Thanks to the work of the city gardeners, Kitzingen is once again in full bloom at the moment. At the Twin Towns Square, in front of the Falter Tower, in front of the Old Cemetery, on the corner of Jahnstraße and the B8, and of course on the site of the former State Garden Show, the gardeners have been hard at work over the last few days. The so-called ‘summer display’ will be a delight to the eyes of locals and visitors alike well into the autumn.
The city gardeners will have planted around 16,000 plants by the start of June. These include varieties such as cleome, zinnias, ornamental sage and the canna, which can grow up to two metres tall. Naturally, when selecting the plants, they also look out for insect-friendly varieties. In front of the Falterturm, suitable perennials such as meadow sage and widow’s flower have been planted, whilst ornamental sage can be seen at the Twin Towns Square. Naturally, the gardeners must also keep climate change and the associated challenges in mind. The growing season is longer than in previous years, and the dry spells during the summer months are more severe. “That’s why we use a slow-release fertiliser, for example,” explains Niklas Pobel, deputy head of the city’s parks department. This ensures that the plants can still draw the necessary nutrients even in September.
“Of course, the drought is a major issue here too,” says Niklas Pobel. No rain is forecast for the next few days. “We’ll have to water the newly planted plants thoroughly for now.” At the same time, the gardeners have been selecting plants for years that can thrive even with relatively little rainfall, and this year they are once again installing hanging baskets with a special watering system across the city. “The built-in water reservoir can supply the plants with moisture for about a week,” he explains. The gardeners have also had good results with the so-called ‘pyramids’ in recent years and have therefore doubled their number from four to eight. The containers, which will enhance the cityscape, can hold up to 700 litres of water.
Until the first frost, the newly planted flowers and plants will delight passers-by and add lovely splashes of colour to the townscape. Then the town gardeners will plant the so-called ‘winter flowers’. “But for now, Kitzingen is once again bursting with colour,” says Niklas Pobel happily.