The Summerland Advocate-Messenger - Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community

I was busy this spring morning clipping little stems of grape hyacinth in my garden which is out my kitchen window. Containers, including a small glass cream pitcher and a tiny crystal cordial glass, are now filled with the pretty purple flowers.

I just can’t resist clipping the flowers when they bloom in my garden. They remind me of what I think were gentler days, or perhaps a slower-paced lifestyle. My mother-in-law had grape hyacinth in her country garden and had shared the bulbs with me. I enjoy sharing them too.

I’m not sure of the proper method, but after they are finished blooming I dig them and either share them or replant the bulbs in additional spots in the flower garden.

Despite the up and down temperatures of March, I suddenly didn’t get very excited about gardening. Now that I’ve clipped the first picking of grape hyacinths and scratched the winter debris off my hostas, I’m more than anxious to garden.

About a week ago radish seed and onion sets were planted, but still my spring garden mood hadn’t taken root. I was sure this was a sad realization of my age and my future in gardening.

New to me, even at my so called “age,” is seed libraries. I know that many libraries have started them including Norfolk and Columbus. Here at my hometown of West Point, a seed library is kicking off this month when the annual spring garden event is held April 30.

Seed libraries are for gardeners to pick up seeds, free to them, for their gardens. It is also for sharing seeds from plants you have grown in your garden, harvested and labeled. This past year I shared with garden club members a small red salad pepper seed.

The year before I had planted seeds from the peppers when a friend had given me the peppers to sample. I saved seeds from a couple and planted them, then shared the plants with friends.

There are numerous ways to share from your garden including seed sharing, starting plants and gifting them, or digging up extra perennials for others.

The local garden club in my town holds a Plant Extravaganza in early May where plants are sold and in turn the garden club uses its money for community projects.

Occasionally I grumble about digging perennials in my garden, but when Plant Extravaganza day arrives it is so exciting to visit with others and to see their enthusiasm for gardening.

Seed libraries are yet another way to encourage those who haven’t tried their hand at growing vegetables and flowers to give it a try at no extra cost.

While the distance between my hometown with a new seed library and upcoming Plant Extravaganza may not be easy for gardeners in your “Summerland Advocate-Messenger” area to connect, look around in your own area, or even contact your library about the possibility of starting a seed library.

Seed libraries are new to me, but I’m learning. If you need information you can contact me through your newspaper or closer to you is the Norfolk Library with its seed library which started in the fall of 2022.

Also approaching is the Northeast Nebraska Master Gardener Plant Fair on April 26, starting at 6:30 and then on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will be speakers, vendors, door prizes and even a children’s corner where they will plant a salsa garden. First come, first served until the plants are gone. The event will be at the Northeast Community College, Chuck Pohlman Ag Complex in Norfolk.

Until then I might just have to head back out to the flower garden and pick another group of grape hyacinths to share. After all sharing is one of the greatest joys of having a garden.