On a sunny Wednesday afternoon in May, a table overflowing with herbs, roots, flowers and citrus fruits sat in the Pacific Beach/Taylor Library courtyard.
Sitting behind the table was Lally Adler, a gardening aficionado with extensive knowledge of native plants.
She was there for the library’s gardening exchange, held monthly on the first Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m.
“I have been into gardening forever and came back to Pacific Beach from Mission Valley during the COVID lockdown,” Adler said. “My old boss recommended I help out with some gardening things through the library and that is how this got started. Then, two years ago we started the seed library, which is always running.”
The library’s monthly gardening exchange and year-round seed library are opportunities for locals to learn about native plants with a hands-on approach. Adler said it is her hope that both offerings can work in tandem, offering library visitors native horticulture knowledge from their own backyard.
“Christina Wainwright, Pacific Beach Library manager, is very good at pointing people’s strengths in the right direction,” Adler said. “She saw that another local library had one of these exchanges going and set this up so that I can come here and talk about plants.”
As visitors came and went from the gardening exchange table, tomato plants, small oranges and rose clippings were picked up, with drop-offs of local succulents, lemons and bulbs.
“For me, this kind of began as a mental health thing. Having a reason to be outside for hours and learn about the plants is therapeutic,” Adler said.
With a deep understanding of each plant on the table, Adler is able to recommend what each visitor takes.
For the simple ones, like roses to add to a vase or lemons and oranges to eat, Adler offers them up on a first-come, first-serve basis. But for the more intricate and involved plants, like a small budding coffee tree or tomato vines, Adler explains in detail what the taker will need to keep their new plant thriving.
Indoors, a former card catalog hosts several drawers of seed packets. Labeled by variety and accompanied by a booklet with background information and maintenance tips, the seeds are accessible at all times during library hours.
In May, there were seeds for artichokes, asparagus, beans, beets, bok choy, carrots, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, ground cherries, kale, leeks, lettuce, melon, onions, peppers, squash, pumpkins, Swiss chard, tomatillos, tomatoes, watermelon, California natives, flowers and herbs.
“The popularity for these seed libraries has grown so much in recent years,” Adler said. “The goal is that people take seeds home, plant and nourish them and then ultimately, once the plant has flourished and produces new seeds, they bring them back to the library. The goal of each of these is to get plants out into the community and introduce people to gardening.”
Sponsored by Friends of the Pacific Beach Library, the seed library began in mid-2023 and allows gardeners to take up to six packets of seeds per winter and six per summer.
“Some seeds are harder than others to keep alive and grow,” Adler said. “In general, gardening with existing plants is quite a lot simpler than bringing seeds to fruition.”
She said this is why the library equips each gardener with ample information.
Outside at the gardening exchange, Adler pointed out a bundle of sage from her garden. The plant, used most commonly as a culinary additive, is native to San Diego.
“People don’t really think about this kind of internet trendy plant often used for saging rituals as being from here, but it is and I strongly recommend to anyone who can plant it, do so. We are one of the only sources in the world who can grow this,” Adler said.
It is this level of understanding that allows Adler to successfully manage both projects, knowing what each plant needs and understanding that sometimes all visitors want is to take home a lemon or flower bouquet.
Kathy Hargrove is a local gardener and Pacific Beach resident who frequents the exchange. Regularly bringing her own contributions and taking from the table, Hargrove said she loves the opportunity to learn from Adler and gather new additions for her garden.
“I think it is a wonderful thing, it is a great contribution to the community. This allows people to grow things that are free,” Hargrove said. “There are plenty of cool vegetables like lettuce and carrots that thrive in colder temperatures and other times there are plants like tomatoes and cucumbers that require warmer soil. The seed library also has seeds of these plants you can check out.”
PB resident Yuliya Vergeles swung by the exchange out of curiosity and ended up leaving with several succulents.
“I am not confident enough yet for some of the other plants, but this should be a good place to start. I am going to try and plant them outside,” Vergeles said.
Want to visit?
Gardening exchange/seed library
Where: Pacific Beach/Taylor Library, 4275 Cass Street.
When: Gardening exchange is held monthly on the first Wednesday from noon to 2 p.m.
To check out seeds, visit the library during operating hours and speak with staff at the front desk.
Questions: Email [email protected] or call 858-581-9934
