Choosing seeds

I came up with the perfect formula for my gardening.


Saving money + Fitness + Socializing = Good Life

Growing your own food helps you eat better and may be cheaper. It certainly helps you get exercise. And, you can spend quality time outside with friends and family. The community garden has all of these components wrapped up into one.

So, with this equation in mind, I have started thinking about a plan on what to grow in the garden. Choosing seeds is an overwhelming task. Did you know there are over 10,000 varieties of tomatoes available? Yikes…too many for me to choose. So I will go with recommendations of those who have great success growing specific varieties.


After asking my family gardeners and friends who have good success with gardens, I had a list of a few special seeds I wanted to pick up. Before ordering online, I went to the library in my neighborhood to check the seed library. What an amazing idea to share seeds with dedicated local gardeners.


Kay Everts is the founder of the seed library at the Oak Grove Public Library. I questioned her about how this all began. She took an online seed saving class that inspired her to start a seed library. Prepared with a proposal, Kay approached the manager of our local library and was hired on the spot! I had never heard of anything like this before, but going last week to pick out some special seeds, helped me realize what a resource it is.

I continue to watch the growth of the hellebores in my garden. Known as the “Lenten Rose”, the blooms come despite freezing temps and above average rainfall. What lovely sparks of joy these colorful plants bring to my heart as we look towards spring and Easter.



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