In the Uplands neighborhood of Oak Bay, a major utility upgrade had left the boulevard in disrepair. Underground infrastructure was updated, but at the cost of torn-up turf, disrupted irrigation, and garden beds reduced to uneven soil. The homeowners called us in not just to restore what was lost, but to make it even better than before.
From the start, this was a recovery mission. The boulevard had been heavily disturbed by machinery during the District of Oak Bay’s underground utility installation, leaving behind compacted soil, broken irrigation lines, and a completely bare stretch where a garden once lived.
Our first step was removing all the old irrigation and planning a new layout that could support both the boulevard lawn and new planting areas. We installed a custom irrigation system designed to evenly reach each zone, with improved water efficiency and fewer shallow runs that could be damaged by future work.
We then brought in 12 yards of lawn soil and 8 yards of garden bed soil, carefully rebuilding the contour of the boulevard to match the original grade. With the structure reset, we created brand new garden beds, shaping them to add visual flow from the street and improving the curb appeal instantly.
A new edging system was installed to frame the beds cleanly and keep the lawn from creeping into the planting areas. Finally, we overseeded the entire boulevard lawn, and within six weeks, it had fully filled in, thick, lush, and ready for summer.
Despite the disruption caused by the utility work, we were able to bring this boulevard back to life with better infrastructure, healthier soil, and a more polished layout than before. It’s a reminder that recovery projects don’t have to be about going back, they can be an opportunity to move forward with something even better.
Our team of experts are ready to get started. Book your free consultation!
