The Botanical Garden of the Faculty of Science, full of colourful spring flowers these days, started its spring season on Tuesday, 28 March 2023. The opening was accompanied by an exchange of seeds, part of the Seed Library. Thanks to this project, people are able to exchange seeds and experience in growing plants.
Seed libraries are a popular European concept, working on the principle of a lending library. At the beginning of the season, people take available seeds for their own use, and at the end of the growing year return some of their own seeds. The university’s seed library is managed by the Botanical Garden, with the help of graduates of the Faculty of Science from the non-profit organisation ČSOP Arion.
Due to construction work in the front part of the Botanical Garden this spring, the Seed Library will be accessible only by prior arrangement with the garden staff. “The reason for this is to ensure safety when moving along the construction site,” said Václav Dvořák, Head of the Botanical Garden.
A visit to the Botanical Garden is worthwhile not only for the seeds. “By the end of March, the garden is already very attractive. Many interesting spring geophytes – plants whose rhizomes, tubers, or bulbs survive the winter underground – are in bloom. You can see snowdrops, squills, puschkinia, yellow star-of-Bethlehems, corydalis, and isopyrum,” said Dvořák.
More information can be found on the Facebook profile of the Botanical Garden (in Czech).