Fieldston Community Gardens: Rewilding an Urban Lot

This community led project emerged from the stillness and uncertainty of the COVID era, when neighbors sought connection, purpose, and renewal. A co-ops underused yard—once a derelict lot compacted by years of construction storage—began its transformation into a thriving, multifaceted landscape. What was barren ground now holds native and drought tolerant pollinator gardens, a woodland fern path, a small herb garden, and an inviting entrance framed by seasonal blooms that greets residents with fragrance and possibility.

The community quickly became skilled and enthusiastic stewards, especially in removing invasive plants. With each invasive pulled, the soil welcomed back native species and friendly volunteers, revealing how much resilience was waiting just beneath the surface.

Alma guided the design and care of the planted beds, teaching techniques that help the large yard flourish year after year. Together, they developed creative strategies to navigate the site’s biggest challenges: no direct water source and soil severely compacted from decades of neglect. The first step was healing the soil itself—loosening it with deep rooted plants like radishes and shrubs such as viburnum and sumac, whose fibrous roots weave and knit the soil back to life. From there, Alma shaped drought tolerant gardens, experimenting with hardy species and using the yard’s natural low points to capture precious moisture.

Through all its surprise blooms and unexpected returns, this garden reminds us that tending land is always an act of co creation—between people, plants, birds, bees, and the shifting moods of weather. In this collaboration, something magical takes root: a natural, evolving landscape that invites us to rewild not only the soil, but something within ourselves.