Watering flowers and planting green areas becomes a Herculean task not only in the garden when it has not rained for a long time and is very hot. Municipalities worry about their systems – and think ahead.
Magdeburg (dpa/sa) – frugal cactus instead of thirsty hydrangea? In Saxony-Anhalt, municipalities are working diligently in the face of extreme weather such as prolonged drought and heat to make flower borders and green spaces more resistant. This is also the case when planting trees and shrubs, according to a survey by the German Press Agency. According to experts, saying goodbye to high-maintenance classic perennial beds does not have to be a shortcoming. There are a variety of perennials that cope very well with drought. “Sage, catnip, gaura, sedum and grasses, which also set accents until late autumn, should receive even more attention in the planning,” said Michael Stein, head of the state gardening and landscaping association.
As in Magdeburg, city gardeners are already in the process of decorating beds with perennials and perennials instead of in the so-called alternating floor. “In addition, more flowering meadows have been created in recent years for more biodiversity, which now stretch like a net across the city,” said a city spokesman. Flower islands are important habitats for insects. Seed mixtures specially tailored to the local flora and soil are also used on the flowering meadows. These included Tufted Flower, Marigold, Poppy, Red and White Flax, Borage, Buckwheat, Cornflower, Wild Mustard, Yarrow, Mallow, Red Clover and Musk Mallow.
In Halle, the experience of specialists from tree nurseries and horticultural institutes is also used. The cadastral area of ??public green spaces and parks in the city on the Saale is around 480 hectares. A total of around 2.2 million euros is available annually for the maintenance of the green spaces and parks and the preservation of the tree population. This budget is also used to finance, among other things, the maintenance of paths in parks, waste disposal there, the maintenance of gardening equipment, planting material and seeds, and the repair and renewal of inventory such as benches.
Around 35 hectares of public green spaces are tended and cared for in Wittenberg. Tree species that can cope with drought and heat are also being increasingly planted in Lutherstadt. These included hop beech and purple alder. According to the information, sycamore and Norway maple trees are becoming rarer in the streets of Lutherstadt, as they do not cope well with temperature extremes.
“Shrubs that have a higher water requirement, such as rhododendrons, snowballs and hydrangeas, are only used to a limited extent,” said the spokeswoman in Wittenberg. Wernigerode has also adjusted to more drought due to a lack of precipitation, as a spokeswoman for the Harz city said. As in a small garden, this means more effort, time and money.
That is why the following also applies in Zeitz: “When planting trees, care is taken to use species that should tolerate dry phases better, for example linden, walnut, wild cherry, horse chestnut and sessile oak,” said a spokeswoman. The city in the Burgenland district has around 283 hectares of public green spaces. In addition, there is the Schlosspark Moritzburg with twelve hectares. In the 2022 budget, 950,000 euros were set aside for the maintenance of the municipal green spaces and around 381,000 euros for the palace gardens. In view of the increased costs, ten percent more is expected for 2023.
