If the program expansion is approved, new and existing median gardeners will be required to apply through the City’s Boulevard Garden webpage to have their garden designs reviewed and approved by the City. Also, a communications and awareness campaign for the centre median garden expansion will be planned for 2023 with the timing of the new Boulevard Garden Guidelines. Also, an education plan for best practice gardening on centre medians will run alongside the Healthy Yards Program. 

Public engagement on Boulevard Gardening revealed a very high interest in boulevard gardening and expanding the Program to other locations. The survey findings showed that most participants (97%) agreed that the City should allow residents to garden on boulevards. Also, most respondents (86%) supported the program being expanded to other types of City green spaces, such as centre medians. 

Feedback on Options Public Survey - Winter 2021

A final public survey ran from February 18 to February 28 to offer the public and stakeholders an opportunity to provide their comments on the proposed changes to the Guidelines. The feedback received was used to inform the guideline review and to identify opportunities to improve support for boulevard gardening in Saskatoon. For further details on the input received through the survey please review our What We Heard Report. 

Online Meetings - Winter 2021

The Project Team met with technical experts and organizations to collect their feedback.  

Online Public Survey - Winter 2021

A public survey was conducted from December 17, 2020 to January 21, 2021 to receive feedback on the current Boulevard Gardening and Maintenance Guidelines and what changes should be made to improve the program. For further details on the input received through the surveys please review our What We Heard Report.

You can use the forum below to provide comments or ask questions on this project. The City reserves the right to block, ban, or remove anyone from the forum who is threatening or abusive to others, or leaves inappropriate posts.

You are welcome to provide your questions and comments by email, mail, or telephone using the contact information above.

The front boulevard is the area between the sidewalk and the street curb that is typically planted with grass and street trees. A side boulevard is located at the side of a corner property and does not necessarily have a sidewalk.  Boulevards are City of Saskatoon (the City) property, not private property.

The City has permitted residents to garden on boulevards since 2015 through the Boulevard Gardening Guidelines. The current program applies to separate boulevards, which are City-owned spaces between the sidewalk and street curb

Saskatoon residents may enter into an agreement with the City to garden on the front and side City-owned boulevards adjacent to their home. A boulevard garden can include non-woody plants such as perennial and annual flowers, herbs, and vegetables. For trees and shrubs, only those planted by the City are permitted. Boulevard gardens may include temporary structures that can be moved by one person, such as potted plants and birdbaths.

The project outcomes for the review of the Boulevard Gardening Maintenance Guidelines include:

• Updating the Guidelines for bylaw and policy requirements and acceptable gardening practices;
• Aligning the Guidelines with goals from other City strategies like the Green Infrastructure Strategy and Boulevard and Median Asset Management Strategy;
• Updating other City documents as needed;
• Identifying and addressing barriers to participating in boulevard gardening; and
• Developing educational materials about boulevard gardening.