CFIN's Seed Sculptures Project

A watershed is an area of land that drains precipitation into a given body of water.  CEI's Families in Nature members spent the summer and autumn of 2025 exploring the concept of watersheds and human impact (good and bad) on them!   Our exploration was funded in part by a grant from the Chesapeake Bay Trust (with monies coming directly from sales of Save the Bay license plates). 
One of our projects which was shared with the broader community was to create seed sculptures -- seed balls with added details for artsy fun!  If you joined a seed sculpture experience, check out some of the plants your seed sculpture could reveal!  Remember to place seedballs as instructed (a reminder is below in case you lost your paper) and send us photos of plants that grow, we would love to see them! [email protected] 

All seeds used are native to the Piedmont region of Maryland.

Native plants support other living creatures in our local watersheds by providing specialized food and shelter, helping to manage excess water and are also adapted to survive longer in periods of dry weather (so require less watering), and are beautiful to look at as a bonus to humans!  Planting native plants and supporting businesses that sell native plants is the way to go to be good stewards of our watershed.

Our Freetown Farm and Green Farmacy Garden properties are both in the Middle Patuxent River Watershed (all of us living in Maryland are in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and that little stream near your house...that could be the waterbody of your 'sub-watershed').  Learn more about watersheds: What's a Watershed
What's your watershed and how are your local waterways doing?

Build your own seed sculptures at home!  Send us photos and stories about your project!  [email protected]

Directions for placing your seed sculptures for successful growing!
Enjoy your seed sculpture in a safe indoor place until Thanksgiving; in late November or early December, place your seed sculpture outside (native plant seeds need to have some time in the cold in order to germinate – this is called cold stratification– and spending the winter outdoors is just right for that!).

When placing your seed sculpture, make sure you are planting in an area that gets the conditions indicated for the best possible chance of your plants thriving (see below).

Make a small clear space on the ground for your seed sculpture to sit on bare earth; ‘rough’ the ground up a bit with a rake or even your hands.  Do not bury or break apart your seed sculpture (it is okay to put it outside if it has broken on its own though).  I suggest making yourself a little sign to remind yourself of your seeds - your sculpture will ‘melt away’ over the winter.

If you remember, next spring send pictures of any plants to: [email protected]!