Get seeds and borrow gardening tools
Did you know that many of the city’s libraries and éco-quartiers offer a variety of seeds, free of charge, to sow in your garden or on your balcony? Residents can exchange or donate their own seeds and plant cuttings and borrow garden tools.
How it works
Selection of seeds
You can obtain seeds of native plants, nectar-producing plants that promote biodiversity, herbs, edible or ornamental flowers, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants as well as a selection of plants of biological or heritage origin, using your library card (with the exception of Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie).
Proof of residence is required to get seeds from the éco-quartiers.
Seed exchanges and donations
This service is based on the principle of sharing. In addition to getting seeds, residents can share their harvest with the community. Several libraries and éco-quartiers accept exchanges and donations of seeds grown without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers or cross-pollination.
Gardening tools
Don’t have gardening tools? Some libraries will lend you kits to help you get started on your garden.
My borough
No borough selected.
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque d’Ahuntsic’s seed library.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to three envelopes per week, up to a maximum of 12 per year.
Seed donations
The provenance of seeds must be known so as to avoid hybrid seeds, which are created by crossing two different varieties of the same plant through pollen transfer. To prevent hybridization, maintain the recommended distancing between plants belonging to the same family.
Place each seed variety in a sealed and properly identified envelope (species, variety, place, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and subscription card) and bring it to the designated location.
Gardening kit
You can also borrow one of the 10 gardening tool kits for adults or one of the 10 kits for children.
Where to collect them
In person
In addition to the library card, the carte de citoyen Anjou also lets you benefit from this service.
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque Jean-Corbeil’s seed library.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to four envelopes per week, up to a maximum of 12 per year.
Seed donations
Place each seed variety in a sealed and properly identified envelope (species, variety, place, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and subscription card) and bring it to the designated location.
In addition to the envelopes, you can place the seeds in plastic bags or pots or in glass containers, making sure to properly identify them.
A form is made available to provide the information.
Gardening kit
Not available
Where to collect them
In person
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Bibliothèque Côte-des-Neiges and Bibliothèque Benny seed libraries. The available seeds vary, depending on the season: Seedlings (end of March), summer (end of May) and fall (mid-August). Please view the on-site catalogue.
All the seeds offered through the Bibliothèque Benny are certified organic and come from Le Potager ornemental de Catherine, a Québec-based artisanal seed farmer. They include a limited selection of heirloom, indigenous or rare species.
Quantity
Notre-Dame-de-Grâce: Maximum of 10 envelopes per season
Côte-des-Neiges: Three envelopes per week, up to a maximum of 12 per season
Benny: Four envelopes per week, up to a maximum of 12 per year
Seed donations
They are accepted at the Bibliothèque Côte-des-Neiges and the Bibliothèque Benny.
Place each seed variety in a sealed and properly identified envelope (species, variety, place, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and subscription card) and bring it to the designated location.
Gardening kit
Not available
Where to collect them
In person
The Saul-Bellow library offers seeds to sow in your garden.
Varieties available
Please view the seed catalogue available on line (in French) or at the Bibliothèque Saul-Bellow’s seed library. The catalogue is updated on a weekly basis.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to four seed envelopes per month, up to a maximum of 16 per year.
Reservations
Residents can reserve seeds in advance by completing the following form.
Seed donations
The Saul-Bellow library accepts seed donations.
Please complete the following form. Place each seed variety in a sealed and properly identified envelope (species, variety, place, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and subscription card) and bring it to the reception desk.
Plant cutting swap
You can also swap several varieties of plant cuttings. They must be potted in soil. You can repurpose yogurt containers by piercing drainage holes in the bottom.
If you bring several pots of the same plant, you are only allowed to take one plant of another variety.
Gardening kit
Residents can borrow, for one week, a shovel and a hand trowel, a weeder, a sprayer, and pruning shears.
Partner
The project stems from a collaboration with the Lachine éco-quartier, as part of a program run by the Groupe de recommandations et d’actions pour un meilleur environnement (GRAME).
Where to collect them
In person
The L’Octogone library offers seeds to sow in your garden.
Varieties available
Please view the seed catalogue available on line (in French). The catalogue is updated on a weekly basis.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to four seed envelopes per month, up to a maximum of 16 per year.
Reservations
Residents can reserve seeds in advance by completing the following form (in French).
Gardening kit
Not available
Partner
The project stems from a collaboration with the LaSalle éco-quartier.
Where to collect them
In person
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque du Plateau-Mont-Royal and Bibliothèque Mordecai-Richler. Seeds are available as of the first week in April.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to three envelopes per week, up to a maximum of 12 per year.
Seed donations
Accepted
Place each seed variety in a sealed and properly identified envelope (species, variety, place, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and subscription card) and bring it to the designated location.
Gardening kit
Not available
Partner
The project stems from a collaboration with Les Ateliers d’Éducation Populaire du Plateau (AEPP), which supplies most of the seeds free of charge.
Where to collect them
In person
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque Saint-Charles and Bibliothèque Réjean-Ducharme seed libraries.
Gardening tools and kit
You can borrow gardening tools and kits from any of the 4 libraries in Le Sud-Ouest borough.
Where to collect them
In person
This service is not offered in this borough.
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque Langelier, Bibliothèque Maisonneuve and Bibliothèque Mercier seed libraries.
The Bibliothèque Maisonneuve also has a special collection for balconies. It features varieties adapted to container growing, including the “Birdie rouge” micro-dwarf tomato and certain earlier-maturing varieties ready to plant directly outdoors, like “Petit Provençal” peas and “Apache” dwarf beans.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to a maximum of five envelopes per year.
Seed donations
Accepted
Place each seed variety in a sealed and properly identified envelope (species, variety, place, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and subscription card) and bring it to the designated location.
Gardening kit
Not available
Where to collect them
In person
This service is not offered in this borough.
This service is not offered in this borough.
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque de Pierrefonds-Roxboro’s seed library.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to three seed envelopes per week, per family, up to a maximum of nine per season. They are distributed from April to September.
Gardening kit
Residents can borrow a garden fork, a weeder, pruning shears, a sprayer and gardening tools for kids.
Partner
This project stems from a collaboration with VertCité.
Where to collect them
In person
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque Rivière-des-Prairies and Bibliothèque Serge Bouchard seed libraries (Pointe-aux-Trembles).
To encourage the use of nectariferous plants, seeds for plants such as borage, echinacea and wild bergamot, all of which attract pollinators, are offered.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to three envelopes per week, up to a maximum of 12 per year.
Gardening kit
Not available
Partner
This project stems from a collaboration with ÉcoPap.
Where to collect them
In person
A library card is not required to get seeds.
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque de La Petite-Patrie’s seed library. Seeds will be added during the course of the season, following the seedling calendar for the Montréal region.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to three seed envelopes per week, up to a maximum of nine per year.
Seed donations
Accepted
To donate seeds, place them in an envelope, writing the variety and the place and date of harvest on it. The library also offers empty envelopes for identification purposes.
Gardening kit
Not available
Where to collect them
In person
Varieties available
Several varieties are available through the éco-quartier’s seed library (VertCité). The selection depends on the donations and exchanges made by participants during the course of the season.
Quantity
There is no maximum quantity, provided that the exchange ratio is equivalent.
Seed donations
Accepted
Residents can drop off their own seeds (empty envelopes are available on site) and exchange them for other varieties. The number of envelopes dropped off should be equivalent to or above the number of envelopes initially taken from the seed library. Seeds can be returned at the end of the season.
Place each seed variety in a sealed and properly identified envelope (species, variety, place, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and subscription card) and bring it to the designated location.
Gardening kit
Not available
Partner
This project stems from a collaboration with VertCité.
Where to collect them
In person
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Bibliothèque de Saint-Léonard’s seed library.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to three envelopes per week.
Seed donations
Accepted
A donation kit with the form and the return envelope is available at the library for purposes of identifying the seed varieties.
Gardening kit
People ages 18 and over can borrow two tools at a time for three weeks: Garden hose, hoe, pruning saw, spreader, pitchfork, knee protectors, soil moisture reader, square-point shovel, round shovel, hand scoop, garden pick, rake, hand trowel, hand weeder, and eight-inch pruning shears.
Document
Where to collect them
In person
Varieties available
A number of varieties are available at the Maison de l’environnement’s seed library. Seeds are available all year long according to the principle of taking seeds in the spring and bringing them back in the fall.
Plant cuttings swap
You can also swap plant cuttings (herbs, vegetables, bulbs, succulents and ornamentals) at the Bibliothèque Jacqueline-De-Repentigny. The exchange service is available from April to August.
Communication channels
In person
Varieties available
Several varieties are offered through the Sainte-Marie, Saint-Jacques and Peter-McGill éco-quartiers.
Quantity
Éco-quartiers Peter-McGill: Residents are entitled to one seed envelope for each variety, up to a maximum of 20 envelopes per year.
Éco-quartiers de Sainte-Marie et Saint-Jacques: Residents are entitled to four different plant varieties per week. For seeds dating back two years or more, you will receive two envelopes per plant, if quantities permit.
Gardening kit
Not available
Where to collect them
In person
Varieties available
To make your selection, please view the catalogue at the Bibliothèque Le Prévost, Bibliothèque de Saint-Michel and Bibliothèque de Parc-Extension seed libraries, or check out the online (in French) seed collection.
Quantity
Residents are entitled to four pre-selected seed envelopes per week, for a maximum of 16 envelopes per year.
It is possible to select a set of four envelopes of your choice from the list of available seeds.
Reservations
Residents can reserve a “custom” selection of seeds at the Bibliothèque Le Prévost by submitting the following form or bringing a paper copy of the completed form to the reception desk. These selections can be assembled and delivered within a week of receiving the form.
Seed donations
Accepted
Place each seed variety in a sealed and properly identified envelope (species, variety, place, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and subscription card) and bring it to the designated location.
Gardening kit
You can get seeds and borrow gardening kits with instructions at the Roulivre mobile library.
Each kit comes in a mesh bag and contains:
- 1 dandelion puller
- 4 growing pots
- 4 packets of pre-selected seeds
- 4 peat seed pellets
- 6 small, colourful gardening tools
- 2 tillers (one with 2 tines, the other with 4 tines)
- 2 transplanters (one wide, one narrow)
- 1 weeder
Where to collect seeds and gardening tools
In person
Need help?
Contact us if you have questions.