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TUCSON - Seed libraries are popping up across the country and Tucson is on the forefront of this blooming trend.

A seed library is much like a library with books; people take the seeds, grow the plant, then pick the seeds and return them back to the library.

Native Seeds/SEARCH says it has the first of its kind in Arizona.

"It's exploded in Tucson. It's happening in other places, too, even downtown L.A., but I think we're really setting the pace here in Tucson," says avid gardener, Martha Burgess.

As people in the area catch on to this trend, it'll only make the plants stronger in this dry, desert environment.

"If a plant did really, really well in the heat, then you want to note that and save the seeds," says deputy director, Belle Starr. "Tell the story and then hopefully somebody will pick them up and grow them and then that way we start to get more things that are adapted to our area, that work in this area and work well."

"It's empowering people to get out there and do it themselves and know that they can be in control of their own future food," says Burgess.

"There's not a connection between the seeds and the food and this really helps make a very clear connection, that seeds are the origination of food," says Starr.

It's getting back to the basics with shared seeds, planting roots right here in Arizona.

"We could be growing food and herbs and joyous flowers every season of the year in Tucson," says Burgess.

The grand opening for the seed library is January 15th from noon to 4 p.m. If you'd like to get started right away the library is ready to use right now.

http://www.nativeseeds.org/