Plant and Seed Exchange

Preserve Regional Diversity

Saving, using, and passing on seeds to the next generation used to be a natural part of gardening culture—long before seed corporations existed. Today, only a few people still harvest and use their own seeds. As knowledge and techniques of seed saving are being lost, the historical diversity of home gardens is increasingly replaced by hybrid varieties and standardized seed.

The Seed Exchange at the Hessenpark aims to revive this culture of diversity. Those who have surplus, home-harvested seeds or offshoots of favorite plants are invited to bring them along and exchange them with others. Visitors interested in learning how to collect seeds from their own plants will find information booths and hands-on activities throughout the museum to help them get started. Browse through a wide range of open-pollinated varieties and discover traditional cultivars for your own garden or balcony seed project.