Local community food growing project, Bitterne Park Growing Places, has teamed up with Southampton Seed Swap to organise this year’s seed swap on Saturday 8 March at Bitterne Station from 11am to 2pm.
The event is free to attend but donations are welcome to cover costs. A wide selection of seeds will be available as well as plants to buy from Yvonne’s Plants. Heritage and heirloom seed varieties will be available due to a ‘loan’ from the Heritage Seed Library. Gardening experts will be around to answer any questions.
How the swap works: Bring your own packaged seeds and leave them for others to take then select the seeds you want (seeds must be in date, and ideally clearly labelled with type, variety, characteristics and ideally growing instructions). If you haven’t got seeds to share, make a small donation to take seeds home with you. Heritage seeds will be available for a donation.
Hot drinks, snacks and soups and a supermarket surplus pantry will be provided by the Art House Community Pantry on a pay-as-you-feel basis.
You don’t have to be a seasoned gardener to come along, newbies or garden-curious people are welcome too.
Southampton Seed Swap has been running annually (apart from 2021) since 2006 and was inspired by Brighton Seed Sunday. At a swap, growers can choose seeds from dozens of varieties of garden vegetables, herbs and flowers in return for a donation or in exchange for saved or surplus seeds.
Bitterne Park Growing Places is a project set up by Transition Southampton to encourage people to grow and share food locally. The project helps connect people to share seeds, plants, growing advice and surplus food. You can find more information about Bitterne Park Growing Places via their web page and you can join their Facebook page along with 500+ other Bitterne Park residents.
The organisers extend thanks to Friends of Bitterne Station for the use of their venue for the occasion. The seed swap is also part of the Railway 200 celebrations, commemorating 200 years of the modern railway, and is partially funded by Transition Towns.
For up to date news about the swap, follow @SouthamptonSeedSwap on Facebook.
Useful links
Yvonne’s Plants: Seller of home grown fruit and veg plants
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