Flower Bed Guidelines

Our cemeteries are beautiful, safe, and well cared for. To help with this, we have guidelines for flower beds, decorations, and monuments. These rules make sure every family can honour their loved ones while keeping the cemetery safe and welcoming for all visitors.

Cemetery by-law

Review the Cemetery By-Law (Schedules B and C) for complete rules about monuments, markers, and flower beds. For example:

• Bushes, shrubs, and trees: Not allowed on lots
• All plant material must stay within the flower bed dimensions and not exceed three feet in height when fully grown
• Flat marker sections: Plant material, potted plants, and ornamental structures are not allowed around flat markers
• Flower bed borders: Must be made of natural stone or concrete and no higher than three inches above the ground. The flower bed border cannot extend behind a monument.
• Hanging baskets: May be placed flush to a monument but shall not extend past the flower bed dimensions. All baskets and pots must be removed by November 30 of each year.
• Statues: Must be secured to the base and placed only at the sides of a monument. They must be made of bronze, synthetic resin, or a similar durable material.
• Wooden crosses: Allowed temporarily for up to one year. They must not exceed the height and width of the permitted monument for the plot.
• Wreaths and seasonal decorations: Before placing a wreath or saddle (a monument flower arrangement) on a monument or grave, write the deceased's name and the Section/Plot number on the back with a marker. This helps cemetery staff identify and return missing arrangements. They can be placed on or after November 30 and must be removed by April 1 each year. The City will dispose of any remaining items without notice after this date.
• Plot decorations: The City will remove any decorations considered a safety hazard without notice

Items not allowed for safety

To keep the cemetery safe, the following items are not allowed:

• Wrought iron, wire, or plastic fencing
• Ornamental stones and rocks
• Wire wreath easels (after April 1, unless inside a flower bed)
• Shepherd hooks and other flower or candle holders (unless inside a flower bed)
• Rose bushes and thorny plants
• Trellises or arches

Cemetery gardening services

If you need help designing, planting or maintaining an approved garden (one that follows the Cemetery by-law), you can hire one of these organizations:

• Cemetery Gardening Angels
• Plots of Love