Boulevard gardening guidelines
Boost the character of your neighbourhoods and build up Vancouver's green space by beautifying boulevards between the road and sidewalk.
Our guidelines help you choose plants, consider food gardens, select ornaments and structures, and keep sidewalks and utilities clear.
Plants
Choose plants that flourish:
- In all seasons
- Without pesticides
- Under 60 cm tall where visibility is a concern (like in traffic circles, in corner bulges, and near curbs, intersections, driveways, and sidewalk edges) or under 1 m tall where it isn't a concern
Food gardens
Before planting a food garden on your boulevard, consider:
- The quality of soil and quantity of watering needed
- How to make the boulevard look good in all seasons
- The potential impact of neighbours and their pets
Ornaments and structures
Temporary structures and ornaments like raised garden beds or planters are allowed if they:
- Meet our clearance and measurement standards outlined in the Boulevard Gardening Guidelines (see below)
- Can be easily moved
- Don't interfere with access to sidewalks or visibility
Sidewalks and utility clearance
To make sure sidewalks and utilities are accessible:
- Maintain a clear path to sidewalks (if there are none, leave enough space so people walking don't have to go on the street)
- Give people enough room to access their parked vehicles
- Confirm where underground utilities are located, and avoid interfering with utilities
- Maintain a clearance of 1.5 m around fire hydrants, utility poles, and permanent structures so they are visible to first responders and utility workers
