Flower Revolution: Volunteers Combat Grayness in Tolyatti
In Tolyatti, an unusual urban greening initiative is gaining popularity. Its author is not a landscape designer or an official, but a cosmetologist physician, Rinat Khamatov. Without a budget, administrative resources, or a team, he almost single-handedly organized flower planting in the city center. Everything is done with personal funds and the efforts of equally concerned citizens.
In spring, he conceived the idea of restoring the blooming appearance of the flowerbeds on Revolutsionnaya Street. This is the central street of the «avtograd» (the city«s automotive district) and, as residents believe, the future calling card of the city — they want to implement a design code here, turning the street into a tourist center of Tolyatti.
A TOLYATTY.RU correspondent attended a meeting of the committee on landscape improvement and greening, which took place in the city«s chamber of commerce and industry, and spoke with the project»s initiator. What and how can change in the center of the avtograd — in our report.
Who is Rinat Khamatov and why did he suddenly take up flowerbeds? He is a cosmetologist physician and traveler. He became inspired with the idea to add color to the city after he started traveling the world and noticed how many flowers there are in other cities and how few there are here, in the avtograd.
«I»ve traveled to 52 countries, I see how many flowers there are everywhere, how they change urban spaces and people«s moods. But I return to Tolyatti, and we have nothing, just grayness. That»s when I decided to act,« said the project»s author.
The first object the Tolyatti enthusiast decided to transform was the road interchange on 40 Let Pobedy Street. One of the busiest and most visible spots to the city«s motorists. Preparation for the first planting, according to Rinat, took a whole year: it required permission from the administration and, of course, the purchase of seedlings and equipment.
Only then did the project«s initiator turn to the public for help, inviting citizens to a planting event. The number of volunteers surprised him.
«Fifty people came! It was amazing: the project »TRI E: Prosperous Tolyatti« had just appeared, no one knew about it. I was happy to see everyone and glad that I had prepared enough material to supply the volunteers: marigolds, trowels, fertilizer. To make planting easier, I hired a cultivator in advance and dug up the soil. The first experience cost me 450,000 rubles (approximately $5,000 at current rates). Thanks to my clients and friends who helped me financially,» Rinat said.
On June 1, City Day, the marigolds were planted — all summer Tolyatti was adorned with a bright yellow flowerbed on the traffic circle. In autumn, the flowers were removed, and Rinat took the equipment to his garage for storage until spring. When the weather turns consistently warm, the enthusiasts intend to start improving the flowerbeds on Revolutsionnaya Street. These are the very flower gardens that Tolyatti residents admired during Soviet times, which later fell into disrepair.
«Preparation has begun. In March, we need to submit an application to the administration. For now, one more important question remains to be solved: to come up with a greening concept. Restore the flowerbeds to that historical appearance that some residents still remember and miss, or create everything from scratch,» said the Tolyatti resident.
Historical Memory vs. Modern Solutions
Recently, Rinat«s idea was discussed at the Tolyatti Chamber of Commerce and Industry during a meeting of the committee on landscape improvement and greening. The meeting was attended by city activists, tour guides, well-known landscape designers in the avtograd, and business representatives ready to participate in the project. The meeting was moderated by Elena Kostyukevich, a designer well-known in Tolyatti.
The meeting was structured in a workshop format: participants split into groups, came up with their own options, and then gave presentations. Suggestions ranged from restoring «carpet» flowerbeds with cineraria and coleus to creating compositions of hydrangeas, spirea, ornamental apple trees, and lilac.
According to most participants, central elements of the renewed Revolutsionnaya Street could be benches with canopies installed next to the flowerbeds. They also suggested following the example of, for instance, Kazan, and more actively using art objects for beautification — light structures decorated with flowers that can serve to adorn the street year-round.
«The centerpiece could be low trees or shrubs. This could be lilac, ornamental apple trees, honeysuckle. If they are trimmed and given a neat shape, it will be beautiful,» the speakers said.
Art historian and discussion participant Angelika Zenkovskaya insisted on the need to restore the street«s historical appearance, reminding everyone that Tolyatti is first and foremost AvtoVAZ and a new city, and its central streets carry special value.
She proposed restoring the famous «carpet flowerbeds,» which were a hallmark of Tolyatti in the 1970s. According to Angelika Zenkovskaya, the basis of such flowerbeds were three plants: cineraria, coleus, and a regional variant, for example, cannas.
On Revolutsionnaya, they planted precisely cannas — plants with large leaves and bright flowers, arranged according to the «carpet» flowerbed principle. This is when all plants are arranged in the form of one large pattern, resembling a lush carpet.
«If you are beginning restoration of the appearance and raising the cultural level, we start with history. History is Revolutsionnaya Street. And definitely red cannas. Especially since red is trending now,» the participants suggested.
Tour guide Olga Yuryeva pointed out that restoring the historical appearance should start not only with flowerbeds but also with the reconstruction of the central street of the Avtozavodsky District.
«Guests say: »How few flowers there are!« The city is modern, green, but they lack precisely urban landscape greening. We already bring city guests to the Italian Square and the park named for the 50th anniversary of AvtoVAZ. These are beautiful, modern spaces. And next to them — neglect. Broken paving slabs, no hint of beauty or well-maintained space. But flowerbeds, I»m sure, will change the appearance for the better,« stated the tour guide.
There were those who proposed a hybrid approach — combining historical elements with modern solutions. As an idea — alternating flowerbeds with «carpet» plantings and compositions of perennials.
«We can make one historical flowerbed, or two. And rhythmically give a person, the viewer, the opportunity to travel along Revolutsionnaya and see: here is a historical flowerbed, and here — a modern one,» suggested the discussion participants.
Practical questions were also raised: how to fight weeds and what to use as mulch, which retains moisture and prevents weeds from spreading. For filling between plants, they recommended using local crushed stone of 2–4 mm fraction, which, according to an expert, is one of the cheapest in the country, is mined near Tolyatti, and effectively suppresses weed growth.
Another opinion concerned daily plant care. In an urban environment, participants noted, it«s important to consider not only aesthetics but also plants» resistance to air pollution, possible summer drought, and winter snow removal.
«Let»s not forget about the gas resistance of the plants we will use. Watering is one thing, but once a month is already not enough. Therefore, we«d like to emphasize plants that are hardy and don»t require constant trimming and daily watering. And we also need to prohibit dumping snow on flowerbeds; in winter they turn into snow dumps,« the speakers noted.
For this reason, they quickly abandoned the idea of planting hydrangeas — spectacular and lush bushes. It turned out the flowers are finicky to care for, love water very much, and require an automatic watering system.
«Let»s come back down to earth: it will be difficult to care for them for several summer months in a row without fear that they will dry up,« said the Tolyatti residents.
The project«s author himself added that the first plants in the new flowerbeds would most likely be roses. There is a practical explanation for this too.
«One of the nurseries near Tolyatti has already agreed to help me with seedlings. Roses, most likely, will be there. But, if we decide, these flowers could become the center or part of a large composition, and we will frame everything with cannas,» said Rinat Khamatov.
Now the initiative group faces the final and no less important stage: to coordinate the plan with city authorities and find resources for implementation. The enthusiasts will sit down with calculators in the near future. People believe they will create a positive precedent in Tolyatti, demonstrating how through dialogue between experts and enthusiasts, one can create practical and aesthetic urban space.
«Perhaps it is from our flowerbeds that a new approach to greening Tolyatti will begin,» believes Rinat Khamatov.
