Libraries Make the World a Better (& Greener) Place

Seed libraries and the Library of Things

This one was new to me: a Seed Library at the Atheneum, the main public library in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

I’d known about the concept of a Library of Things, also a wonderful way to reduce consumption, and to learn and try new things - exactly what libraries are all about - but the Seed Library was a delightful surprise.

These innovative offerings seem to be spreading, so take a look at your local library. At a Library of Things, you can borrow tools, a sewing machine, even musical instruments. At a Seed Library, you can get free seed packets (and even encouragement to save and share seeds). What a great use for those wonderful wooden drawers that used to hold the card catalog! Of course the library also has plenty of books, and ebooks, about how to use the things you check out.

Read about seed libraries worldwide.

Read about a Library of Things.

A few catalogs

And for those who are choosing seeds for 2024, a few of my favorite seed catalogs, too:

Nichols Garden Nursery, Oregon. Vegetables, herbs, and more. Highly recommended. A simple newsprint catalog and easy online ordering.

Select Seeds. Connecticut. Gorgeous heirloom and pollinator-friendly flowers. I have been saving seed and replanting my favorites.

Prairie Moon Nursery, Minnesota. I haven’t ordered from them yet, but it’s a beautiful catalog with some appealing lawn seed mixtures.

John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds, Connecticut. Another nearby grower with a huge range of flower and vegetable seeds.

Renee’s Garden, California. Again, an emphasis on organic and heirloom seeds. I’ve come back to Renee’s this year, with my first seeds, sweetpeas, already planted.

Of course, this is just a small selection, and there are brilliant seed companies and plantspeople across the world. I have been reading about the trouble there is now for British gardeners who want to order seeds from growers on the continent, where there are enticing small specialized outfits. And of course you may be able to start simply, at your local library.