Native Seed Library at Westfield Memorial Library has been fully re-stocked for the Fall

(October 27, 2025) –The Westfield Memorial Library is happy to announce that the Native Seed Library has been fully restocked with seeds for winter sowing and spring growing. The seed library, which is in the first-floor gallery, was created two years ago in partnership with the Westfield Green Team and made possible by generous funding from the Friends of the Westfield Memorial Library.

Some of the seeds currently available to library users are orange butterfly weed, swamp milkweed, golden alexander, orange coneflower, brown-eyed Susan, smooth aster, zigzag aster, Anise Hyssop, beebalm, prairie dropseed and common yarrow, with more arriving throughout the fall. Directions for how, when and where to plant these locally sourced seeds are included on the seed packets, which are packaged and labeled by The Garden Club of Westfield and Green Team volunteers.

One of the primary goals of encouraging the use of native seeds is to combat the expanding number of invasive plants in the ecosystem and to improve the overall health and biodiversity of local habitats.

“Native plants offer numerous benefits to our environment including providing food and habitat for native pollinators and other wildlife,” said Lois Kraus, Vice Chair, Westfield Green Team. “They promote biodiversity and add low-maintenance beauty to our outdoors.”

“Please join us in creating a Westfield Pollinator Pathway by taking native seeds from the library and planting them in your garden,” she continued. “Natives do take a year to get established but do not require special attention after that. They have evolved for our environment.”

“I’m delighted to have the opportunity to work with the Green Team to support environmental sustainability in Westfield,” said Allen McGinley, Library Director. “Not only do we distribute seeds to residents but also provide books, workshops, and other information related to native plants.”

For more specific information on the seeds and their care, visit https://wmlnj.org/native-seed-library/. Anyone who is interested in volunteering with the Green Team should write greenteam@westfieldnj.gov.

To sign up for a library card, or learn more about the library’s resources, please visit https://wmlnj.org/, or follow the library on Instagram. The library is located at 550 East Broad Street. Library hours are Monday - Thursday 9:30 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday 1:00-5:00 p.m. The library will be closed Tuesday, November 11 for Veterans Day.