Development Planting

Click here for Basic Landscape Design Instructions

Click here for Making Your Backyard More Attractive to Wildlife

Click here for Planting Trees & Shrubs in Subdivision Clay Soils

BMPs for Contractors & Builders

Click here for Best Management Practices Guidelines.

Click here for Assessing the Forest with Climate Change.

New Landscape Guide for Developers, Businesses & Home Owners: Click here for a PDF copy.

The Bowling Green Tree Commission and City Arborist will be creating a new Landscape Guide for Developers and Home Owners. The goal is to educate Developers and Home Owners on where landscaping materials can be installed in city-owned green spaces, cul-de-sacs, boulevard islands, and business locations that meet city ordinances. Our plan is to coordinate with all city departments, developers, and residents on input into the guide.

Pictures 1 & 2 - Ideal landscape design for cul-de-sac in new subdivisions. Note the survey monument in center with five feet perimeter of grass and a five feet perimeter of grass around the cul-de-sac to allow for snow removal overflow. This allows the City safety services (Fire, Police, Public Works Departments) to access the survey monument and fire hydrant.

Pictures 3, 4, & 5 - Small Tree (Ivory Silk Lilac) planted in rear of bed with low maintenance shrubs such as dwarf butterly bush, dwarf boxwood, dwarf burning bush, dwarf roses, and low growing ornamental grass.

This is the same location as in Pictures 1-5 in full bloom.

Boulevard Island with five feet perimeter of grass to allow for snow removal overflow.

Pictures 1 & 2 - Electric Underground Equipment with proper landscaping requires leaving proper distances to allow for safe emergency operations and routine maintenance by City of Bowling Green Electric Division Staff. Click here for Electric Underground Equipment Landscape Instructions.

Pictures 3 & 4 - Improper landscaping does not allow safe crews to access the Electric Underground Equipment.

Pictures 5 & 6 - New Subdivision soils are compacted by construction equipment during the building process. Soil compaction severely reduces and or eliminates the pore space in soils. This causes perched water tables where the water is held below ground and does not drain. Installation of lawn sprinkler systems and compacted soils leads to the decline and death newly planted trees. Planting the right tree in the right place, soil aeration, proper tree planting, and watering will allow the long-term survival of the tree.