On Saturday, Anya's parents were getting ready to leave early in the morning. Dad had a business trip to a neighbouring town, and Mum wanted to go with him to have a look around the shops. So early in the morning, there was a gentle knock on the door—it was Zinaida Pavlovna, Anya's grandmother, who had come to spend the weekend with her granddaughter.
Anya had a bit of a lie-in and decided to get up. In the kitchen, Grandma had already baked her favourite pancakes and set out a whole bowl of delicious strawberry jam.
G'day, Grandma!
Anya said cheerfully.
Yay, my favourite pancakes! I love it when you come to visit us! What are we going to do today?
Hello, Anya!
Grandma replied.
Have your breakfast! The weather forecast says it'll be sunny today, so we'll head to the Botanic Gardens for a walk. January is especially beautiful there!
Anya wolfed down five pancakes with strawberry jam, washed it all down with milk, and hurried to get dressed.
The girl lived with her parents not far from the park at all—just two stops on public transport.
Soon Anya and her grandmother got off the bus and headed towards the gates that served as the entrance to the botanic gardens. It was absolutely beautiful here, as if you'd been whisked away from the big city by a magic wand into another world. The paths were smooth and covered with pristine white snow that had fallen all night long. And there were so many amazing and unique trees here. The landscape design was absolutely stunning.
Running along the paths, Anya noticed a worker from the botanic gardens throwing snow around one of the trees.
Grandma, why is that man throwing snow under the trees?
The girl asked curiously. She'd been naturally inquisitive from birth, like most children her age.
Why don't you ask the botanic gardens worker about it yourself?
Zinaida Pavlovna replied.
I reckon he'll explain it all to you.
Anya was quite a brave girl for her age, so she ran over to the gardener and asked him a question.
G'day!
She approached the man.
Can you tell me, please, why are you throwing snow under these trees?
The gardener, whose name was Nikolai Semyonovich, hadn't expected anyone to take notice of his work—he was actually quite pleased. Of course, he turned to the girl with great enthusiasm.
Good day, young lady. I'd be delighted to answer your question.
The botanic gardens worker began.
We've had very little snow this year, and the nights are bitterly cold. We're worried that the tender trees might not survive the winter well, so we're creating a snow blanket.
How's that?
Anya asked in surprise.
You're making pillows for them?
For trees, snowdrifts act like a down quilt. They wrap around the root system and the above-ground part, protecting them from harsh frosts and icy winds.
The gardener answered with a smile.
And around young trees, we botanic gardens workers try to pack the snow down properly so that mice don't get to the tree trunks in winter and damage the young plants. Adult trees aren't bothered by rodents, so they just need the snow. So snowdrifts are like radiators that create a certain microclimate for the trees and maintain a comfortable temperature for the plants. Plus, snow creates a supply of fresh water that the tree will need in spring.
Thank you ever so much. You've explained it all so interestingly.
The girl said to Nikolai Semyonovich, and she and her grandmother continued their walk.
Grandma, we've got a lesson on Monday where I'll definitely tell everyone what I learned today.
Little Anya shared her impressions, and she'd have to tell Mum and Dad that they should cover all their apple trees with snow at the dacha. They don't know anything about this at all.
