3600 summer flowers for the joy of the townspeople

At work in Riksu, there is a story series in which the employees of the city of Riihimäki talk about their work.

The parks and gardens of Riihimäki sprout summer, summer flowers bloom and lawnmowers buzz.

"In the spring, we first maintain the perennial beds and cut the winter ones. Then the spring onions start to emerge. Perennials are also fertilized," says gardener Sari-Maarit Aapro.

The city is divided into three management areas, which are mainly managed by the regional gardeners named for them. Aapro's area includes the center, Peltosaari and traffic dividers.

"I am a gardener at heart. I started at the age of 16 at a nursery and studied for the field. I have always worked in the garden or forest," he says.

The parks are cut, maintained and watered

A passer-by sees mostly lawn mowing from park and garden work. However, that is only one part. There is also planning, maintenance, developing the new and nurturing the old.

Aapronk's work involves many things. He cuts water shoots of large lindens and apple tree branches, straightens fences, lines, cleans, waters flowers, sows lawn, plans plantings and does much more.

The rhythm is given by the annual clock. The activities are also checked on site every day.

"If the trash is broken, I'll fix it," says Aapro.

A car and tools are included, such as a shovel, rake, scissors, pruning shears and, if necessary, a chainsaw.

"We just got our first battery chainsaw. It is quiet and light, and the battery goes in a backpack. Hundreds of meters of simple hedges are cut, so the order also includes a new battery-powered hedge trimmer."

Spring and early summer are busy times

Spring and early summer are busy. Sandblasting sand is removed from the lawn with a brush machine and the parks are cleaned. This year there has been a lot of sandblasting sand.

Some of the trees must be cut in the spring before the leaves come out. However, you need to know which ones.

"For example, you must not touch birch or maple in spring. Urgent tasks are done together. With the help of seasonal workers, for example, the museum's park was quickly restored. A tractor with a trailer and a branch bucket is also an important help. It picks up the cut branches", says Aapro.

Aapro orients new employees: teaches plants, ergonomics and, for example, how to work in traffic.

During the summer, the flower beds are watered and maintained. If there are problems, they will be fixed. When Aapro was putting up moon lily beds at the Peltosaari market, he noticed that one of them was missing a whole row. He divided forty new ones from the seedlings and planted them. This year, new meadows have also been sown near Lidl and the Glass Blower statue.

Many passers-by also stop. We talk about plants and sometimes life. Some ask for gardening tips.

"When I was cutting apple trees, someone asked for branches. Later, he came to say that they had blossomed."

Flower plantings are planned early

"In summer flowers, we use colors that stand out: red, orange. There are also fluffy flowers," says Anja Koivunurmi-Niemelä, who is responsible for summer flower plans.

This year, around 3600 summer flowers will be planted.

"Every year we try a few new sports. Loistozinnia, garden malt, tyräkki, chocolate cosmos flower and Marketa's different varieties are this year's new experiments."

The planning of summer flowers already starts the previous summer. Koivunurmi-Niemelä follows the new trends in European gardens and seeks inspiration from the internet and magazines. Location and budget, as well as maintenance experience, set their own conditions. The supplier of the flowers is selected by tender.

The placement of the flowers is decided the previous year. When the flowers come in early June, the rush begins.

"The flowers should be planted within about a week. Before planting, the soil beds are edged, fertilized and milled. In a dry spring, the benches must also be pre-watered. The planting work is done in a group. In the summer, the flowers are watered a couple of times a week, maintenance continues throughout the summer."

Towards sustainable diversity

The opening of the renovated Perhospuisto last year was celebrated in June. Perhospuisto is a good example of a park that supports diversity.

There are seventy different varieties of butterflies and sixty different types of wildflowers in the park. There is food for as many butterfly species as possible. In addition, stormwater is delayed in the natural area of ​​the park, and rotting wooden frames have been left there.

"Single-species mass plantings are no longer the ideal today. Sustainable solutions that support biodiversity and sequester carbon are now needed," says city gardener Päivi Sundman.

The butterfly theme can be seen in the park anyway. Visitors will be delighted by the butterfly poetry trail, butterfly-themed play equipment and information boards.

The themes create a sense of place in the parks and connect the place to its cultural history. Efforts have been made to theme the parks in connection with the renovations.

Lounaspuisto is a common living room for city dwellers, Atsaleapuisto offers accessible experiences. A sports park aimed at young people is coming to the Brewery Park and a sauna-themed playground to the Sauna Park.

City dwellers involved in planning

The townspeople are also involved in the planning of parks and gardens.

"For example, fitness stairs and a carousel are planned for Piikinmäki's new park. The request for stairs came from participatory budgeting, the carousel was a resident request received from the children," says Sundman.

Diversity is also reflected in thinking about a wide variety of users and ways of use. Adults are also taken into account in playgrounds. Accessibility is also important.

"The barrier-free route of the Atsaleapuisto, which was repaired last year, is at its best when the azaleas are blooming," advises Sundman.

Comprehensive green thinking

In the future, parks will be planned more comprehensively. What is important is not just the cleanliness or visual beauty of flower beds, but how green areas help us adapt to climate change.

"For example, we are planning how green areas can be part of stormwater management. Instead of traditional fountains, the water feature is a wetland that delays and cleans stormwater," says Sundman.

Residents are also asked for a new attitude towards beauty.

"The water is not clear in storm water issues. I would hope that people would also learn to appreciate these wetlands and the habitats of different organisms. Naturalness could also be brought to home yards," says Sundman.

Facts

• The city has nine permanent garden and park workers, ten seasonal workers and three who came through the employment services
• The park services also employ around 35–40 young people in the summer.
• Students are also welcome to practice. There are two interns this summer.
• The Memorial Parks exhibition about Riihimäki's most central parks and growing environments is open at the Riihimäki City Museum until September 11, 2022.

Leena-Kaisa Laakso