General tips for greening your garden

We want more greenery and fewer tiles in our city. This will keep our city cooler in the summer, reduce flooding because rainwater runs better into the ground, and provide more space for plants and animals.

That is why we are greening Zoetermeer more and more. To get you started with greening your own garden, we have some tips for you:

Especially for Zoetermeer gardens

The Garden Rankers give a bag of flower seeds for the garden as a thank you for the request for advice. These bags of flower seeds are also available for free at various public locations.

Below are some plant species that occur naturally in Zoetermeer and its surroundings and whose seeds are in the bag. These plants contribute to the biodiversity of our city (such as butterflies and wild bees). These plants are therefore particularly suitable for your garden.

Flower border (annuals)Flower border / meadow (perennial)Shady spotWater in the garden / wadi (wet banks, up to 2 meters from water's edge)Aquatic Plants
True chamomileEvening cuckooBuckthornTrue cuckoo flowerGreat hedgehog head
Yellow goose flowerCommon brunelDay cuckooYellow lisArrowhead
Large poppyLittle stripe seedYellow nailwortCommon kingcupSwan Flower
CuckooKnotweedLook-without-lookCommon angelicaWater Lily
CornflowerMargrietStinking goldenweedCattailCalamus
Odorless chamomileParsnipsVerge StorkbekPoelruitWater vine

To give 2 examples here:

  • The orange tip tip (a butterfly species) uses the garlic-without-look for depositing eggs. After hatching, orange tip caterpillars eat the leaves. This makes garlic-without-look a so-called host plant for the orange tip. Also, orange tip butterflies drink nectar from the flowers of garlic-without-look.
  • Another example is the knotweed: the garden bumblebee, among others, drinks nectar and collects pollen from the flowers of the knotweed.
From left to right: garlic-without-look and buttonwort

Rules and advice around planting greenery in the garden

Homeowners

The rules for planting trees, shrubs and hedges in one's own garden are found in the Civil Code. If the plot adjoins the plot of another private person then the following distances to the plot boundary apply:

  • Trees: 2 meters distance
  • Shrubs and hedges: 0.5 meter distance

These distances do not apply when:

  • The piece of land borders a public road or public water.
  • Plantings that have been in the same place for more than 20 years.
  • An agreement with neighbors has been made that specifies a different distance.
  • If the tree or shrub is not higher than the property boundary.

Agreement with neighbors: make a written agreement on paper or notarized.

If you participate in an Owners' Association you need permission from the other members.

Tenants

If you rent a property, there may be rules about garden maintenance and planting trees and/or climbing plants. Please check with the landlord for this. There are a number of major housing corporations in Zoetermeer, below are links to information and rules about gardens:

Removal of tiles from the garden (bulky waste)

Garden tiles fall under bulky waste. Information on how to dispose of them can be found on the page Waste, bulky waste. There is no Tegeltaxi in Zoetermeer. 

Another option is to reuse the tiles in your own garden: make stacking walls and/or a herb spiral, for example. For more information: www.nk-tegelwippen.nl | What to do with your tiles

Green roofs

A green roof captures rainwater, provides food for insects and can be cooling in the summer. With a roof full of plants, you contribute to a healthy and pleasant living environment for people and animals. Learn more about a green roof at:

Within Zoetermeer are many nature and environmental associations and municipal sites with knowledge on specific topics:

Websites for inspiration

Accessible garden: comfort and experience for all

A well-designed garden is a place for everyone to enjoy - including people with physical or visual impairments. Some tips for a beautiful, as well as practical and safe garden:

  • Provide a stable, level pavement.
  • Make garden paths at least 90 centimeters wide.
  • Pay attention to raised edges: they should be no higher than 2 centimeters, to avoid tripping hazards and obstacles for wheels.
  • Clear extra space for the patio. A turning radius of 1.50 meters is needed to turn properly with a wheelchair.
  • Lighten up gardening with automatic watering, such as drip systems or sprinklers (preferably using rainwater instead of drinking water).
  • Place tools at seat height in storage areas or on hooks within easy reach.
  • Remember to add strategically placed seating areas or resting points so that there is always an opportunity to take a break while gardening.

The garden experience can also be enhanced with smart modifications. Consider raised planters or borders so that plants are more accessible from a seated position.

There are also great options for people with visual impairments: choose plants that stimulate the senses, such as fragrant lavender, honeysuckle or aromatic herbs. And for the visually impaired, flowers with bright, contrasting colors such as sunflowers, cornflowers or knotweed are a wonderful addition With these tips and options, your garden will be an accessible and inspiring place!

Councilwoman Marijke van der Meer spoke to a number of volunteer Garden rangers about the importance of greening Zoetermeer and thanked them for their already valuable commitment to the city.