Natural Gardens, Boulevard Gardens and Encroachments

The City of Brampton has updated two City by-laws to better support natural and sustainable gardening practices and better address the environmental challenges of today including curbing biodiversity loss, adapting to climate change and providing habitats and food sources for our native pollinators.

The Ground Cover Maintenance & Prohibited Plants By-law, (originally the Grass and Weed Cutting By-law) allows Natural Gardens but requires that all property owners maintain their gardens and groundcover to a maximum height requirement and free of Prohibited Plants. The Encroachment By-law expands on past public lands by-laws to clarify types of encroachments and specify allowed encroachments, like Boulevard Gardens.

Natural Gardens are encouraged on private property, provided they are intentionally planted, maintained, and free of Prohibited Plants. A garden that incorporates native species and sustainable gardening practices has many benefits; such as:

supporting biodiversity and native pollinators
restoring natural habitats by providing food, shelter, and water for wildlife
providing areas for stormwater infiltration which can reduce rainwater runoff
requiring less maintenance, which contributes to:
- conservation of water and soil
- less pesticides and fertilizer use
- reduced need for fossil fuel consumption (e.g. gas for lawn mowers)

When planting and maintaining any gardens, be a good neighbour by:

Keeping gardens free of Prohibited Plants that could spread easily to their yards or the City's natural spaces.
Keeping plants, shrubs, and trees from overhanging onto sidewalks, roadways and driveways by leaving a grass strip or planting low-growing plants.

Diagram showing correct plant placement in the front yard near the sidewalk. Grass besides the sidewalk marked correct.

Diagram showing correct and incorrect plant placements in the front yard near the sidewalk. Low plants by sidewalk marked incorrect.

Diagram showing correct and incorrect plant placements in the front yard near the sidewalk. Tall plants by sidewalk marked incorrect.

Prohibited Plants are those that can spread easily and can harm to our farm crops and natural spaces by out competing native species. For the full list, refer to Schedule A of the By-law available here or the dropdown list below.

Natural Gardens are NOT grassy areas left to grow. While these areas may bring some native plants to your yard, they will almost certainly contain prohibited plants, and the presence of turf grass designates them as overgrown groundcover and not a true garden.

Neglect

Maintained

Low plants placments next the sidewalk marked incorrect and neglect

Ground Cover includes turf grass and other lowing growing plants, maintenance requirements include:

Keeping all ground cover trimmed to under 20 cm
The removal and destruction of all Prohibited Plants

Diagram showing correct and incorrect plant placements in the front yard near the sidewalk. Grass height below 20 cm marked correct

Diagram showing correct and incorrect plant placements in the front yard near the sidewalk. Low-Growing Vegetation marked correct

Diagram showing correct and incorrect plant placements in the front yard near the sidewalk. Grass height with tall plants above 20 cm marked incorrect

Diagram showing correct and incorrect plant placements in the front yard near the sidewalk. Low-Growing Vegetation with tall plants marked incorrect

Brampton's Prohibited Plant list include common weeds and those listed on the Schedule of Noxious Weeds* under the Weed Control Act. Prohibited Plants are those that can spread easily and can harm to our farm crops and natural spaces by out-competing native species.

Barberry, common*.

Berberis vulgaris L.

Bedstraw, smooth*

Galium mollugo L.

Buckthorn, European*

Rhamnus cathartica L.

Chervil, wild*

Anthriscus sylvestris (L.) Hoffmann

Coltsfoot

Tussilago farfara L.

Crupina, common*

Crupina vulgaris Cass.

Cupgrass, woolly*

Eriochloa villosa (Thunb.) Kunth

Dodder spp.*

Cuscuta spp.

Dog-strangling vine*

Vincetoxicum rossicum (Kleopow) Barbar.

Dog-strangling vine, black*

Vincetoxicum nigrum (L.) Moench .

Garlic Mustard

Alliaria petiolata .

Goatgrass, jointed*

Aegilops cylindrica Host

Hogweed, giant*

Heracleum mantegazzianum Sommier & Levier

Japanese knotweed

Reynoutria japonica var. japonica

Knapweed spp.*

Centaurea spp.

Kudzu*

Pueraria montana (Lour.) Merr.

Oriental Bittersweet

Celastrus orbiculatus

Parsnip, wild*

Pastinaca sativa L

Phragmites

Phragmites australis subsp. australis

Poison-hemlock*

Conium maculatum L.

Poison-ivy*

Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze

Ragweed spp.*

Ambrosia spp.

Ragwort, tansy*

Rhamnus cathartica L.

Sow-thistle spp.*

Sonchus spp.

Spurge, cypress*

Euphorbia cyparissias L

Spurge, leafy*

Euphorbia esula L

Thistle, bull*

Cirsium vulgare (Savi) Tenore

Thistle, Canada*

Cirsium arvense (L.) Scopoli

Tussock, serrated*

Nassella trichotoma Hackel ex Arech.

Yellow floating heart

Nymphodes peltata

The Encroachment by-law expands on past by-laws to clarify types of encroachments and specify allowed encroachments, like Boulevard Gardens. Encroachments are any type of vegetation, structure, building, man-made object or item of personal property which exists wholly upon or extends from that person's premises onto City lands.

Encroachments can destroy natural areas, impact wildlife and spread invasive plants. Do not encroach!

Encroachments can include:

Setting up a patio or compost bin
Storing items like wood, or building supplies
Parking a trailer or car
Building a play structure, slide, or tree house
Removal of existing vegetation (woodland shrubs, meadows, etc) to expand your backyard

Diagram showing warning against placing compost bins outside personal property. — This is Encroachment - Do not place composters or any items outside of your property

Diagram showing warning against placing personal belongings outside personal property. — This is Encroachment - Do not place benches or patio sets outside of your property

Keep all of your belongings within your own property limits. In some cases, Encroachments may be allowed - visit the Encroachment webpage to learn more.

Boulevard Gardens, provide natural habitat, support pollinator species and are allowed on City Boulevards, provided they follow these requirements:

Are planted 0.9m away from every curb, sidewalk or driveway
The height of plants in boulevard garden must not exceed 45 cm and can not include any bushes, shrubs, or trees.
Must be at grade with the sidewalk - no mounding
Clearance must be provided around street trees, utility boxes and fire hydrants for safe access.

Diagram of a boulevard garden layout. — *The 0.9 meter setback can be grassed, low-growing groundcover or mulch.

To plant a Boulevard Garden that falls outside of these parameters, an Encroachment Agreement may be granted. See Encroachments for more information.

All Boulevard Gardens are planted at your own risk and could be impacted by snow storage in winter and the general public year-round. The City and/or Utilities maintain all rights to work in the boulevard if needed and would only be required to return the boulevard to sod standard upon completion.

Call before you dig! There may be utilities or services underground that can't be seen from the surface. By law, you must call Ontario OneCall at 1-800-400-2255 before you dig.

Boulevard Garden Tips!

Pick hardy native perennials, that are resilient and can take salt, snow loads and occasional disturbances by the public.
Plant the 0.9m buffer with low growing vegetation to reduce lawn mowing.
Leave room for garbage and recycling collection
Support our Pollinators - plant low growing native plants!

Native Flowers Under 45 cm

Nodding Onion (Allium cernuum)
Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea)
Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)
Canada Anemone (Anemone canadensis)
Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata)
Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana)
Woodland Phlox (Phlox divaricata)
Spotted Geranium (Geranium maculatum)
Pearly Everlasting (Anaphalis margaritacea)

Native Groundcover Under 45 cm

Field Pussytoes (Antennario neglecta)
Low Calamint (Clinopodium arkansanum)
Silverweed (Potentilla anserina)

Stay Safe While Gardening in the Boulevard.

Stay Visible - work during daylight hours and in weather with good visibility, wear brightly coloured clothing so cars driving by can easily see you.
Stay Alert - be on the lookout for passing vehicles, bicycles and scooters and work from the sidewalk side instead of the street side.

Show your support for Natural Gardens and Pollinators by adding a Pollinator Habitat sign in your front garden!

If you live in Brampton and have more than three native plants in your front yard garden, email growgreen@brampton.ca to arrange pickup. Pickup locations (Farmers markets, special events) will be emailed throughout the season.