Wauwatosa Public Library Giving Away Seed Packs To Residents

WAUWATOSA, WI — The Wauwatosa Public Library will be one of nearly 70 libraries across Wisconsin giving away seed packets for pollinator-friendly plants.

Libraries in Brown, Dane, Dickinson, Jefferson, Milwaukee and Waukesha counties will give away smooth blue aster and butterfly weed seed packets through the American Transmission Company's Grow Smart program.

These plants invite more pollinators like bees, birds and butterflies to residents backyards. Gardening increased last year in record numbers due to the COVID-19 pandemic and 86 percent of homeowners plan to continue gardening in 2021, according to an ATC statement.

"We generally give away seed packets at major garden and lawn shows to encourage people to plant low-growing, native plants under transmission lines," ATC communications director Greg Levesque said, "Many of these events were cancelled due to the pandemic, so we are giving our remaining inventory to public library systems to help improve pollinator habitat in communities where ATC employees live."

Here are some nearby libraries where seed packets are given away:

• Wauwatosa Public Library at 7635 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa, WI 53213
• Milwaukee Public Library at 2121 N. Sherman Boulevard, Milwaukee, WI 53208
• Elm Grove Public Library at 13600 Juneau Boulevard, Elm Grove, WI 53122