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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! 

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Care for your new garden

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.  

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Care for your new 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:

  • We will email you a choice of pick up dates. 

  • Plants are assembled for same day planting. Diagram & 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.

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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.

Applications for 2024 boulevard gardens are now open!
* membership needed first please

Here is what we offer our garden stewards:

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  • 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.

2024 Garden Application

If you are a Mississauga resident, you may apply for a free garden. Please fill out the form and submit.

Proposed location
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