Declaration Acknowledgement Agreement retroactively and comply with the rules set out in the By-Law.

You have 180 days to decide if you wish to keep maintaining the boulevard garden. If you would like to continue maintaining the garden, you can declare yourself as the new owner through the Declaration Acknowledgement Agreement Portal. If you do not wish to maintain the garden, you can remove it and replace it with turfgrass. 

The City and local utility companies that maintain infrastructure within the boulevard may remove or alter boulevard gardens to conduct maintenance or repairs. Re-establishing gardens after this work has been done will be the responsibility of individual gardeners. 

Flexibility is built into the Boulevard Garden and Maintenance By-law. We will regularly review the list of prohibited species, update guidelines as new science emerges, and consult with environmental experts. If conditions change—such as new invasive species threats—we can amend the By-law quickly. Public education and stakeholder engagement will be ongoing so our approach remains current and responsive.

Above-grade decorative ornaments are a trip hazard in the boulevard area and create impermeable surfaces. That being said, at-grade decorative ornaments such as stepping stones are allowed to cover up to 5% of the boulevard space.

The By-law and associated guidelines are designed with operations in mind. Required setbacks, maximum heights, and seasonal planter box flagging requirements allow snowplows, emergency vehicles, and routine road maintenance crews to operate without impediment. Any garden interfering with City operations may be altered or removed.

 Landscape architects work in the metric system. If that isn’t your style, please see the conversion chart below.