Come one, come all to the winter sowing event at the Matthaei botanical gardens!
Next weekend, Saturday and Sunday (January 18 and 19), Seeds to Community will be sowing native plant seeds in community with the University of Michigan Seed Library at the Matthaei botanical gardens (greenhouse #3), 10am-2pm EST each day. In conjunction with this event, the U-M Seed Library will be there, offering ways to kick back and share stories while packaging seeds for our super exciting Spring re-opening in February!
What is winter sowing, exactly?
Some seeds that are native to the Southeast Michigan region have adapted complex, seasonally complementary mechanisms of reproduction. They incubate and prepare their seedy outer layers for rooting by being planted and exposed to wintry weather before they are ready to sprout in spring! This process is called 'cold-stratification' and it is a beautiful example of how nature's cycles (even the freezing cold ones that might seem uncomfortable or unfair to us at times) contribute to incredible examples of life, thriving, and enriched biodiversity.
Who is Seeds to Community?
Seeds to Community (coordinated by Jonathan Parker in cooperation with the Washtenaw county parks and recreation department) is a community organization that aims to increase community access, awareness, and integration with native plant communities in the Southeast Michigan area. This organization features an amazing array of ways to connect and volunteer in laid-back yet fulfilling ways. Each year, Seeds to Community runs events and workshops that constitute its 'series' of seasonal, life-giving learning opportunities that empower everyday folks to become knowledgeable and engaged in the lifeways of native plant species local to the region. Whether you come to meet new friends, find out what local native plants grow well in your local landscape, or just love to get your hands in the dirt, Seeds to Community offers accessible opportunities to grow for everyone!
The U-M Seed Library is excited to partner with Seeds to Community and Matthaei Botanical Gardens campus farm efforts in the fall/winter 2026 season to bring local, native seed varieties to you, the U-M Ann Arbor campus community. Through partnerships with community organizations like this one, U-M Library and the Matthaei botanical gardens help enrich the ways that knowledge is worked with, accessed, and embodied. Seed library coordinators will be taking part in the seasonal series with Seeds2Community every step of the way this year - we hope you will too!
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To register for the winter sowing event, please RSVP here! Registration is free and helps the event coordinators keep track of how many supplies and workspaces to organize for the event.
Can't make it to winter sowing but want to keep contributing to the collective effort of the U-M Seed Library this year? Check out our new volunteer sign up sheet! We are building toward inclusive involvement across all three campuses and volunteering is one of the best ways to learn about seeds with fellow enthusiasts. When you sign up to volunteer with us, we'll be in touch about all sorts of wonderful activities that enhance (or showcase) your amazing diversity of skills and interests. Everyone has a place in the world of seeds - let's keep growing it together!