The Plant Street Library operates like a book-swap street library, but for plants. People bring their plants & cuttings, and take those that I, or others, have left, as they wish. It's all free and, if people prefer, contactless . It started as a few plants offered from my front gate, but grew rapidly, responding to the needs of new gardeners and old. It has been a joy and a connection during the pandemic, and continues to grow as an online community & neighbourhood hub, exchanging ideas and enthusiasm.

I would like to use an Awesome Foundation grant to build a shade arbor and watering system for The Plant Street Library, to climate proof it during summer and protect the community contributions.

Like any nursery, with young and vulnerable plants, one heatwave day could kill all the communal stock. A shade arbor will give people confidence that their contributions will be protected, and make the library viable through summer. We lost a mature a fiddle leaf fig during the last heat wave day, though by moving stuff and careful attention, we were able to save most of the other plants fortunately.