Each summer, the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library hosts native plant exchanges/giveaways, where everyone is welcome to attend and take home free native perennials.
This year’s plant giveaways kick off this Saturday, June 13, at Springhurst Park. Our fantastic team of ‘busy bee’ volunteers will be set up at the corner of Brunswick Street and Springhurst Avenue from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Join us, rain or shine! (Facebook event)
This past winter, we invited our community to “Sow Extra!” seeds while winter sowing to help support community greening and conservation projects. We encourage those with extra seedlings to bring them to the plant giveaways (see the info below for donors), and we invite those building community gardens to attend to source plants for them!
Will this be your first plant giveaway event? Here are a few helpful tips:
What to bring:
Bring some containers, boxes, or bags to transport the plants or seedlings that you pick up. Containers with holes in the bottom can work, but so can closed bottom containers with some water in the bottom; plants and seedlings that have spent a bit of time in water will transplant better once you get home.
Bring some labels to label the plants and seedlings that you take home so that you can remember what you picked up.
We’ll have a reserved area where you can place the plants that you have picked up while continuing to browse. Of course, we ask that you don’t pick up plants (other than yours!) from the reserved area.
Please be considerate of others who may arrive later. Take only enough plants that you know you will be able to manage. There will be other opportunities to get free plants and seeds.
If you plan on donating plants or seedlings at Saturday’s event, a few reminders:
Please arrive at 12:00 and check in at the registration table. If you are donating plants, you can choose plants in priority starting at 12:30.
Please only donate plants that are considered native to Ontario or Québec by VASCAN. You can contact Mélanie (info@wildflowerseedlibrary.ca) ahead of time to confirm whether or not to bring your plants.
Please do not donate non-native species, nor plants that are growing intertwined with non-native species.
Please do not donate very tiny seedlings -- they should be at least a few centimetres tall.
Please fill in this donation form prior to your arrival. Our volunteers will be reviewing them with you on site.
You can either bring your pots full of seedlings or plants in water. No need to repot; plants that have been in water will handle transplanting better if they are fully hydrated.
This video provides an overview of all the container options available to donate plants and seedlings during our exchange events.
Can’t make it to this Saturday’s event? No worries! We’ve got two more plant exchanges/giveaways later this summer:
Saturday, July 11 - Springhurst Park - 1:00-3:00 pm (Facebook event)
Saturday, September 12 - Britannia Park, at the Trolley Station - 11:00 am - 1:00 pm (Facebook event)
We look forward to seeing you there!
*These events are held in public parks and will be crowded. If you require accomodation, please contact us at info@wildflowerseedlibrary.ca ahead of time.
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