You’ve seen the maternal signs: the polite and pleading “Please curb your dog” or the more demanding “Scoop your pets poop!” and all other manner of slogans aimed at reminding dog owners to do something they know they’re supposed to do anyway. The signs, like a nagging mother telling you to pick your wet towel up off the bathroom floor, may incite you to begrudgingly do the right thing, but they’re easy to ignore if you’re hellbent on being inconsiderate.

Enter a new breed of sign—-this one spotted on the block of Champlain Street near our offices. It doesn’t demand or boss you around, but rather appeals to your inner aesthete and horticulturist:

Judging by the neatly kept box and the health of the roses, it’s working.