Green gems of Mělník: Trees that enliven the city streets

In preparation for the implementation of the project „Implementation of green measures to protect the air quality of the city of Mělník, stage 1“ I walked through the streets and surroundings of Mělník and I could not help but notice how much attention is paid to the care of greenery. It is evident that the conceptual development of urban greenery is the result of careful and professional work spanning decades.

Selecting suitable trees for urban streets is a complex task that requires taking many factors into account. The architecture of the surrounding buildings, the overall space of the site, the height of the surrounding buildings, the size of the trees at maturity, the shape and density of their crown, soil requirements, frost and high temperature resistance must all be taken into account. A thoughtful approach to planting ensures the long-term and successful growth and prosperity of trees and gives each street its own unique character. Trees often define the atmosphere of city streets and leave an unforgettable impression in the minds of residents and numerous visitors. For example, Fričova Street stands out in the spring months with its pink flowering sakura cherry trees.

During my exploration, I was impressed by the mature trumpet catalpa in Kpt. Jaroše, which are proud of their large leaves. Especially impressive is the view of this street, which is situated on a slope and allows us to observe these unusual trees from below.

Another example is the planting of smaller tree saplings in Sportovní Street. The isolation of Macharova Street was successfully solved, where the central, sufficiently wide part allowed the planting of majestic 20-metre high sycamore trees. 17 November Street is adorned with subtle specimens of honeysuckle, which in the summer months is adorned with pink inflorescences.

A uniform planting of white birch trees can be seen near Náměstí Míru, in the western part of Smetanova Street. These tall yet airy trees with their beautiful black and white trunks blend in perfectly with the local urban style and underline its uniqueness. However, the eastern part of this street still needs to be unified within this style. This task was taken on by the landscape architects in our project. Unfortunately, we cannot avoid cutting down existing trees that are either old or unmaintained or, on the other hand, trimmed into inappropriate shapes that are not pleasing to the trees or to the eye.

The steep slope of Pod Vrchem Street is also undergoing significant changes. Some of the overgrown and dangerous trees will be removed and replaced with a uniform planting of lilacs. This 6-7 metre tall tree is ideal for steep terrain, where it will not only hold up well, but in turn help to make the slope firmer. It blooms beautifully in spring and in winter, thanks to its deciduous leaves, it lets the sun shine in on the adjacent development, which it protects in summer with an impermeable wall of foliage.

We cannot do this without effective communication, which is why we are planning a meeting with residents of both streets to explain and discuss the changes we are planning. We believe that we will be able to count on the understanding of the majority of the residents and that our plan will bring benefits to their streets, which appropriately chosen trees undoubtedly are.

Radim Slezák, PR of the project