In Voronezh, a retired civil engineer has become a devoted gardener, spending his pension on beautifying the town square. The story of 81-year-old Vladimir Tikhonov has been shared by MINE! Online [Source: MINE! Online].
Back in 2015, the pensioner started landscaping the portion of the garden that faces a balcony and a parking area. Over the years he has grown trees, flowers, walnuts, hawthorn, juniper, and a diverse array of plants on the site, turning it into a living canvas.
“How many times have people dug up flowers, planted seedlings, or accidentally damaged something here? You can not tell everyone that in recent years I have lugged several cubic meters of soil on my back in a backpack, buying some and digging some from the barn,” the gardener recalls with a touch of humor.
One day, locals expressed their appreciation by leaving a note for him that read about the heart where love and emotion for beauty reside.
“I hardly feel like I am doing something special. I just beautify a small patch of the square near my entrance,” Vladimir Tikhonov explains, speaking with quiet pride.
In 2019, this piece of land became part of the Kholzunov public garden. The Kominternovsky district administration confirms that its status has remained stable since then.
As part of the project, sidewalks were laid through the park, benches and trash cans were installed, and a children’s play area was added. The contractor also cleared fallen timber and leveled the terrain, with about two million rubles allocated to creating the fresh green space.
During a meeting with journalists, officials pledged ongoing attention to the pensioner’s efforts and promised practical support for his ongoing work.
“Working the soil brings a steady heartbeat and steadier rhythms to life. If I were younger, I would probably do even more. There is still plenty to tidy, from trimming the trees around the park to removing dry trunks and branches and keeping the grass neatly mowed,” he shares his future plans.
He estimates spending around 5,000 rubles each season on materials from his pension fund. Yet he believes that gathering a collective contribution from neighbors is impractical, preferring to manage resources independently.
In a separate note, a 72-year-old grandfather previously turned to beauty blogging to help heal his sick grandson, illustrating how personal passion can ripple outward in meaningful ways.