POTTSTOWN PA – A long and narrow table, covered by scattered boxes filled with lithe green plants, stood Tuesday night (May 5, 2026) against an interior window on the upper floor of the Pottstown Regional Public Library. Only a handful of people occupied the room, but they crowded close to the table.
The group inspected its contents, and happily but quietly discussed what they saw. They eyed the variety of the offerings, their depth of color, and their hardiness. Then, without saying much more, they also silently appeared to proclaim satisfaction with the selection.
With that seemingly mutual conclusion, the library’s fourth annual two-hour plant swap was under way.
None of this activity is new to Megan Bealer, the library’s head of adult services. Bealer says she began the plant swap program “as a way to get people to engage with each other” for an exchange of something valuable without requiring money.
It worked as intended, right from the start.
The plant swap is not much different, Bealer reasons, than allowing people to borrow books, or CDs, or videos, or tickets to a museum. Those who attended are simply library patrons borrowing each other’s lovingly cultivated living plants, albeit for a far longer period than two weeks.
Photos by Travels With The Post
Highly Dedicated Hobbyists
Tuesday’s event attracted primarily women, but a family or two as well. At most, Bealer reports she expected no more than 20 participants. About 10 arrived in the first 45 minutes.
Many are dedicated indoor house plant and succulent hobbyists. Two women hauled cardboard boxes filled with swapping plants from their parked cars into the library elevator. As they did, they talked excitedly about their efforts and the joy it brings them.
They grow from seeds, from stems, from cuttings. They mentioned rotating and adjusting pots so each plant gets the right dose of daily sunshine. They know just how much each should be watered, and when.
Not everyone contributed plants, but everyone in attendance took some home.
One woman, who read about the session online, came to the library empty-handed. She apologized for not having any plant to swap. She offered, instead, to trade a T-shirt she was wearing for a plant to take home. She took off the overshirt, and earnestly handed it toward Bealer.
“That’s not necessary,” the librarian replied with a gentle smile. “Go ahead and take one,” which the woman did. She also went home with her shirt.
Enter The Seed Library
The continuing success of the plant swap inspired Bealer to expand the program in a different way. She started Pottstown’s Seed Library.
The library consists of a multi-drawer cabinet on a upper-floor shelf, surrounded by (what else?) cases full of books. Most drawers contain small packets of clearly labeled seeds, donated over time.
A few are filled with seeds harvested by gardeners themselves, tucked into handmade envelopes, and neatly described in cursive handwriting. Others are commercial packets, probably found in a garden shed and donated to the cause, Bealer suggests.
Seed borrowers are asked to take only the seeds they need, and someday replace them so others can benefit too. Seed library users are complying.
Maybe, in appreciation, they’ll also bring another carload of boxed plants to next year’s swap.
Our entertainment reporting covers the arts and culture, shows, exhibits, performances, festivals, and community-related activities within, or that affect residents of, Montgomery, Berks, and Chester PA counties. Find more entertainment articles here. Also, see and join the Pottstown Arts and Cultural Alliance group on Facebook.
Register Early for Chamber Golf Outing, and Save