Seed Library Archives

Artist Hailun Zhou works on her plein air painting at the Vallecitos Sustainable Demonstration Garden. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Artists Share Vallecitos Water District Sustainable Garden Through Artwork

June 29, 2026/in Education, Features /by Gayle Falkenthal

Since its opening in 2010, the Vallecitos Water District Sustainable Demonstration Garden has become a well-rounded resource for the community. Originally designed by Palomar College Environmental Architecture and Design students and developed largely through donations from area businesses and community organizations, the demonstration garden offers multiple features to educate and inspire people to adopt their own sustainable practices.

Recently, a talented group of North County-based plein air painters visited the Sustainable Demonstration Garden to create artwork depicting the garden’s beauty and showcasing its sustainable practices.

Plein air artist Kathy Fortenberry paints palm trees at the Vallecitos Sustainable Demonstration Garden. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Group leader Lorraine Marie Cote says plein air painters are artists who create their work outdoors in the natural environment. “It gives us an opportunity to introduce our viewers of the artwork to the world around us in an authentic way,” explained Cote.

Cote says the group wasn’t aware of the garden. “As an artist, I didn’t know, and even as a community member, this garden existed until one of our members connected with the district. It was really kind of Vallecitos to invite us out,” said Cote.See an interview with Cote.

Learn more about the artists’ work at the garden.

Sustainable Demonstration Garden Becomes Community Gathering Place

In 2013, the garden was recognized as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation and a Certified Earth-Friendly Garden by the Master Gardeners Association of San Diego County. The garden was named an Ocean Friendly Garden by the Surfrider Foundation in 2017.

In 2023, Vallecitos installed a Little Free Library stocked with various garden books to inspire residents to adopt a water-wise garden lifestyle. In 2024, Vallecitos partnered with the San Diego Audubon Society to create a California Native Plant Seed Library to ensure the region’s botanical heritage remains intact for future generations and supports bird species, pollinators, and other wildlife.

“As artists, we do have an opportunity to showcase our environment, to show everyone the beauty of it, and hopefully inspire everybody to want to contribute to keeping it beautiful and keeping it sustainable, and if we can help with education in any way, then that’s what we want to do,” explained Cote.

“As homeowners, we also care about our gardens, and seeing this demonstration garden gives me some ideas for my own home about what I can do and how it can still be beautiful while being very water conscious,” added Cote.

Sustainable Garden Grows As Resource

A closer look at Kathy Fortenberry's finished work. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

A closer look at Kathy Fortenberry’s plein air artwork. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

“It’s rewarding to see the garden become a gathering place for the community. Whether someone visits to learn about native plants, borrow a book, collect seeds, or paint outdoors, the garden offers opportunities to connect with both nature and one another,” said Chris Robbins, Public Information/Conservation Supervisor with the Vallecitos Water District.

“The artists captured something we see every day in the garden — the beauty that emerges when native plants, wildlife, and sustainable water practices come together. Their work helps tell that story in a unique and meaningful way.”

Cote invites local artists to join the Tuesday plein-air painting group via her social media or website.

The Sustainable Garden is located in San Marcos and is open for visits and guided tours. Click here for more information, email, or contact the Vallecitos Water District Conservation Department at (760) 744-0460.

The Native Plant Seed Library established by the Vallecitos Water District is a success thanks in part to community contributors known as “Seed Heroes.” Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Seed Heroes Helps Vallecitos Water District Seed Library Flourish

January 21, 2026/in Features, Heroes /by Gayle Falkenthal

After two years, the Native Plant Seed Library established by the Vallecitos Water District is flourishing thanks to community contributors known as “Seed Heroes.”

The seed library is located in the Sustainable Demonstration Garden at the district’s headquarters in San Marcos. The district originally partnered with the San Diego Bird Alliance (formerly the Audubon Society) to launch the groundbreaking initiative to safeguard botanical heritage for future generations.

The seed library focuses on San Diego County’s indigenous plants. Native plants benefit local wildlife and typically use less than half the water required by most drought-tolerant plants, such as rosemary or lavender.

Seed Library Helps Remove Barriers to Growing Native Plants

The Vallecitos Seed Library is located at the district’s headquarters in San Marcos. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Vallecitos Water District public information representative and UCCE Master Gardener Lisa Urabe had wanted a California native plant garden for years for its many benefits, but finding a wide selection of native plants was becoming time-consuming and costly. Her experience helped inspire the Native Plant Seed Library initiative at Vallecitos.

“The original goal for the native seed library was to remove some of the barriers to growing native plants, mainly the difficulty in obtaining California native plants and the cost,” explained Urabe.

“By offering our customers and residents a zero-cost, fun, and easy way to include California native plants in their gardens, we’ve created a way to reduce landscape water usage while creating habitat that supports birds, pollinators, and other local wildlife.”

Learn more about the Seed Library

To date, the seed library has distributed 2,000 individual seed envelopes. Urabe worked with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help it write best management practices on running native seed library programs.

Urabe retired at the end of 2025, leaving the seed library in good hands with help from the community seed heroes and Vallecitos’ Conservation team.

“From the popularity of the seed library, we know that the seeds are being planted. It’s the greatest retirement gift to know that this little seed library has created wildlife habitat for generations to come!” said Urabe.

Recognition for Contributors as “Seed Heroes”

Urabe said recognizing the dedicated contributors as “Seed Heroes” was the district’s way of highlighting community members who have embraced and supported this project through their seed donations and native plant expertise.

Donn and Terry Reese with examples of the seeds they have contributed to the Vallecitos Water District Seed Library. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Donn and Terry Reese contributed seeds from native Coast Live Oaks, along with exotic fruits from their home garden, including cherimoya and sapote, and a variety of vegetable seeds. Donn Reese is a UC Master Gardener. Non-native seeds are also included in the seed library.

Dean Williams, the Vallecitos Water District 2023 Landscape Makeover Contest winner, is an avid seed hero who used seeds from the library to help create a wildlife garden.

Williams was brand new to gardening when he undertook his award-winning makeover project. Several years later, he is hooked. He enjoys the activity in his garden every day. “It’s kind of a place for all the insects and birds. It’s neat to watch all the wildlife. I get a kick out of it.”

Dean Williams won the 2023 Vallecitos Water District Landscape Makeover contest, which jump started his interest in gardening. Photo: Vallecitos Water District

Williams used the PlantNet app to identify the plants. All are drought tolerant and attract native wildlife and pollinators. Williams has planted Viguera, Red Bush Monkeyflower, Desert Globemallow, Elegant Clarkia, and Succulent Lupine with seeds from the library.

In return, Williams often restocks the library with seeds harvested from the plants he’s grown. “It’s a nice way to give back and keep the library stocked with various kinds of seeds.” Williams is creating an edible garden this year and plans to contribute cilantro seeds to the library.

Milkweed is one of the many types of seeds contributed from the personal garden of Dean WIlliams. Photo: Courtesy Dean Williams

Williams encourages beginners to seek out resources from their water district and other organizations for help. “If I could do this, anybody could do it. I couldn’t grow anything before!”

Seed Library Preserves Local Biodiversity

Seeds currently available at the library include California poppy, black sage, and narrow-leaf milkweed, a species that supports monarch butterfly populations. By promoting the cultivation of indigenous species, the library seeks not only to preserve biodiversity but also to support the health and resilience of local ecosystems.

California poppy seeds are available in the Seed Library, contributed by Dean Williams. Photo: Courtesy Dean Williams

The Native Plant Seed Library Program, launched three years ago by volunteers from the San Diego Bird Alliance, addresses the critical lack of native habitat in San Diego County.

With more than 60 Native Seed Libraries established and supported by staff and organizations such as the California Native Plant Society (San Diego Chapter), the program educates the community about the importance of native plants and provides accessible seeds.

An interactive map helps locate the nearest library. Users are encouraged to return clean, mature seeds to sustain both plant life and the free libraries. For more details, visit the map or email nativeseedlibrary@sandiegobirdalliance.org.

The seed box is available during normal business hours. The address is 201 Vallecitos De Oro, San Marcos. Learn more about the Native Plant Seed Library at its webpage.

Seed Libraries are Sprouting Across San Diego County

August 5, 2024/in Media Coverage, San Diego County /by Kylie Capuano /The San Diego Union-Tribuneby Caron Golden

Say the word “library,” and your word association is likely “books.” But across the country, including in San Diego, many libraries also lend other important items, including seeds for home gardens.

Many of these “seed libraries“ aren’t actually conventional libraries: They may be a service organized by neighborhoods, schools or other kinds of organizations. The common factor is that they are all a free community resource that offers locals the opportunity to grow everything from fruits and vegetables to flowers and native plants. All they ask is that patrons return the “borrowed” seeds by way of harvesting new seeds from the grown plants.

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