Do you like to decorate your surroundings? With a sensitive approach, front gardens can be a welcome enrichment of the space in front of your block of flats; however, it is important for them to be practical and sustainable as well.

In order to help you with their proper maintenance and the selection of suitable trees, we have created a brief guide in collaboration with the Urban Greenery Department and the Karlova Ves borough, where you can find information on how to create a front garden, what it may contain and how to take the best possible care of the planted greenery.

Thank you for following our recommendations and for helping us create a better city.

Fotka - detail rastlín v predzáhradke

What to plant in a front garden?

We recommend planting low shrubs and herbaceous plants (perennials, annuals and bulbs) in front gardens. They should be planted in complete beds that are separated from mown lawns. This is to make maintenance easier and to prevent any unwanted damage during lawn maintenance.

The plants can be combined to create a colourful bed, which should also be a coherent element of public and urban space. It is up to you what plant material you choose, but it should be a resistant, undemanding and non-invasive species that can withstand harsher urban conditions. The location of the front garden is also very important because it determines what types of plant you will have and where you will plant them.

Recommendations

Planting in sunlit areas

Recommended plant species for sunlit areas:

Lavandula officinalis – Garden Lavender Rosa Euonymus fortunei – Spindle Miscanthus sinensis – Eulalia Rudbeckia fulgida – Orange Coneflower Tagetes patula – French Marigold Paeonia suffruticosa – Cornus alba, Red-barked Dogwood Hibiscus syriacus – Rose Mallow Kerria japonica – Japanese Rose Lonicera pileata – Box-leaved Honeysuckle Viburnum rhytidophylum – Leatherleaf Viburnum Weigela hyb – Weigela Hybrid Wisteria chinensis – Chinese Wisteria Syringa vulgaris – Lilac

Planting in semi-shaded areas

Recommended plant species for semi-shaded areas:

Paeonia suffruticosa – Tree Peony Berberis juliannae – Wintergreen Barberry Carex – “The Beatles” Kerria japonica – Japanese Rose Magnolia stella – Star Magnolia Ribes sanguineum – Flowering Currant Viburnum rhytidophylum – Leatherleaf Viburnum

Planting in shaded areas

Recommended plant species for shaded areas:

Aucuba japonica variegata – Spotted Laurel Vinca minor – Lesser Periwinkle Hedera helix – Common Ivy Hosta – Hosta Pachysandra – Pachysandra Heuchera – Heuchera Hydrangea macrophylla – Bigleaf Hydrangea Alchemilla vulgaris – Lady's Mantle Geranium – Geranium

Various types of herbs and edible shrubs are an excellent choice. Species such as Ficus, Prunus domestica “Bellamira” and Rubusfruticosus are all quite suitable. They thrive in urban conditions and will certainly be appreciated by your neighbours.

What plants are not suitable?

Such plants are mostly allergenic ones, poisonous woody plants and plants of various species with unattractive colours and shapes that are somewhat detrimental to the overall appearance of the front garden.

Watering and tools

For the best planning of your front garden, ask yourself questions such as “What sort of access is there to water for the regular watering of plants, especially in the summer months?” and “Do I have the necessary garden tools for the regular maintenance and care of lawn areas (including mowing)?”

Fotka - predzáhradka so sídliskovou zelenou v pozadí

What not to do?

It is prohibited to plant any trees or large shrubs in areas owned by Bratislava City Hall or the city boroughs. It is also prohibited to plant within two metres of a sewer, a water meter manhole or a street light. Utility lines run underneath front garden plots and they could be damaged by improper planting. Planting trees that grow to a large height or planting close to a facade could damage it and cause maintenance problems. Large trees and shrubs can also cause shade to cover dwellings and they can even grow into the structure of the house. When creating a front garden, it is necessary to check with your property manager or owners' representative, or with Bratislava City Hall or another local authority, to ask about the location of utility lines in the intended location of the garden.

Tree planting and pruning

  • If you want to plant trees in public spaces, you need to get written consent from the landowner (Section 48 [2] of Act No. 543/2002 Coll. on nature and landscape conservation) and take into account the size of the tree in its mature state so that it does not interfere with any protection zones.
  • If you notice a mature tree in a front garden which needs trimming or professional treatment, please contact the Urban Greenery Department. This is to prevent unprofessional pruning, which can damage the tree and cause it to gradually die (which is potentially dangerous to you and your neighbourhood). Pruning up to one third of a shrub's mass (e.g. hedge shaping) can be carried out anytime throughout the year except during flowering season. Pruning to brighten and rejuvenate shrubs which requires an intervention of more than one third of the shrubs’ mass should be done outside of the hot and dry summer period. To prevent the shrubs from drying out, such pruning is recommended before spring and before autumn.

Contact

If you wish to plant trees on Bratislava City Hall land, you can contact the Urban Greenery Department for a consultation or you can take part in the 10,000 Trees planting project.

E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Web: www.10000stromov.sk ↗︎