The Sparrow Underground
Growing Ecological RESILIENCE Right Where You Are
"In the course of history, there comes a time when humanity is called to shift to a new level of consciousness, to reach a higher moral ground. A time when we have to shed our fear and give hope to each other. That time is now."
-Wangari Maathai
Gardens matter. There is enormous untapped potential in a garden: from growing food to building and remediating degraded soils to filtering and capturing water to creating habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects or adding resilience to your watershed, neighborhood and region. Gardens offer an incredible opportunity to make a difference starting right where you are.
I started this website and community with a question: what would it look to create a connected and resilient community of gardeners, naturalists, soil builders and foragers that supports each other in realizing this incredible potential of resilience in our own backyards and landscape? What strategic support, resources, and strategies could we use to grow resilience one garden at a time?
This website strives to provide resources and ways to do just that!
Check out the 2025 Monthly Planner!
Stay organized in 2025 with this monthly planner, featuring my original watercolor artwork of plants, birds, insects, woodlands, and gardens. Designed for naturalists, foragers, gardeners, soil builders, and tree planters, this planner invites you to connect with the resilience of the natural world. Each month includes a calendar, plus space to set intentions, track habits, and reflect on your progress. With inspiring artwork throughout, it’s a beautiful way to deepen your connection to nature and discover the possibilities of the year ahead—right in your own backyard.
It's currently available here through Amazon but a limited # are also available from me directly via mail or in person if you live in the Philadelphia, PA area. Just be warned that those coming from me may take a little longer to arrive!
What does it take to build back resilient, thriving and regenerative landscapes and communities?
Get a FREE copy of 31 Stories of Ecosystem Restoration
Want to be INSPIRED? Tired of being overwhelmed? There is a lot of despair, anxiety and fear in the world right now - so much so that most people would never guess that there are also incredible stories of rejuvenation, regeneration and flourishing happening all around us RIGHT NOW! Over the years I've immersed myself in this world of regenerators (it took me a long time to find them! and even longer to realize they were all around me!) and I wanted to pull together some of my favorite stories in this FREE .pdf resource. As you read them, just know that these are only a few of thousands of stories out there! These stories give us so much by giving us a glimpse of what is possible... even in our own backyards!
Get your copy here!
What can you do to grow resilience right where you are? Gather practical tips on growing soil, restoring water cycles, fostering abundance and biodiversity right where you are, and tap into a community of people working to imagine what is truly possible if we set an intention to our best possible future. Don't want to miss the latest blog? Get the latest update in your inbox by signing up for my email list here!
View all previous blog posts here!
The Power of a Single Mighty Oak
December 05, 2024
I was walking through a neighborhood last winter and saw a mighty oak. There were a few other trees around, but none quite so big or SO GRAND as this oak. When I saw that single mighty oak in the neighborhood, I thought also of its deep roots drawing nutrients and moisture from deep underground. I though of the sheer amount of carbon it will pull from the atmosphere each season to knit together bark and wood and twigs and acorns and leaves. I thought of how many species it would feed with pollen, nectar, acorns, fresh leaves and insects.
Check out the rest of the blog here!
Gardening with Allison Youtube Channel
If you are interested in watching videos on ways to garden, build resilience in your backyard and community, engage with wild foods, and grow AWESOME plants, check out my youtube channel: Gardening with Allison.