Mississauga’s Seed Library launch unites gardeners & experts to grow a sustainable community

It was a chilly, sunny Saturday afternoon when Mississauga resident Anjali Prajapati arrived at the Hazel McCallion Central Library to pick up some books, but the sight of tables adorned with lush plants piqued her curiosity.

She had stumbled upon the City of Mississauga’s annual Seed Library event, bringing together gardening experts, enthusiasts, and beginners under one roof. On March 1, the free-of-cost event marked the 11th anniversary of Mississauga Library’s Seed Library, celebrating the joy of gardening and its boundless possibilities.

A resident browsing through the selection of seeds offered at the Mississauga Seed Library.

(Anushka Yadav/The Pointer)

“It’s our first year hosting at Hazel McCallion Central Library,” City of Mississauga’s manager of program development and training and event organizer Elizabeth Caione shared with The Pointer. 

“For the past two years, we held it at Small Arms, and before that, at the Port Credit Library. Each year, the event has grown, and today, we’re proud to have a thriving community of over 1,000 Seed Library members.”

For Prajapati, gardening had always been a dream tucked away in childhood memories. She recalled watching her mother plant seeds in their small garden in Gujarat, India, eager to learn but never finding the time—until she moved to Canada.

“Last year, I planted some easy-to-grow seeds like tomatoes and a few small flowers. It brought me so much joy,” Prajapati told The Pointer. 

Tomatoes, unlike leafy vegetables and root crops, are less likely to absorb lead from contaminated soil, which is widespread in urban environments.

“This year, I wanted to do more, and this event couldn’t have come at a better time. I’m learning so much about becoming a better gardener—without spending a lot of money.”

As she explored the many booths at the event—ranging from Blooming Boulevards and Community Climate Council to Credit Valley Conservation and Visual Arts Mississauga—Prajapati found herself drawn to the Mississauga Master Gardeners, who offered her practical spring gardening tips and encouraged her to join their passionate community of local gardeners.

Another booth that caught her attention was the Cloverleaf Garden Club of Mississauga, a vibrant gardening community that meets once a month on Wednesday evenings to exchange knowledge, celebrate their gardening successes, and inspire one another.

“One month ago, I started growing salad greens, just to encourage others. Things may get tough for everyone, food-wise, this year, so I wanted to show that for the cost of a small seed package, you can grow your own food,” Cloverleaf Garden Club member Saundra Hewitt told The Pointer.

A 2022 study by the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University in Halifax and Angus Reid showed one in five Canadians took up gardening for the first time during the pandemic, turning to the activity as a new hobby. 

(Dalhousie University, Angus Reid)

In Ontario alone, 12 percent of residents embraced gardening during this time, while 50 percent had been gardening even before the pandemic hit.

(Dalhousie University, Angus Reid)

Ontario, traditionally one of the lowest gardening-participation provinces in Canada, experienced the largest increase in new gardeners since the pandemic, along with the Atlantic provinces.

"Gardening is clearly experiencing a resurgence in Canada due to COVID," Agri-Food Analytics Lab’s director Sylvain Charlebois said. "The results clearly show that gardening remains a beloved activity, even two years into the pandemic."
 

(Dalhousie University, Angus Reid)

While gardening became a popular pastime during the pandemic, it is increasingly seen as more than just a hobby—becoming a vital tool for both financial and mental well-being.

49 percent of gardeners swear by the superior quality of their homegrown produce, while 41 percent are drawn to it as a way to cut costs. 

In 2022, 16.9 percent of Canadians experienced food insecurity, up from 12.9 percent in 2021, according to Statistics Canada. Over the span of four years, from 2018 to 2022, the percentage of individuals in households facing food insecurity has risen by 5.3 percentage points. 

With concerns over food shortages growing, over 12 percent of Canadians are digging into their gardens as a way to take control of what’s on their plate.

In 2024, Mississauga declared a food insecurity emergency recognizing food insecurity has “gone beyond crisis level and is not a temporary issue.”

Urban agriculture is vital for enhancing food security, as highlighted in the City’s Climate Change Action Plan. In 2022, the City introduced its first Urban Agriculture Strategy to mitigate climate-related challenges and strengthen community resilience.

(Urban Agricultural Strategy/City of Mississauga)

At a time when Mississauga has been actively promoting gardening and addressing climate change, one resident, Wolf Ruck, has been engaged in a five-year struggle with the city over his right to maintain a habitat garden.

Despite Ruck’s garden featuring plants like milkweed and goldenrod, which support local pollinators such as bees and monarch butterflies, and are not covered by Mississauga's Tall Grass and Nuisance Weeds By-law, the city has repeatedly cut the tall grass and weeds, citing complaints from neighbours. 

“It’s been a five-year battle. Literally, my whole life is basically focused on this,” Ruck shared with The Pointer, noting the irony in a “modern city” like Mississauga—recently recognized as the 29th Bee City in Canada—continuing to oppose biodiversity lawns.

“It’s completely counterproductive and self-contradictory. The city promotes biodiversity and climate responsibility but then enforces a bylaw that undermines those very goals. It’s as if the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing.”  

While people like Ruck have been unable to maintain a habitat garden, many Canadians feel they lack the space or resources to garden. Hewitt views this as an opportunity to explore new possibilities rather than a limitation.

“It doesn’t matter whether you live in an apartment or a house, even if you only have space for a small pot—anyone can grow something. I started with about 300 seedlings, and they’re all gone now. We even gave away donated vegetable seeds.”

“Gardening is all about trying,” she continued. “You might fail the first time, but the next year you try again, and maybe you find a different method. Everyone should try growing something, especially now. Indoor gardening is an excellent way to start.”

Mississauga residents learn about growing plants indoors from a member of the Credit Valley Horticultural Society.

(Anushka Yadav/The Pointer)

Beyond its practical benefits, gardening has long been celebrated for its profound impact on mental well-being. 

The simple act of tending to plants—feeling the soil between one’s fingers, watching a seedling sprout, and witnessing a garden flourish—has been shown to ease stress, lift moods, and create a deep sense of tranquillity. 

Studies on horticultural therapy (HT) reveal that active gardening and even the passive appreciation of nature can alleviate symptoms of depression and schizophrenia, enhance cognitive function, and boost self-esteem and decision-making abilities.

“I love gardening. I love flowers, and I love to grow vegetables, like tomatoes. I have a very small garden, but taking care of a garden makes me so happy, like when I harvest tomatoes, or Swiss chard or peppers, oh my god, the flavour, the taste is unbelievable. It's so much better than store-bought stuff, and then you get a satisfaction, like you grew your own vegetables and you can enjoy it,” Mississauga resident Lynette L. shared with The Pointer.

“Everyone should try it, even if you can put it in a pot. You don't have to be a big-time gardener, and you learn my experience, and it's a wonderful way to relieve stress as well.”

Research suggests that gardening can alleviate symptoms of mental illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia, while also improving cognitive function, self-esteem, and decision-making abilities. 

Lynette and Prajapati were among the many residents exploring the Seed Library launch event’s workshops. Attracting Birds to Your Yard by Credit Valley Conservation taught participants how to create bird-friendly spaces, while Grow Your Own Greens by Plant Based Treaty demonstrated how to cultivate kale and spinach in small areas.

Residents attending a presentation by Credit Valley Conservation on how to attract birds to their yards and the impact of climate change on bird populations.

(Anushka Yadav/The Pointer)

By 3 p.m., the much-anticipated Seed Library form opened, offering free open-pollinated and non-GMO seeds. Residents could choose from tomatoes, beans, marigolds, and more, equipping them to start or expand their gardens.

“It’s free of cost…Sometimes we have to close the form and then, we open it again throughout the growing season. The Mississauga Seed Library is totally self-sustaining, so we rely on donations. We take those donations and we put them back into the Mississauga Seed Library, and then we distribute that first to the Mississauga community,” Caione said.

“The whole point of the event and the Seed Library is to promote gardening, growing in the community, food literacy, providing an access point to Mississauga residents through the workshops as well as through the ordering of seeds."

Lynette L. (left) visits a booth, interacting with a mother and daughter at the event.

(Anushka Yadav/The Pointer)

Lynette L. left the event with some gardening goodies, but for her, the real reward was the shared knowledge and the role of initiatives like the Seed Library in securing the future.

“We have to think about the future. We have to save the seeds for generations to come, right? And if we don’t think about the environment and the future, what’s going to happen to the kids and the grandkids? We’re all going to die of starvation. That’s not good. We all have to take care of each other,” she said before heading off to explore more booths.

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