Millions of flowers and hundreds of trees: large-scale greening in Kazan

How the city with the green record isn’t among greening leaders

It should be noted that the cost of greening of Kazan notable rose compared to last year So in the spring of 2022, the floral landscape design of the city was allocated 55,4 million rubles. However, the works were done before 3 November. Earlier the city administration had allocated money only to green separate areas of the city. For instance, 25,8 million rubles to plant trees and bushes in 2021.

At the same time, these plants don’t appear in city streets for no reason — Green Record project has been implemented in the capital of Tatarstan since 2011. Head of the municipality Ilsur Metshin told as early as 2022 that in the last 11 years 540,000 big trees and 150,000 perennial plants had been planted in Kazan. However, it is noteworthy that in 2021 Kazan was just fourth in a rating of green cities and in 2020 it was 12^th.

In 2023, the city will try to catch up. As the mayor of Kazan claimed last month, this year beautification specialists will do training on greening. Also, a textbook is going to be printed to train experts effectively. Employees can get familiarised themselves with rules on caring for trees and bushes, planting and protection methods with its help.

55 million for flowers

As for planting plans, we should note that only 55 million rubles were given to buy and plant flowers. The main requirements for sprout supply is that the sprouts must be healthy, not be mechanically damaged, have a good root system and symmetric development. Also, the quality of all plants must be confirmed by a phytosanitary certificate. Flower gardens are going to be created in the streets and big figures and flower beds are going to be created with these sprouts.

Non-perennial plants are used in flower gardens: salvia, begonia, gazania, marigold, cineraria, petunia, tobacco, dahlia, soko, pyrethrum, alyssum, ageratum, irisin, canna, alternanthera, snapdragon.

Moreover, the sprouts should be planted strictly in the morning or by the end of the day and on a cloudy days during the day. As the project documentation stresses, the contractor is obliged to plant flowers only into the wet soil. Moreover, assortment and colour combination requirements must be a hundred per cent met at all flower gardens and flowerbeds. The contractor will have to take care of the plants during the season — remove weeds, water, feed and fertilise it. As for watering, we should note that the existing water supply system is going to be dismantled and new professional equipment is going to be installed together with the planting.

In April, the city administration of Kazan said 3 million flowers would be planted in the city. 40 streets will be decorated with 2,047 flowerpots. For this purpose, trust employees grew 31,000 petunias. They started to be planted in early May, by the celebration of Victory Day. Also, a month ago, head of the Kazan Executive Committee’s Outdoor Beautification Office Igor Salyakhutdinov told RBK newspaper that flowers would be planted in 60 streets in the capital of Tatarstan with public money on an area of over 19,000 square metres. He specified that over 160 million rubles would be given to this job.

Only 20 in 24 compositions to be renovated in Kazan

Talking about big floral sculptures, we cannot help but note that 24 figures are installed in Kazan. Only 20 are going to be renovated this year.

First, the contractor will have to repair metal frames and other elements. Then all the parts are filled with soil (25% of clay, 38% of soil, 37% of manure), then flower sprouts will be planted. Also, some compositions with automated watering and illumination systems will be done additional restoration works.

Benches, trees and grass: Kazan authorities buying park

Not only flowers are going to be planted in the city — the list of purchased plants includes hundreds of trees: 166 small-leafed lindens, 223 hybrid poplar and 5 pyramid poplars, 30 firs, 47 elm trees, 16 rowans, 88 birches, 6 water willows and 6 maples as well as 7 cedars. Each of these trees will be cared, cut.

Also, special metal fences are going to be purchased for 143 trees. At the same time, urban authorities are going to buy 76 cast iron benches, 73 litter bins and 14 flowerpots. Also, nearly 300 bushes are expected to be purchased.

All this is going to appear not only at Kazan parks but also in ordinary streets. Besides the mentioned works on planting and equipment installation, the contractor is going to lay new grass, which is also an important component of this municipal contract. As the document reads, before this, the contractor will have to prepare the foundation. The works must be done only on stamped and wet soil. At the same time, every row of turf needs to be fixed with two or three poles.