Volunteers Launch Floral Revolution to Revive Tolyatti's Central Flowerbeds

In Tolyatti, an unusual urban greening initiative is gaining popularity. Its author is not a landscape designer or an official, but a cosmetologist, Rinat Khamatov. Without a budget, administrative resources, or a team, he single-handedly organized flower plantings in the city center. Everything is done with personal funds and the efforts of equally concerned citizens.

In the spring, he conceived of restoring the blooming appearance of the flowerbeds on Revolutionnaya Street. This is the central street of Avtograd and, as residents believe, the future landmark of the autocity — here they want to implement a design code and turn it into Tolyatti«s tourist center.

A TOLYATTY.ru correspondent attended a meeting of the committee on landscape improvement and greening, which was held at the city«s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and spoke with the project initiator. What and how might change in the center of Avtograd — in our report.

Who is Rinat Khamatov and why did he suddenly take up flowerbeds? He is a cosmetologist and traveler. He became inspired with ideas to brighten the city precisely after he started traveling the world and noticed how many flowers there are in other cities and how few here, in the autocity.

— I«ve traveled to 52 countries, I see how everywhere there are many flowers, how they change urban spaces, people»s moods. But I return to Tolyatti, and we have nothing, grayness. Then I decided to act, — said the project author.

The first object that the Tolyatti enthusiast decided to transform was the road interchange on 40 Let Pobedy Street. One of the busiest and most conspicuous 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, purchases — of seedlings and equipment.

Only then did the project initiator turn to the public for help, inviting citizens to the planting. The number of volunteers surprised him.

— Fifty people came! It was amazing — the project «Three 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, tilled the soil. The first experience cost me 450,000 rubles (approximately $5,000 at current rates). Thanks to clients and friends who helped me financially, — said Rinat.

On June 1, the city day, marigolds were planted — the whole summer Tolyatti was adorned with a bright yellow flowerbed at the roundabout. In autumn, the flowers were removed, and Rinat took the equipment to his garage for storage until spring. When the weather becomes consistently warm, the enthusiasts intend to start improving the flowerbeds on Revolutionnaya Street. These are the very flower gardens that Tolyatti residents admired during Soviet times, and then they fell into disrepair.

— Preparation has begun. In March, we need to submit an application to the administration. For now, another important issue remains to be resolved — to come up with a greening concept. To restore the flowerbeds to that historical appearance, which some townspeople still remember and miss, or to 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, landscape designers known in the autocity, and business representatives willing to participate in the project. The meeting was moderated by the well-known Tolyatti designer Elena Kostyukevich.

The meeting was structured as a workshop: participants split into groups, came up with their versions, and then gave presentations. Suggestions ranged from restoring «carpet» flowerbeds with cineraria and coleus to creating compositions from hydrangeas, spireas, decorative apple trees, and lilacs.

Central elements of the renewed Revolutionnaya Street, in the opinion of most participants, could be benches with canopies installed near the flowerbeds. They also proposed following the example of, for instance, Kazan, and more actively using art objects for improvement — light structures decorated with flowers, capable of serving year-round to decorate the street.

— The center could be low trees or shrubs. These are lilacs, decorative apple trees, honeysuckle. If they are trimmed, given a neat shape, it will be beautiful, — the speakers said.

Art historian and discussion participant Anzhelika Zenkovskaya insisted on the need to restore the historical appearance of the street, reminding that Tolyatti is first and foremost AVTOVAZ (the Volga Automobile Plant) and a new city, and its central streets carry special value.

She proposed restoring the famous «carpet flowerbeds,» which were a landmark of Tolyatti in the 1970s. According to her, the basis of such flowerbeds consisted of three plants: cineraria, coleus, and a regional variant, for example, cannas.

On Revolutionnaya, cannas were planted precisely — plants with large leaves, bright flowers, arranged on the principle of «carpet» flowerbeds. This is when all plants are planted in the form of one large pattern, resembling a lush carpet.

— If you begin restoration of the appearance and raising of the cultural level — we start with history. History is Revolutionnaya Street and definitely red cannas. Especially since red is now in trend, — 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!» The city is modern, green, but they lack precisely urban landscape greening. We already bring city guests to the Italian Square, the park named after the 50th anniversary of AVTOVAZ. These are beautiful, modern spaces. And next to them — neglect. Broken tiles, not a hint of beauty and well-maintained space. But flowerbeds, I am 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 provide the person, the viewer, the opportunity to travel along Revolutionnaya and see: here is a historical flower garden, and here — a modern one, — the discussion participants suggested.

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 advised using local crushed stone of fraction 2–4 mm, which, according to her, is one of the cheapest in the country, mined near Tolyatti, and at the same time well suppresses weed growth.

Another opinion concerned daily plant care. In an urban environment, participants noted, it is important to consider not only aesthetics but also plant resistance to air pollution, possible summer drought, and winter snow removal.

— We must not forget about the gas resistance of the plants we will use. Watering is one thing, but once a month is already too little. Therefore, I would like to emphasize plants that are resistant and do not require constant trimming and daily watering. And also, we must 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 — showy and lush bushes. It turned out that the flowers are finicky in care, very water-loving, and require an automatic watering system.

— Let«s get back to reality: 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 author of the project himself added that the first plants in the new flowerbeds will most likely be roses. There is also a practical explanation for this.

— 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 can 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 agree on the plan with city authorities and find resources for implementation. The enthusiasts will sit down with calculators in the near future. People believe that they will create a positive precedent in Tolyatti, which will demonstrate how through dialogue between experts and enthusiasts, practical and aesthetic urban space can be created.

— Perhaps, precisely from our flowerbeds, a new approach to greening Tolyatti will open, — believes Rinat Khamatov.