Warm weather and spring sunshine are slowly approaching, and so is the time to plan and plant gardens.
Thanks to Town Council approving the Boulevard Garden Policy, Nanton residents are able to spruce up and add colour to the municipal boulevards adjacent to their property.
The strips of land between the curb and the sidewalk, or if there is no sidewalk, the area between the curb and the property line, are approved to be used as a garden under this new policy, but there are some guidelines that must be followed.
Prior to planting, the property owner must sign and submit a form to the Town, so they know the residents have checked out the guidelines they must follow,
Once the paperwork is in, residents are responsible for identifying and protecting the underground services that run on their property prior to putting shovels into the ground
After the service lines have been located, planting can begin, but there are some planting guidelines the homeowner has to follow to make sure the gardens follow the Town's policy.
In boulevard gardens, residents are able to plant perennials or annuals upwards of 60 cm in height, while shrubs can only be 30 cm in height.
That is unless the garden is within street intersection lots, then plants must not exceed 30 cm in height.
Items like decomposable mulches are also allowed, but permanent installations, such as irrigation systems, hard mulch, or fencing is not allowed.
Planting noxious weeds and invasive plants is strictly prohibited in Nanton, and while planting items that attract wild animals isn't prohibited, it is discouraged by the Twon.
The Town does prefer residents to do xeriscaping landscaping on the approaches, as this will help to reduce the need for irrigation.
When planting, the items must be setback from sidewalks, curbs, and driveway edges by at least 30 cm, and the boulevard landscaping must keep a positive surface drainage.
On top of that, residents are responsible for keeping the sidewalk clear of debris that could be caused by the boulevard garden.
While residents are able to plant flowers and plants on their boulevard, the Town still has reserved the right to require, with proper notice, that the boulevard be returned back to turf grass at the owner's expense if the homeowner used non-compliant materials.
In the case of emergencies, the Town may have to remove items from the boulevard without notice or the subsequent restoration.
If the Town was to do some work on a boulevard with a garden in it, the Town will give the homeowner two weeks notice, so they can salvage the plants.
To learn more about boulevard gardens in Nanton, click here.