Boulevard Gardens

A boulevard is the area of city-owned land between the homeowner’s front property line and the street curb. The City allows residents to beautify their streetscape on the municipal boulevard using alternatives to turfgrass.  

The boulevard garden program is an excellent way to beautify your neighbourhood with ornamentals and support our ecosystem by planting native species. The main plant guidelines are:

• Annuals or perennials up to 60cm tall are permitted
• Shrubs up to 30 cm are permitted
• Trees are not permitted
• Noxious plants and invasive species are not permitted

For homeowners who are interested in non-standard boulevard landscaping, register for free by submitting a Signed Policy (PDF) to Service Barrie, agreeing to the complete guidelines outlined in the Boulevard Garden Policy, and then get started.

Registration ensures that the homeowner is provided with the guidelines and gives the City a chance to notify about scheduled construction within their boulevard so the homeowner has time to salvage plants before construction begins. Note: No notice can be given for emergency works.

Following the guidelines helps reduce taxpayer costs for damages to City maintenance vehicles, staff time and avert potential injuries. Residents can choose to leverage their boulevard garden in the Communities in Bloom tour. Property owners are encouraged to maintain the standard turfgrass municipal boulevard.

Boulevard Garden Policy

The Boulevard Garden Policy (PDF) outlines the non-standard boulevard landscape treatment guidelines. Prior to establishing a boulevard garden, the homeowner shall sign this policy below to attest they have read and will follow these guidelines

Muskoka Gardens

Muskoka Gardens is the term the City of Barrie uses to promote the use of native and low-water use plants that thrive in our climate. There are a great variety of plants that require only the water that Mother Nature provides in order to survive. Some advantages of native plants:

• They tolerate our weather better than non-native plants
• They are more resistant to disease and thus require less fertilizer and pesticides
• They require much less work; you simply let Mother Nature take its course. ​

Suggested Plants List

I. SUN

Perennials

Groundcovers

Ornamental Grasses

Bulbs

Low Spreading Evergreens

II. SHADE

Perennials

Groundcovers

Ferns