What our prospective gardeners need to do:

1. YOU MUST BE A CURRENT YEAR BB MEMBER. Make sure your membership is up-to-date.

• Find the membership form here.

2. BB Garden application form: Submit your BB garden application online. ONLY Mississauga property owners with an appropriate road allowance site will be accepted for a free residential boulevard garden. 

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3. Site visit: In the spring (April-May), a BB team will schedule a visit to your property to assess your prospective site's growing conditions, advise you on how to get ready for your garden, and answer your questions.

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3. City permit: The City of Mississauga requires a boulevard garden permit. No fee is required for our gardens. During the site visit, BB will help you complete your city permit application process.

• Download the City's Boulevard Garden Encroachment Permit application and Acceptable Plantings forms here.

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4. If you are a community organization, local institution or business, we can provide you with our native plants, consultation and design services for a reasonable fee.  

Get ready for your garden!

Site prep: 

• Mark site dimensions: allow 30 cm2 (1 sq. ft) per plant, plus a 45 cm (18 inch) border on all sides.

• Locate underground utility lines (as, phone, cable, etc)

• Contact Ontario One Call - it's best to do this early:   www.on1call.com or phone 1-800-400-2255.

• Remove all existing vegetation, including roots. Do when ground is soft. PLEASE NOTE: This is a physically strenuous job and is challenging for many people - allow lots of time to do this, and/or make arrangements to get help. BB does NOT provide this service.

• Condition the soil: Add 6 to 8cm (2 to 3 inches) of compost (such as composted manure, mushroom compost, worm compost, etc.)  and mix it into the top 10 cm (4 inches) of soil. 

Planting:

• Select a pick up date. 

• Plants are assembled for same day planting. Advice on planting & placement given.

• Planting tools needed: a garden trowel, hose and/or watering can and water.

• Dig holes to depth of plant roots, install plants, and water them.

• Cover bare soil around plants with 5 cm (1 inch) layer of shredded pine bark mulch.

Care for your new garden

Aftercare:

• Maintain the depth of shredded pine bark mulch to suppress weeds and retain surface moisture for this growing season.

• Young plants will need to be watered twice a week for their first 6 weeks, then gradually taper off amount of irrigation. Young plants will need water during drought as well.

• Pull weed seedlings when they sprout. Perennial weeds can be repeatedly cut off below ground level until they die. 

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Our garden stewards have access to our private Facebook group, where photos and info are shared and questions are answered.