Where to Find a Free Seed Library in Portland

Photo by RDNE Stock project

Are you an avid gardener or someone looking to cultivate your green thumb? Organizeations throughout Portland offer unique and community-centric resources: free seed libraries.

Seed libraries are perfect for anyone interested in growing their own vegetables, flowers or herbs. Let’s explore how these libraries work and where you can find a free seed library in and around Portland.

How Do Seed Libraries Work?

Free seed libraries operate on the simple yet powerful principle of community sharing. Seed libraries often start with donations from local gardeners, seed companies or community organizations. These seeds can include a variety of plants, such as vegetables, herbs, flowers and native species. The collections are usually housed in a dedicated space within a community center, library or even a specially designated seed exchange in a local neighborhood.

Once you’ve food a seed library from the list below, plan to visit the location and choose a seed packet or two to take home. Some seed libraries even include gardening advice and rentable tools.

Keep in mind, one seed equals one plant. Be sure you have supplies ready at home to help your new seeds thrive.

Next, it’s your turn to reap the benefits of the free seeds. If you’re looking to give back to your local seed library, consider Also, consider donating any leftover seeds or learning how to save seeds from your plants to return to the library. This step is completely optional.

Now, let’s find a seed library near you:

Free seed libraries are found in dedicated spaces throughout the city, including libraries, neighborhood seed shares and exchanges, and from community organizations. Here’s what you can find free seeds.

Seed Libraries in Public Libraries

While Multnomah County Library doesn’t have a free seed library, there are plenty of neighboring libraries you can choose from. If you live in Multnomah County, you can access these resources for free from public libraries in neighboring counties with your library card.

Here are the local seed libraries in public libraries:

The Clackamas County Seeds for Sharing program has free seed resources at Gladstone and Oak Lodge libraries. Here’s how it works:

View the seed library catalog for each library online.
Visit the seed library at one, or both, libraries, place your seeds into envelopes and take them to the circulation desk for check out.
You can check out up to 12 Seeds for Sharing envelopes per day.

Gladstone Public Library is at 135 E Dartmouth St. in Gladstone and the Oak Lodge Public Library is at 16201 SE McLoughlin Blvd. in Oak Grove.

City of Milwaukie’s Ledding Library offers a seed library with beans, peas, herbs and flowers. You can check out up to 10 varieties of seeds per visit. Here’s how the library operates:

Place your seeds in a Seeds of Thanks envelope.
Label the envelope with the plant name, variety and planting notes.
Take your seeds to our circulation desk for check out.

The library encourages you to donate any unused seeds back to the library.

Lake Oswego Public Library’s Free Seeds for All program provides gardening information and free vegetable, herb and flower seeds.

Once you locate the seed type you want, remove a few seeds from the packet and place in one of the provided coin envelopes. Label it with the plant name, variety and any information you’d like from the seed packet. Then check out your seeds at the circulation desk.

Once you’re done planting, returning saved seeds is encouraged, but not required.

Neighborhood Seed Share and Exchange

While perusing the PDX Sidewalk Joy Map, you’ll find lots of free neighborhood galleries, exchanges and displays. Some of the more than 60 interactive neighborhood displays are seed libraries:

Little Free Seed Library, at NE 22nd near NE Thompson, is a seed swap filled with pollinator friendly plants, such as milkweed, tithonia and blazingstar.
Similarly, the Milkweed Seed Station, NE 24th and Klickitat, is also dedicated to boosting Portland’s monarch population. Just a short walk from the previous seed library, this seed station is filled with milkweed seeds and gardening guides.
The last one of the map is Roseway Seed Share, NE 75th between Fremont and Klickitat. You’ll find a variety of different seeds at this community share. You’re welcome to pick up and drop off any of your unused seeds.

Community Seed Library

Green Lents hosts many great community resources, from free events to a tool library to a year-round seed library. You can borrow, donate and return seeds on select hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

In addition to seeds, you’ll find gardening tools to borrow, a gardening book lending library, monthly plant swaps and seasonal gardening workshops.

Green Lents seed library is at the tool library, 9215 SE Ramona St. in Portland.

By participating in a seed library, you become part of a larger effort to promote local food production and community resilience. Find your nearest seed library in Portland, and start growing your own vegetables, flowers and herbs.

Did I miss your favorite free seed resource in Portland? Send me a message.

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