Residents of Pierrefonds-Roxboro will soon have access to a seed library where they can pick up free seeds to grow at home!
Located on the upper floor of the Pierrefonds Library, the new seed library will be accessible to library members as of Friday, April 22nd, 2022. Residents will have the opportunity to obtain flower, herb, and vegetable seeds for their gardens, vegetable patches, or balcony planters.
The Pierrefonds Seed Library will offer open-pollinated (non-hybrid) organic seeds adapted to the Montreal area. Advice on planting and harvesting seeds will also be offered. This is an ideal opportunity for residents to learn more about urban agriculture and perhaps even develop a real passion for ecological gardening.
"The seed library project is perfectly in line with the Montréal 2030 strategic plan, which focuses on citizen participation in the ecological transition," said Dimitrios (Jim) Beis, Mayor of the Borough of Pierrefonds-Roxboro.
"This type of initiative, set up by our municipal services, promotes the greening of our neighbourhoods and allows everyone to educate themselves, while taking concrete action to improve the quality of life in our community.”
- Dimitrios (Jim) Beis
What is a seed library?
A seed library is a place where a collection of seeds, especially of herbs, flowers, or vegetables, is kept.
Why a seed library?
The seed library project responds to the Borough's desire to offer free and open access to Quebec's horticultural and agricultural heritage, which makes it possible to: Promote biodiversity in the urban environment; Encourage good ecological gardening practices; Promote and contribute to the preservation of ancestral or heritage varieties; Contribute to the diversity of the contents of our plates.
How does it work?
This service will be offered to Pierrefonds Library subscribers from April 22nd to September 30th, 2022. Subscribers will be able to choose their seeds from the seed library cabinet located on the second floor of the library.
Each subscriber will be entitled to three envelopes of seeds per week, per family, up to a maximum of nine envelopes per season, so that as many residents as possible can benefit from this service.
Loan of gardening tools
Residents who do not have access to gardening equipment may borrow some tools from the library, including:
- Sprayers
- Pruning shears
- Spading forks
- Hoes
- Gardening tools for children
The garden library project is offered through a collaboration between the Pierrefonds Library and VertCité.
