As spring returns to Montréal, many residents of Parc-Extension are looking at their balconies, backyards and shared courtyards with new ideas. What some may not realize is that free seeds and even gardening tools are available right here in the borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.
Several public libraries and eco-quartiers across Montréal offer seed distribution programs to encourage urban gardening and biodiversity. In Parc-Extension, residents can access this service through the Grainothèque located in participating branches of the Bibliothèques de Montréal, including the Bibliothèque de Parc-Extension, as well as at the Le Prévost and Saint-Michel libraries within the same borough.
With a valid Montréal library card, residents can obtain seeds free of charge. The only borough excluded from this specific library seed access rule is Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie. In eco-quartiers, proof of residence is required to receive seeds.
The selection includes a wide variety of options suitable for Parc-Extension’s urban environment. Residents can choose from native plant species, nectar-producing plants that support pollinators, culinary herbs, edible flowers, ornamental flowers, fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants and organic or heritage varieties. For apartment dwellers with limited space, many of these varieties are well suited to container gardening on balconies.
There is a clear limit designed to ensure fairness and availability for all. Residents may receive up to four preselected seed envelopes per week, with a maximum of twenty-four envelopes per year. It is also possible to choose a customized set of four envelopes from the list of available seeds. At the Le Prévost library, residents can reserve tailored seed lots by submitting a form online or in person at the service desk. Once the request is received, the package is assembled and can be delivered within approximately one week.
The program is built on sharing. Residents are encouraged not only to take seeds but also to contribute. Donations of seeds are accepted, provided they come from pesticide-free, herbicide-free and chemical fertilizer-free cultivation, or from non-cross-pollinated plants. Each donated variety must be placed in a sealed, clearly labelled envelope indicating the species, variety, place of harvest, date and year of harvest, number of seeds, telephone number and library card number. The envelopes are then deposited at the designated location in participating branches.
For those who want to garden but lack the proper tools, help is also available. Gardening kits can be borrowed through the mobile library service known as Roulivre. These kits include basic tools and materials to start a small vegetable garden. Each mesh bag contains a tool to remove dandelions, two cultivators with different tines, four preselected seed packets, peat pellets for starting seedlings, small hand tools, growing pots, a hoe and two transplanting tools of different sizes.
In Parc-Extension, where green space can sometimes feel limited, initiatives like this make urban agriculture more accessible. Whether growing tomatoes on a balcony, herbs on a windowsill or flowers in a shared courtyard, residents have access to practical support at no cost. It is a simple way to strengthen food autonomy, encourage biodiversity and bring a little more green into the heart of the community.
