WELCOME TO THE
Blanco Library Seed Exchange
Notice to all naturalists, gardeners, and curious passerby...
The Blanco Library is building a living archive of seeds gathered from gardens, fields, prairies, and roadsides throughout the ecoregion we call home. Each seed represents generations of adaptation, resilience, and careful stewardship. Together, they preserve the botanical heritage of our community for generations to come.
How it Works
Find Seeds
The Blanco Library Seed Exchange is free and open to everyone. Browse the catalog to find seeds you'd like to grow. Each packet will include information to help you get started, including the plant's name, planting instructions, and ecosystem benefits.
Grow.
You don't need to be an expert gardener. You don't need a large yard. A pot on a porch, a sunny patch of ground, or a small corner of a garden can all be a place to grow. Every native plant helps connect habitat across our landscapes!
Share
If your plants produce seeds, collect a few to bring back to the Blanco Library Seed Exchange. By sharing, you help keep the cycle going and make it possible for someone else to grow next. New to seed collecting? Check out our Upcoming Events for a chance to attend one of our hands-on workshops!
Take some. Grow Some. Share Some.
Why Local Seed?
Local seeds are a part of our landscape, evolved over generations to provide food and shelter in our specific ecosystem. By collecting and sharing seeds locally, we can:
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Help preserve plants adapted to the Texas Hill Country
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Support pollinators, birds, and other wildlife
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Increase the diversity of plants in our community
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Learn more about the plants growing around us
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Help mitigate drought and flood with deep roots that capture runoff and replenish springs
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In addition to native seeds, the Blanco Library Seed Exchange will feature naturalized and heirloom varieties donated by our local community.
Collect Responsibly
Seed collecting is a way to participate in conservation, but it should be done thoughtfully.
When collecting:
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Know what you're collecting. Learn to identify the plant before harvesting.
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Ask permission. Only collect on property where you have permission.
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Leave plenty behind. Wildlife and the plant itself need seeds, too.
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Collect from healthy plants. Avoid collecting from stressed or declining populations.
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Harvest responsibly. Take only what you need.
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Keep species separate. Label everything as you collect.
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Record what you know. The location and date of collection can be valuable information.
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Scientific Names Matter
The Blanco Library Seed Exchange organizes seeds by their scientific names because common names can be wonderfully confusing. One plant may have several common names. Several different plants may share the same common name. Scientific names help us know exactly which plant we're talking about. And once you start learning them, you may discover that scientific names aren't just a way to make gardening sound more intimidating. They can tell you where a plant was named, who discovered it, what it looks like, or how it relates to other plants. Plus, you can impress fellow plant nerds at parties!
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To help budding botanists learn the lingo and locate seeds, the library will provide an index of both common names and scientific names.
Get Involved.
Upcoming Events
Sunday, August 9th at 9 AM
Seed Collecting with NPSOT
Learn how to collect seeds in the wild with Craig Bruska from the Native Plant Society of Texas. Participants will walk the trails of the Paradise Creek Pocket Meadow to collect seeds that are ready to share in this hands-on workshop & community seed swap.
Monday, September 14th at 4 PM
Starting a Seed Library
In this presentation, Craig Bruska from the Native Plant Society of Texas will explain what it takes to create a free seed library, why it's important, and how Blanco County can join the seed savers movement to help preserve our natural heritage.
Saturday, October 3rd at 11 AM
Ribbon Cutting
Join the Blanco Woman's Club and Native Plant Society of Texas, and other Founding Contributors as we officially cut the ribbon and open the Blanco Library Seed Exchange to the public! More event details coming soon...
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH
10 AM - 12:30 PM
A FILM THAT MATTERS
The Extraordinary Caterpillar takes viewers into the fascinating, often overlooked world of caterpillars, and reveals the enormous role these tiny creatures play in healthy ecosystems. Caterpillars are an essential link in the food web, providing food for birds and other wildlife while helping transfer the energy of plants throughout the natural world.
But caterpillars need the right plants to survive. And those plants begin with seeds.
The Blanco Library Seed Exchange is one small way our community can help create more habitat for the incredible web of life around us. By sharing locally collected seeds and growing plants that belong here, we can help support pollinators, birds, caterpillars, and the many other creatures that depend on native plants.
Watch the film. Get inspired. Then take some seeds home and grow something that helps life flourish.
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This event is free and open to all, but seating is limited.
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Reservations October 1st!
Thank you to our Founding Contributors!
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