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Green Evolution Site was founded in recognition of the changing nature of private yards and public green spaces. As what we do with these areas evolves, there is also a need to create a dialogue between the project implementer and those viewing it.
Toronto, Ontario Native Plant Garden
When we move beyond the lawn, people passing by our gardens may have questions about we are doing, yet we can’t all be in the garden all the time to talk with them. Green Evolution Site opens the conversation by allowing you to identify your landscape as a deliberate project, post and receive messages about it, add photos of its progression, and allow anyone with an interest to keep tabs on how you’re growing.
Invasive species monitoring in southern Ontario
Private gardens, balcony pots, larger scale restorations, school yard gardens, commercial sites are all welcome to join in regardless of what is growing. The only requirement is your pledge to work toward a more ecological world, starting with your piece of it.
Share your successes, seek advice for your failures, trade with nearby sites, and head off misunderstandings through friendly online discussions.
Front Yard Vegetable Garden
A $30 fee provides a numbered aluminum sign linking your landscape to this website, a window decal, paper certificate, and two year posting access for your site. . Additional signs ordered in the same mailing are $25. Annual renewal, including decals to indicate status changes on your sign & certificate, after the initial 2 year period is only $5
Green Evolution Sites are also eligible for support should their gardens run afoul of outmoded municipal ordinances. By forming a network of landscapes moving toward a greener future, we can stand strong together and help to evolve our communities beyond our own gardens.
Green Evolution Site is a rhizome of Verdigrow Limited which specializes in conservation, ecological landscaping projects, and waste management, in both private and commercial properties. As a private company, Verdigrow Ltd. is able to freely lobby for ecological change without fear of losing charitable status or having funding curtailed. Our goal is to create a unified network of people putting their land to productive use…not profit. Please join us in Linking landscapes together to grow a more ecological world.
Check out our new blogsite at www.verdigrow.com.
Verdigrow Ltd is owned by Deborah Dale, biologist and former President of the North American Native Plant Society. Her background includes stints as a Hazardous Waste Manager, Municipal Recycling Coordinator, Municipal Solid Waste Specialist, Wetlands Biologist, Conservation Property Manager, Researcher, and Operations Management Consultant. Deborah is currently engaged in a legal battle with the City of Toronto concerning their illegal cutting of her 200+ species native plant garden in 2007 and their general mistreatment of lawnless gardeners in the ‘Green’ City. Sale of these signs helps to support that cause.
Regan Pestl is Manager of IT Services
Hi there,
Are you still operating your site? I don’t see anything from 2014?
I was going to contact you to certify our garden but I only learned about you recently and we are in the development stages of doing the garden for our main family home. I purchased the house in May 2012 and it was an ugly unkept lawn with erosion and pooling water at the street. Unfortunately, in the process of getting it started I received a violation notice and was told to take down our retaining wall. Can I trouble you for 5 minutes of advice?
According to Chapter 629 I was in fact obliged to “fix” the erosion, pooling and flooding that use to occur on the boulevard. Long story short, we took up every blade of grass but siphoned the soil and tilled it, then brought in more soil and a pile of mulch which was going to coat it for the winter until we could do a full blown native garden in the spring. To retain the soil and keep it “nice and tidy” for the city officials, we enclosed it with a stone retaining wall. The violation notice says that the rocks need to be moved back 3 metres (as we currently have them right at the edge of the roadway, just like half of the rest of our neighbourhood). Unfortunately, our neighbour who backs their car out onto the road across from us complained as it gives them less room to pull out their car. Really ridiculous and they should have no problem as our street is already wider than many streets in Toronto neighbourhoods. Bottom line – the inspector “General Manager” said we have 12 days to remove the retaining wall. I have spent hours reading and it seems (other than that open clause 6 which is “anything the city feels they want” it does not violate the bylaws. ie. it is under the .9 metres, it is not “on the drivable road area”, it is not affecting sight lines etc.
Do you know if we have to remove it and apply for an encroachment or do we submit a notice saying we have not violated to someone?
Hello Jennifer,
Yes we are still in operation, although the past year has been difficult as we continue to fight for our own gardens and those of others. Your situation is unfortunately quite typical of the approach too often used by Toronto bylaw officers in attempting to placate the complainer rather than following the bylaw. Some seem to feel duty bound to find anything, no matter how far fetched or inaccurate, with which to lay charges.
As you surmised, your retaining wall is very likely allowable under the new Streets bylaw. Always ask the bylaw officer to produce a copy of the bylaw and show you exactly the passage that you are being told you violate. Its unlikely in your case they’ll be able to do so. Contact your local councillor with this information. They need to hear from more people how city resources are being misused.