Westland Seed Library

The mission of the Westland Seed Library is to promote gardening, to cultivate heirloom varieties of plants, and to foster the tradition of seed saving and sharing. We hope to create a seed collection that supports an abundant, diverse landscape while enabling residents to grow their own food, share with their community, be outside, and have fun.

What is a Seed Library?

A Seed Library is a collection of seeds that are freely available to community members. Individuals may borrow seeds to take home, grow, and enjoy, with the intention of saving seeds at the end of the growing season to return to the seed library for others to borrow next season.

Why Save Seeds?

There are lots of great reasons to save seeds:

• Save money
• Explore new varieties
• Connect with your community
• Protect pollinators
• Preserve biodiversity
• Cook with new ingredients
• Participate in an ancient tradition
• Spend time outside
• Take control of your food
• Create memories

Using the Seed Library

How do I get seeds?

Borrow up to 5 seed packets per month from the Westland Library. You don’t need to have a Westland Library card to borrow seeds. Please fill out a Borrow Seeds form so we can keep our inventory up-to-date.

What types of seeds are available?

Seeds are located in the Westland Library in our Library of Things room. Check our Inventory Binders to see the varieties we are offering. The binders are updated frequently, but we can’t guarantee that everything listed in the binder will be available at the time of your visit. Varieties are marked Easy, Medium, and Advanced for the ease of saving seeds.

How many seeds are in a seed packet?

The seed packets contain enough seed to grow a small plot or 1-4 plants, depending on the size of the plant. If you plan to grow a larger quantity of a particular crop, take multiple packets as part of your 5 choices per month. Please do not take more packets than you think you can grow in a season.

How do I save seeds?

Take your seeds home, plant, and enjoy your garden! At harvest time, allow a couple of your plants to ‘go to seed’ in order to harvest and share the seeds.

For more information on how to save seeds from specific plants, check out the resources below.

How do I return seeds?

If you are returning seeds, please fill out a Donate Seeds form for each variety. They can be returned in any type of container as long as they are clearly labeled. Returns can be dropped off in the Seed Library donation box during library open hours.

Do I have to return seeds?

Our goal is to create a renewable and sustainable depository for seeds. Ideally, we hope that you have had success with your garden and you are able to return seeds from the same plants that you borrowed. However, a number of growing conditions may impact your ability to save and return your seeds. We understand—it’s all part of gardening! Don’t stress if you are unable to return seeds.

Can I donate seeds that I didn’t get from the Westland Seed Library?

Absolutely! Donations help to sustain the seed library and provide new seeds to grow and discover. Please fill out a Donate Seeds form and include it with your donation, or include the commercial seed envelope. We suggest that you do not donate any hybrid seeds, and we do not accept GMO or patented seeds. We will accept all other seeds, but are most interested in open-pollinated and heirloom seeds.

Resources

Michigan Seed Library Network: MI Seed Library aims to connect seed libraries, their stakeholders and partners, and to promote and support the development of new seed libraries throughout Michigan.

Seed Savers Exchange: SSE educates and connects people through collecting, regenerating, and sharing heirloom seeds, plants, and stories. Find helpful garden tips, seed saving guides, and more on their website.

Westland Public Library: Browse the library’s collection of materials on gardening and seed saving.

The Westland Seed Library relies on donations from our vendor partners, seed organizations, local growers, and farmers. We thank them for their generosity.

• Annie’s Heirloom Seeds
• Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
• Botanical Interests
• Fedco Seeds
• High Mowing Organic Seeds
• Seed Savers Exchange
• Southern Exposure
• Territorial Seed Company
• Victory Seeds

We do not knowingly distribute genetically engineered seeds or plants.