In Beryozovka, the results of the annual contest for the best improvement were summed up. This year, the winners were Nikolai and Yulia Khan'ko. Their large family proved that a real blooming oasis can be created with one's own hands, if there is love, desire, and a bit of fantasy. Once, this plot was considered problematic - an overgrown empty lot with trees and shrubs. But the spouses were not afraid of difficulties. Today, their yard is not just a territory adjacent to the house, but a small paradise, where every corner feels like a soul.

A bet on design, not potatoes

The story of the family began 16 years ago. Nikolai is a native of Beryozovka, and Yulia moved to him from Oshmyany and fell in love with Beryozovka with all her heart. In 2014, they decided to build their own house.

"The place was good, my parents live nearby, so we decided: we'll manage," Nikolai recalls.

They managed, and how! Instead of the usual potato beds and endless greenhouses, the spouses bet on landscape design. However, to achieve their dream, they had to work hard: to level 13 hundredths of a hectare, they brought in 15 KamAZ trucks of earth.

At first, Yulia wanted to hire a professional designer, but after learning the prices, she decided to master the science of beauty on her own.

"I act as the ideological inspirer, and my husband helps to implement all the ideas in life," Yulia smiles. "For example, I wanted to make a hearth in the center of the yard. I came up with the idea, and he thought about it and did it: he took a car disc, wrapped it with a mesh, and filled it with stone. It turned out to be a safe hearth, to which we added wooden 'Kentucky' chairs. In the evening, we gather here with the whole family for tea."

The labor of a large family

Today, the yard delights the eye with evergreen thuja, fragrant lavender, and lush hydrangeas. The lawn is perfectly trimmed, and the tiles are neatly laid out. And behind all this is the labor of a large family. When the Khan'kos just moved in, they had two children, and later a third daughter was born. Now the children are the main helpers of their parents.

"I myself went to choose thuja, determined the place for each bush. Together with the children, we went to the forest and collected bark for mulching," the hostess tells. "We also built the house ourselves. We were young, and we had enough strength for everything."

The stylish facade of the house is also the merit of the spouses. Yulia found a stencil to create an impressive brown insert "under the tree" on a white background, and Nikolai brought the idea to life.

Taking care of such a household is a troublesome business: mowing, trimming, watering on time. Each plant requires its own approach: one loves moisture, the other cannot stand wind.

– Often, the care falls on me. My husband is often away, as he works as a driver, but the children are always ready to help, says Yulia.

By the way, the hostess of the house is a podologist (a specialist in foot and nail care) and a master of manicure by profession. You wouldn't think that she spends a lot of time on the ground, judging by her well-groomed hands. "I do everything exclusively in gloves!" she laughs.

Lavender has gone to Russia

Recently, Yulia has mastered the grafting of hydrangeas and lavender on her own. "I tried it last autumn – and it worked. Now I give seedlings to friends and acquaintances, my lavender has even gone to Russia. Now I'm buying roses, planning to break a new flowerbed," Yulia shares her plans. "By the way, we did make four beds – for fresh greens and cucumbers."

When asked if they regret settling in Beryozovka, the spouses respond without hesitation:

– Oh, no. The city is very good, quiet, peaceful, and the surrounding areas are so beautiful! My husband and son go mushroom picking, in the summer we rest on the Neman River. The lake embankment has been arranged perfectly – we constantly go there for walks.

The victory in the city competition was a pleasant confirmation of the Khanko family's life philosophy.

– The fact that our landscape was recognized as the best in the city is a huge joy. This proves that a household plot is not necessarily hard work. It can be a real art, a place of strength and comfort for the whole family, say the spouses.