GOOD NEWS! - Our boulevard gardens help to conserve our native bees and other pollinators by increasing habitat. All of our services - consultation, design, ongoing advice, plants and delivery, regular monitoring of the garden during the first and second years - are free. Our members, volunteers and donors make it happen!
Our 2022 garden quota has been reached!
Applications for 2023 boulevard gardens are open to our members.
01/
What our prospective gardeners need to do:
1. YOU MUST BE A CURRENT YEAR MEMBER. Make sure your membership is up-to-date.
Find the membership form here.
2. 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.
3. The City of Mississauga requires a boulevard garden permit. No fee is required for our gardens. BB will help you complete your permit application process.
Download the City permit here.
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.
02/
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.
03/
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.
Our garden stewards have access to our private Facebook group, where photos and info are shared and questions are answered.
Here is what we offer our garden stewards:
-
Preliminary site visit assessment.
-
Assistance with city permit process.
-
Advice on how to get your new garden site ready for planting.
-
Up to 50 free native plants matched to your garden site.
-
Planting: Plant pickup dates between mid-May - early June.
-
Plant info, online garden workshops and presentations.
-
Aftercare advice.
-
Info & advice via our private Garden Steward Facebook group.