Welcome to

Sow & Grow Regenerative

My name is John Metcalf, I am a Holistic Gardener, Permaculture Designer, Regenerative Soil Consultant, Earth Scaper, Land Steward, Teacher & Student of Nature.

I am on a mission to help reconnect as many people as I can back to their gardens, back to their community spaces, back to the Earth and back to their nature. My passion is creating a purposeful life through growing gardens that are healthy, organic, regenerative and holistic.

My gardening reflects how I feel about the earth and my health is directly related to the lifestyle I invest in. Gardens, allotments and community green spaces are sanctuaries-they reflect of our state of mind, health and community.

We can start at home and in our community!

Imagine your garden as your own sanctuary; having your senses stimulated by the nature around you, feeling like you are part of it. Your quiet and peaceful space!

What does that look like for you? Can you see the colours and shapes, hear the sounds of nature, smell the fragrances of the flowers, explore your garden whilst grounding your bare feet to the Earth.

The garden is uniquely yours, it can come in many forms and serve many purposes. How much time, effort, energy, love, money and intention you invest into your garden will determine the return you receive.

Whether you would want a garden full of ornamentals, to enjoy the fruits of an edible landscape, relax and take comfort into your private space or a combination of them all…..

Then you are in the right place.

My journey of growing food began in 2010 at the local allotment, since then I have Gained my ‘Advanced Permaculture Design Certificate’ (APDC) and completed the in depth course ‘Regenerative Soil’, both with Matt Powers, who is one the leading permaculture and regenerative soil teachers in the world. This has allowed me to create a holistic framework and have a deep understanding of plant and soil care. I have been supporting people to create gardens that bring them joy, contentment and opens up new possibilities for how they invest into their life. Ultimately, our health and wellbeing is the foundation of the quality of our life and the garden is a portal to optimising our health and wellbeing.

Regenerative and Permaculture principles lay out very clearly how the holistic ecosystem over time is climatically resilient, economically profitable and promotes health and abundance for all living individual and collective organisms. Which most definitely benefits us!

I am

Design a space that is tailored to your current lifestyle, or the lifestyle you’re looking to create. Working in collaboration with you
Create that space that best nurtures your values and that reflects your passions of life.
Nurture the space for you to be able to receive the most value from and allows you to nurture yourself.

Please look at my services below to find out more

Projects

‘The Permaculture Plot’

In 2023 I re-designed my allotment plot as a permaculture site, which includes a food forest, perennial plants, medicinal herbs, ancient grains, kitchen garden, wildlife are and earth works. It showcases the regenerative benefits of permaculture on a small site. It only measures 154m2.

I have incorporated knowledge of many regenerative aspects of design including companion planting, water capture and distribution (slow, spread and soak) soil remediation, earthworks, vermicomposting, and natural farming amendment techniques.

Sow & Grow is the vision created as a response to my many years of research into the environmental and societal problems in the world.

Learning about the inter-connected nature of our beautiful planet; the search for my place in it all, and my ongoing observation of the human mind, I have been able to gain an insight into the many ways in which we have been disconnected from our relationship with food, community and the natural world.

Gaining a fresh curiosity and an overwhelming desire to know the truth about life, or ‘the nature of things’- I have found my purpose in life.

After completing my allotment design, which is now developing and evolving into something even more abundant and beautiful than I first imagined, I have now embarked on a new venture……..

‘The Walnut Project’

This is a venture started in late 2024, after meeting Danny of ‘Ordanics’ through a mutual friend, we started to regenerate a 1 acre site in Great Wakering.

I have created an initial design, where we have two main areas, a market garden and permaculture area. There is also an established mini orchard, which we will slowly create understories for to create our forest garden. We also have an area that is for cooking and socialising, as well as a compost toilet and campfire area, which is on the edge of the semi wild area!

We have chosen to eventually open this space to the community. Initially we are laying the foundations, setting up the infrastructure and remediating the Earth. We have performed a soil mineral assay so we can best plan how and what to apply to the earth.

Other Projects

This year, 2025, we have begun to create food gardens for the people of Essex. Building raised beds, sowing seeds and planting out fruit trees, revamping ponds and offering our advice. All tailored to our clients individual desires and requirements.

We will be expanding our reach and scaling up through the rest of the year and using the Walnut site as our HQ to further develop our mission.

Learn from the Past, Create for the Future, Live for the Now

Welcome to

Sow & Grow Regenerative

Projects

‘The Walnut Project’

Learn from the Past, Create for the Future, Live for the Now

PERMACULTURE LANDSCAPE TO HELP YOU LIVE THE GOOD LIFE

About Me

Links

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