This article, written by Doug Meigs, was published in Feb. 19, 2026, edition of the Omaha Magazine. It is also available at omahamagazine.com.
Garden prep goes green with Omaha Library resources
The Common Soil Seed Library—available at library branches across the metro—lets residents “check out” seed packets for home gardens with no return needed. Seeds range from vegetables to herbs, pollinator-friendly flowers, and more.
The seed library launched at the Benson Branch in 2013, and its reach has steadily grown ever since. Library staff observed a 54% increase in seed checkouts during 2025 over the prior year, and the Common Soil seed inventory has increased the volume and variety of available seeds in response to community demand.
Plants at the new Central Library branch at 72nd and Dodge are featured in the collection. An on-site city garden designed by the library’s landscaping and garden partner, Mulhall’s, will showcase native plants that support pollinators, sustainability, and celebrate seasonal changes throughout the year.
“We're making a deliberate effort to include seeds that showcase the plants being grown at the Central Library,” said Courtni Kopietz, the library’s marketing manager.
“The city garden will be a space for the community to come together, a quiet, green space wrapped by the library building to buffer the normal busyness of that intersection,” Kopietz said. “It's a space we anticipate people using for reading and studying, but we'll also host programs and have other educational opportunities there.”
Year-round gardening classes (for all skill levels) are another way to start planning your garden with help from the Omaha Public Library. From winter through early spring, library locations host workshops covering starting seeds indoors, soil preparation, and early-season care. Registration is required.
Beginning in March, the library will roll out a pollinator garden program, offering practical guidance on designing gardens that bloom from spring through fall. Educators from the Nebraska Extension in Douglas-Sarpy Counties will lead the classes.
Visit omahalibrary.org/seed-library, opens a new window for more information.
Five Showcase Plants
Seeds for the following native plants are available in the Omaha Public Library’s Common Soil Seed Library. The highlighted grass and flowers are also featured in landscaping at the new Central Library.
— Wild columbine (Aquilegia canadensis): A spring-blooming native with red-and-yellow nodding flowers that attract hummingbirds and early-season pollinators.
— Blue grama (Boutelona gracilis): A drought-tolerant native grass that adds texture and structure to pollinator gardens while supporting beneficial insects.
— Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis): A striking late-summer bloomer with vivid red spikes that are especially attractive to hummingbirds and butterflies.
— Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta): A hardy native wildflower with tall purple flower spikes that provide reliable nectar for bees through summer.
— Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea): An early-blooming native with bright yellow flower clusters that support spring pollinators, including specialist bees.
This article originally appeared in the March/April 2026 issue of Omaha Home Magazine.