Giving people a chance to experience the thrill of bonding with nature
Do you remember the thrill you felt the first time you sowed a seed and watched it sprout and grow, and the connection you felt with “your” plant? Seeds2Share was created to give people in our community a chance to experience that thrill and that bond with nature. It was designed to further our mission by turning our neighbors into nurturers of nature who teach others how to propagate native pollinator plants from seed. It was inspired by the fact that the two fastest growing demographics in our village of Miami Shores are young people and the elderly. Our Seeds2Share kits instill in our young people a connection with nature and with community, and a love of making plants grow, and they give older residents the ability to grow plants that beautify our community despite infirmity or having downsized to a condo or apartment without a garden.
With assistance from a grant from the Miami Shores Community Alliance, matching funds from other donors, and the help of numerous volunteers, we developed a kit that includes a mini-greenhouse, information on the native pollinator seeds in the kit, a sheet of butterfly stickers, two sets of peat pellets, and two packets containing seeds of Tropical or Blood sage (Salvia coccinea, native from South Carolina to Florida, and west to Texas), which fit our requirements: the seeds germinate quickly and easily; the flowers attract butterflies and bees (hummingbirds are a bonus!) all year round in South Florida; they are drought-tolerant; and they grow well in sun or light shade.
Once we developed the kit, we took our show on the road, so to speak, with germination workshops at Girl Scout troops and numerous schools in our community.
