Richland County’s Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) is distributing spring vegetable, herb and wildflower seeds via mail, giving residents extra reason to spend time in their gardens while social distancing.

The initiative, part of the SWCD’s new Seed Sanctuary program, encourages residents to complete a request form to receive a random selection of six free seed packets.

Seed types available for spring are listed on the Seed Sanctuary website and include common species such as tomato, basil and coneflower. Residents are limited to one request per household while supplies last.

“I am so excited to share these seeds with the community,” said Mary Hannah Lindsay, who manages the Seed Sanctuary as Education Program Assistant for the SWCD. “I hope this resource will encourage people to start home gardens, as well as raise awareness about the conservation programs the SWCD provides.”

The seed distribution initiative is made possible by an award from the Friends of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Grant Program. In 2020, the NACD provided four grants of up to $2,500 to conservation districts nationwide.

For more information on the Seed Sanctuary program, email Chanda Cooper at cooper.chanda@richlandcountysc.gov.