On Saturday, Anya's parents were preparing to leave early in the morning. Her dad had a business trip to a neighbouring city, and her mum wanted to go with him to shop and stroll through the stores. So early in the morning, there was a soft knock on the door—it was Zinaida Pavlovna, Anya's grandmother, who had come to spend the weekend with her granddaughter.
Anya lingered a bit longer in bed before deciding to get up. In the kitchen, her grandmother had already baked her favourite pancakes and set out a whole bowl of delicious strawberry jam.
Hi, Grandma!
Anya said brightly.
Hooray, my favourite pancakes! I love it so much when you come to visit us! What shall we do together today?
Hello, Anya!
Her grandmother replied.
Have your breakfast! The weather forecast promises sunshine today, so we'll go for a walk to the Botanical Garden. It's especially beautiful there in January!
Anya gobbled up five whole 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 bus stops away.
Soon Anya and her grandmother got off the bus and headed towards the gates that served as the entrance to the botanical garden. How beautiful it was here, as if you'd been transported by a magic wand from the big city to another world entirely. The paths were smooth, all 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 beautiful too.
Running along the paths, Anya noticed that a worker at the botanical garden was throwing snow around a tree.
Grandma, why is that man throwing snow under the trees?
The girl asked curiously. From birth, she had been very inquisitive, like most children her age.
Why don't you ask the botanical garden worker about it yourself?
Zinaida Pavlovna replied.
I think he'll explain everything to you.
Anya was quite a brave girl for her age, so she ran up to the gardener and asked him a question.
Hello!
She approached the man.
Please, could you tell me why you're throwing snow under these trees?
The gardener, whose name was Nikolai Semyonovich, hadn't expected anyone to pay attention to his work—he was even pleased. And of course, he turned to the girl with great enthusiasm.
Good day, young lady. I'll be delighted to answer your question.
The botanical garden worker began.
We've had very little snow this year, and the nights are bitterly cold. We're worried that heat-loving trees might not survive the winter well, so we create a snow cushion.
How's that?
Anya was surprised.
You make pillows for them?
For trees, snowdrifts act like a down duvet. They wrap the root system and the above-ground part in protection from harsh frosts and icy winds.
The gardener answered with a smile.
And around young trees, we botanical garden workers try to pack the snow down better so that mice don't reach the tree trunks in winter and damage the young plants. Adult trees aren't afraid of rodents, so they just need enough snow. Snowdrifts are like batteries that create a certain microclimate for 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 so much. You explained everything so interestingly.
The girl said to Nikolai Semyonovich, and she and her grandmother continued their walk.
Grandma, we have a lesson on Monday, and I'll definitely tell everyone what I learned today.
Little Anya shared her impressions, and she absolutely had to tell Mum and Dad to cover all their apple trees with snow at the dacha. They really don't know anything about this.
