Gardeners, families and curious nature lovers are invited to dig into a day of community, learning and conservation at the inaugural Great Botanic Seed Swap and Share at Adelaide Botanic Garden.
Held as part of Nature Festival 2026, the Great Botanic Seed Swap and Share event will transform the Rose Garden Pavilion into a vibrant hub for seed swapping, gardening inspiration and family-friendly activities, while raising funds for the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre.
Participants can bring along saved seeds from common kitchen garden plants and exchange them for tokens to use on the day. Those who don't have seeds to contribute can still take part by making a small donation to purchase swap tokens.
The event aims to showcase the simple pleasure of sharing seeds while encouraging people to grow new varieties of vegetables, herbs and companion plants at home.
According to Michael Harvey, Director of Botanic Gardens and State Herbarium, seed saving is an accessible way for people to save money, preserve plant diversity and connect with other gardeners.
"There's something wonderful about saving a seed from your garden, sharing it with someone else and knowing it could become part of another thriving garden," Mr Harvey said.
"The Great Botanic Seed Swap and Share will be a fantastic day out for gardeners and families, while also helping raise funds for the important conservation work of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre."
Visitors can browse the seed swapping table, enjoy drawing demonstrations from the Friends Botanical Art Group, try nature crafts and bird-themed activities hosted by the Diggers Club, and plant a seed to take home with help from the Botanic Gardens Education team.
Other attractions include:
- native seed giveaways
- origami seed packet workshops
- wildlife-friendly gardening resources
- a tomato-themed tombola with gardening prizes
- a commemorative badge-making station
- recycling and resource recovery advice from the City of Adelaide
- a sausage sizzle
- live music throughout the day.
Proceeds from the event will support the science and conservation programs of the South Australian Seed Conservation Centre, which works to help protect South Australia's rare and threatened plant species from extinction.
By attending, visitors will not only enjoy a day of gardening inspiration and community connection, but also contribute directly to efforts to conserve native plant biodiversity across the state.
Gardeners are encouraged to bring seeds from vegetables, fruits, herbs and companion plants and flowers, including edible varieties.
For biosecurity reasons, wild-collected seeds and seeds from plants listed as declared weeds cannot be accepted.
For bookings and further information, visit the Botanic Gardens website.
