<
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/nov/08/sydney-plant-libraries-exchange-croydon-park-hurlstone-park>
"Tri-coloured frangipani cuttings. A blueberry plant. Daisies and begonias,
oregano and basil. And a lawn edger that was snapped up in a jiffy.
These are just some of the plants and gardening paraphernalia sitting on an
arched shelf at the Carshalton St Plant Exchange in Croydon Park, in Sydney’s
inner west; all are free for neighbours and passersby.
The exchange is just one of many neighbourhood plant libraries around the
country that facilitate the exchange of plants, seeds and cuttings . Much like
kerbside book libraries, people leave plants they no longer want or need – or
take plants to their new home.
“Like many gardeners, I struggle to throw away cuttings from plants that are
easy to propagate,” says Sarah Collins, who established the Carshalton St Plant
Exchange in 2023. “Given a lot of my friends aren’t gardeners and these plants
inevitably die, I thought I’d see if fellow gardeners in the neighbourhood
would like them instead.”
Beyond being a great way to recycle and reduce waste (“I can justify buying
plants because I can cull my collection and put it in the plant exchange”),
Collins says it has enhanced the already close-knit neighbourhood and allowed
her to meet new people.
“[I love] the excitement of finding that a new plant has been left, and when
people stop to talk to me about it whilst I’m in my front yard gardening,” she
says."
Share and enjoy,
*** Xanni ***