Community Gardeners Restore The Prairie, One Seed At A Time

With the sun and melting snow we've had this week, it's a reminder that winter will eventually be over and gardeners will soon be busy beautifying our community.  So we thought this press release from One Seed Chicago was timely:

NeighborSpace's One Seed Chicago project lets Chicago gardeners vote on their favorite seed, then distributes the winning seed for free in an effort to help Chicago "Grow Together" in 2010.

CHICAGO-This month gardeners across Chicago will begin voting for their favorite prairie seed for One Seed Chicago and the winning seed will be sent to them through the mail.

“For the third year One Seed Chicago is uniting Chicagoans,” said Ben Helphand, NeighborSpace Executive Director. “By planting a common seed, backyards, windowsills, community gardens and balconies across the City will be linked together in a season-long celebration of urban greening.”

In partnership with GreenNet, Chicago's community greening coalition, One Seed Chicago selected the three candidates Chicagoans will choose from. This year the winning seed will be from a plant that was once commonly found in the prairies around Chicago, but that is now rare in the wild outside of prairie restoration projects and cultivated gardens. Once established this native plant will require little water, is less prone to diseases and attracts beneficial insects and birds to a garden.

Vote until April 1st. The winning seed will be announced at the annual Green and Growing Fair, April 24, 2010 at the Garfield Park Conservatory. For more information or to vote visit http://www.oneseedchicago.com/.