Gardeners across the Snyderville Basin can now drop off seeds from native plants at the Swaner EcoCenter front desk, building the collection for a free native seed library set to open in September.

The library will stock seeds for plants native to the Wasatch Back, available at no cost to residents, homeowners and land managers looking to create firewise, waterwise landscapes. Swaner Preserve announced the initiative Aug. 6 through its Naturalist News blog, written by staff member Margaux Klingensmith.

"Home lawns and gardens can play a huge role in habitat fragmentation, either acting as ecological dead zones or as a mosaic of wildlife refuge that can connect habitat," Klingensmith wrote.

The seed library will open in conjunction with "Ephemeral," a juried art exhibition celebrating Utah's native plants, running Sept. 12 through Nov. 29 at the EcoCenter. The show is a partnership between Swaner Preserve and the Utah Native Plant Society, funded by grants from the John C. Kish Foundation, Summit County RAP Tax and Summit County Restaurant Tax Grant. Artists are still being selected and will be announced on the EcoCenter website. Many pieces will be for sale, with a portion of proceeds supporting both organizations.

How to donate seeds

Donors should collect seeds from their own garden or with a friend's permission. Collecting on public land requires a permit and landowner permission, and Swaner asks that collectors take no more than 10% of any wild population, harvesting only from robust, healthy plants.

Seeds need to be cleaned, dried, separated from plant material, packaged in a breathable container and labeled. Donors fill out a slip with plant and harvest information at the front desk; staff will verify seeds before adding them to the library.

Sourcing seeds locally matters. Plants grown from regional seed stock tend to be better adapted to local climate, soils and pests, according to Swaner staff.

The EcoCenter is at 1258 Center Drive in Kimball Junction, open Wednesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Note early closures at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8, and Wednesday, Aug. 19.