Mayor’s Monday Mailbag – August 12, 2024 – Can I have a naturalized garden in Burlington?
Welcome to the Mayor’s Monday Mailbag, an initiative Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward and the Mayor’s Office launched to share weekly answers to questions from the public we’ve received through our main email inbox at mayor@burlington.ca or the Mayor’s social media platforms.
At the end of the month, we publish a roundup of those most pressing questions we’ve received in the weeks prior.
Mayor’s Monday Mailbag – August 12, 2024
Q: Can I have a naturalized garden in Burlington?
Yes. The City allows you to have a naturalized garden on your property and there are many great examples of naturalized gardens on both public and private property across Burlington. Naturalized gardens are a great way to enhance biodiversity. They use less water, need less upkeep, and improve the City’s urban forest.
The City allows you to install and keep a naturalized garden on your property and the City boulevard as long as you comply with the City's Lot Maintenance Bylaw (By-law 049-2022). The City’s Lot Maintenance Bylaw provides any overview of property maintenance, including:
pest prevention
storage of waste for disposal and compost
standing water
graffiti
general maintenance
Note that naturalized gardens do not mean abandoning lawn maintenance all together. Leaving grass and other vegetation to grow naturally without any maintenance can be harmful to your property and environment. It can result in the introduction of noxious or invasive weeds, bugs and pests. It can also interfere with sightlines and pedestrian, bike, and other non-vehicular traffic.
For helpful tips and guidance on building and maintaining a naturalized garden in Burlington, visit: www.burlington.ca/naturalizedgarden. You’ll find a list of dos and don’ts as well as helpful resources from the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources on pollinator plants, and tips for preventing invasive species and noxious weeds.