The Holden Seed Bank is excited to share that a regional Native Seed Library program will officially open to the public on Monday, January 19, in 10 different locations across Northeast Ohio. Residents will be able to pick up native seeds to grow plants that thrive in local conditions while supporting pollinators and healthy ecosystems.

Native Seed Library Locations

The Holden Arboretum (Library)
Cleveland Botanical Garden (Library)
Cleveland Public Library’s The Book Nook at the West Side Market
Lake Metroparks Farmpark
Lake Metroparks Penitentiary Glen Reservation
Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Stewardship Center
Cuyahoga County Public Library – Parma Heights
Cuyahoga County Public Library – Parma Powers
Cuyahoga County Public Library – Snow Road
One travelling location

This new community resource offers free native seeds available for “check out” to community members, gardeners, and educators. Each Native Seed Library will feature 12 different seed packets (11 species and 1 pollinator mix) carefully selected to provide habitat and food sources for pollinators and wildlife. Visitors may take up to three seed packets per person at each location.

“Native plants play a critical role in supporting pollinators, restoring habitat, and strengthening our region’s ecosystems,” says Kim Lessman, Seed Bank Manager at HF&G. “By making locally sourced native seeds freely available, the Native Seed Library empowers residents to be active participants in conservation, right in their own backyards.”

Behind each packet of seeds is the dedicated work of our Seed Bank team, who contributed approximately 70-80% of the native seed for the program. This past fall, the Seed Bankers worked alongside our wonderful HF&G volunteers to source and collect seeds from notable plant populations in our natural areas. These same volunteers came back last week to help fill packets that are being prepared for distribution across Cuyahoga and Lake Counties.

“The Native Seed Library is about meeting people where they are and making it easy to take a first step toward more sustainable landscapes,” says Danielle Dejak, Stewardship and Outreach Coordinator. “By offering free native seeds in familiar, community-based locations, we’re helping residents feel empowered to grow plants that benefit their neighborhoods, local wildlife, and the region as a whole.”

Seed Varieties Available

• Foxglove Beardtonque
• Evening Primrose
• Hollow Joe Pye Weed
• New England Aster
• Marsh Hibiscus
• Gray Headed Coneflower
• Black-Eyed Susan
• Swamp Milkweed
• Blunt Mountain Mint
• Tall Ironweed
• Wingstem
• Mixed Wildflowers

The Native Seed Library is made possible through collaboration among West Creek Conservancy, Holden Forests & Gardens, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Cox Charities East Region, and the Cleveland Metroparks Watershed Stewardship Center. The program was launched in 2023 by West Creek Conservancy and has expanded through these strong regional partnerships.

None of this would have been possible without the support from a handful of fellow HF&G staff members who have been along for the long and winding ride of this initiative. A special ‘thank you’ to Tony P. for building our wooden shelves, to Marisha S. for consulting on the logistics of distribution, and of course, to the Seed Bankers, for sourcing, collecting, and processing all of the native seeds!

By choosing native plants, gardeners help restore habitat, protect pollinators such as bees and butterflies, and build healthier, more resilient landscapes throughout Northeast Ohio.

Visit a Native Seed Library starting Monday! Happy planting.