The ‘Garden Sanctuary’
Here in the UK, we are some of the most passionate and dedicated gardeners in the world. The quintessential garden is now being complimented by more diverse designs. Whatever the theme of the garden, the reasons why we garden is also diverse. Ultimately, what every gardener shares is the feeling they get from helping plants grow.
It used to be, that communities would grow a diverse range of plants on their own land- flowers, herbaceous ornamentals, herbs, fruit and vegetables. This was a scene very popular until the end of the 19th century
In the modern world of next day delivery and information overload the garden allows us to re centre and find peace in the chaos. There are so many benefits to growing a garden? Here are some them-
Physical Health: We are getting great sun exposure (especially in the morning and evening hours) We also exercise our bodies gently and subtly and we are exposed to more oxygen. Then we have the ancient practice of grounding or earthing (placing our bare feet on the grass or soil) actually creates negative ions in our bodies-which is very beneficial.
Mental Wellbeing: There is no doubt now that gardening on a regular basis, even just sitting in the garden is amazing for our mental wellbeing. Research from around the world is showing the benefits of gardening, especially in growing food for people who deal with depression, anxiety and 0ther mental health imbalances. Touching good healthy soil also shows incredible benefits for the perspective we have towards our life.
Emotional Balance: Evidence is highlighting just how deeply we are connected to the Earth and how our separation from it not only causes mental dis-ease, it also affects how we feel emotionally and how we express ourselves to others. It is quite evident that people who invest more time in outside spaces are more emotionally grounded and balanced. This is about the experience we are having and the exposure to natural friendly chemicals that plants emit, especially in woodland areas. Phytoncides are chemicals that plants release that can lower blood pressure, heart rate and cortisol levels promoting relaxation and well being.
Spiritual Connection: All spiritual belief systems were created from the observation of nature. The Eastern systems in particular emphasised the importance of the interconnectedness of all life. Creating a garden space that facilitates these connections-plant life, wildlife, pollinators and human beings develops a richer and more vibrant life.
Social Inclusion: The garden is a meeting place for family and friends, some people even open up their gardens to the public for one or two days a year for others to feel inspired. In the past few decades the garden has been the gathering place for BBQ’s and parties in the summertime. Now some communities are using these spaces to bring people together to become more interactive with the garden itself, while others are using their gardens to educate groups.
Whatever your reasons to invest in your garden, the more you invest the more benefits you will receive. Your garden can be your sanctuary, where you meet nature to reconnect.
Here at Sow & Grow, we believe that a garden is to be enjoyed by the senses. A space to unwind, relax and destress within nature.
We can create that space for you to enjoy with your friends and family throughout the seasons. Even throughout the winter months, there can always be something going on in the garden.
Would you enjoy picking your own herbs from the garden for dinner, or perhaps some tasty greens like Spinach and Pak Choy, or even some succulent tomatoes and delicious beans and peas.
Or would you just like to enjoy the bulbs coming up in early spring and the flowering shrubs and common ornamentals, with their dazzling colours and fragrances?
Imagine what our garden could become
I have years of experience, working on estates and gardens helping people to create the spaces that they can enjoy throughout the year.
More reasons to plant a garden:
- Great activity for the family and it’s financially affordable
- Young people and adults have a break from their devises
- You are grounding and absorbing negative ions
- You experience natural red light therapy
- Beneficial for mental and physical health
- Growing herbs, vegetables and fruit is a lot cheaper than buying from a shop, or farm
- Brings a sense of overall wellbeing and fulfilment
- By growing a garden you can help nature thrive, creating a space for pollinators and birds, hedgehogs and frogs.
- We are more likely to build a community in our immediate community.
Permaculture, Regenerative Soil & Human Health
Are you looking to transform your garden space, allotment or even a smallholding into a natural paradise?
Would you like to connect with nature, grow food, re-wild, help pollinators, keep chickens, involve your family and friends?
Then this is for you.
How would your ideal garden space look? Imagine it-How would it feel to be in that space?
Permaculture
I practice Permaculture-an holistic framework that is aligned with nature, which uses efficient methods and systems to create abundance in people and the earth. It’s goal is to create natural systems that encourage cooperation and collaboration over competition. It is diverse, inclusive and regenerative.
From raised beds to hügelkulturs, container gardens to forest gardens- As a Permaculture Designer I create edible ecosystems that are regenerative, abundant and healthy-providing holistic designs that you create cyclical closed loop systems: including water management, composting methods, biological inputs, planting systems, soil health management, remediation & much more.
Regenerative Soil
Everything starts with the soil. When we create strong and resilient foundations, then anything built on that will benefit. Soil regeneration is about a multi-faceted approach. The physical, biological, chemical and electrical components of the soil need to work synergistically. The plants along with the soil life use the natural elements to build strong and resistant systems. Bio-diversity is key to resilience, abundance and health.
Creating natural cycles, facilitates a natural reduction and eventual elimination of inputs, just like a woodland or forest, once established will require very little work. Building buffers in the soil protects against climatic changes and generating robust soil biology enables plants to become resistant against attacks from disease and pests.
Growing with our food allows us to become part of nature. (As far as I am aware there are no drawbacks from learning how to live a regenerative life.)
Human Health
Human health is directly related to plant, animal and soil health. Whatever your diet, the food you consume and the lifestyle you lead determine your level of energy and health. When we are grounded in the present and live from creative mindset we start to transform the way we live. We invest ourselves into more wholesome endeavours. Our gardens have the potential to heal us.
From the food we eat, to the water we drink and bathe in to the amount of sun exposure, the toxins we are exposed to and the time we invest in activities during our leisure hours are continually creating new cycles and patterns that become habits and a way of living. Once we create new: cycles, new habits, behaviours and a way of life
Growing your own food, and becoming more locally resourceful not only becomes more economical, environmentally friendly and healthier it also creates a deeper connection to the earth allows us to understand the natural cycles, be more in the present, which decreases the anxieties and worries of life.
Even the time we invest in learning brings us benefits, multiple times the investment we make.
As we partner with nature, all aspects of our life improve. There are many studies backed up by peer reviewed papers as well as cutting edge science that are showing that growing a garden is the most natural, economical, environmentally and effective path to holistic health.
Growing a garden has the potential to heal our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social predicaments.
The Future of Holistic Health
The Permaculture ethics of Earth Care, People Care and Future Care, are inseparable. Human health is dependent on the health of the Earth and the health of the Earth, is about the state of mind we decide to live in. The more toxic and polluted the earth becomes, the more disease we find in humans. Physical, mental, spiritual and societal ills are all a result of and a reflection of how we treat our Earth.
Imagine if everyone cared for their garden space with love and used it as their own healing sanctuary?
How would that change human health?
There are many white (peer reviewed) papers that are showing just how beneficial for human health growing a garden is. Many of the famous philosophers, artists and thinkers throughout history were keen gardeners and naturists.
Even the basic scientific understanding that more plants means more carbon captured and more oxygen produced is enough to persuade many people, the numerous benefits of growing a garden.
Growing your own food whilst encouraging pollinators, creating wildlife areas, involving your family, friends and community, are just a few of the benefits.
How would you life improve through growing a garden?
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.
‘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……..
Learn from the Past, Create for the Future, Live for the Now
Lisa’s Herb Garden
Lisa has been one of my clients since last year and after hearing she was attending cooking classes, I offered to create a Herb Garden for her.
Just like all of our products, we only use the best. The herbs we used were grown without pesticides and using organic fertilisers.
Lisa was overjoyed with the finished product and has been using her herbs to compliment her daily dishes. There are also herbs there like valerian and mint which are really good for herbal teas.
Initial Investment: £1000 (includes design, implementation and materials) Took approximately 1 day)
Ongoing Investment Options:
- Mentoring Service-Online or in person, depending on location. Regular basis (weekly, fortnightly or monthly). This starts from £30 per hour.
- We also make and sell our own garden amendments (this is something we can teach you also).Please speak to us and we can recommend which amendments are appropriate for your context.
Return on Investment
- Lisa uses her herb raised bed and garden when she cooks. It complements her cooking classes. She commented on how much he enjoys harvesting the herbs fresh and how good they taste.
- Feeling inspired by the herbs, Lisa is looking to expand the edible crops she grows in the future and is now meeting more people who are want to do the same.
Lee & Nicole’s Edible Garden
Sow & Grow Regenerative and Ordanics teamed up in April to create this amazing edible garden for Lee, Nicole and family. They already had chickens and had attempted to grow food in previous years. Now on their new property and being old friends with Danny (Ordanics), they decided to give it another go.
We built raised beds from beautiful oak sleepers, took the time to choose the most effective design to compliment the land and Lee and Nicole’s palette and had a frame built around the raised beds to create a covered and protected space. We also planted out some fruit trees.
The raised beds are a mix of perennials and annuals and as the year goes by we will continue to increase the biodiversity so the family can enjoy their beautiful space.
We are visiting weekly, so we can guide them through the seasons and teach them how to make the most from their growing space.
Lee and Nicole are very enthusiastic to learn and enjoy their garden even more.
Towards the end of the year, we will be redesigning and creating a new pond in place of the existing one, so they can enjoy their space even more.
Initial Investment: £10,000 (includes Design, Implementation and all materials) Takes approximately 1 weeks to complete.
Ongoing Investment Options:
- Mentoring Service-Online or in person, depending on location. Regular basis (weekly, fortnightly or monthly) This begins at £30 per hour
- We also make and sell our own garden amendments (this is something we can teach you also).
Return on Investment:
- Both Lee and Nicole, have commented on how the Edible raised beds have brought their garden alive. Both enjoying the various vegetables that are currently growing.
- They can use this space to grow the food they like and each year expand upon it.
- They are enthusiastic about creating a space that is educational for their children, helps the environment and allows them to be with nature.
The ‘Pet Proof’ Raised Beds
Due to our cat, and the resident foxes, squirrels and badgers wanting to dig everything up that has soil in it, I designed these beds to keep our crops safe. They are very robust and are user friendly.
You can grow most smaller crops in them, such as basil, salads, greens, spinach, etc. We have also planted some strawberries and perennial greens. We use them everyday and although our cat uses them as one of his sleeping places, he can’t get in.
These are the ideal choice if you are new to growing food and would like to start off with small crops. They are also a great option for those that have limited space.
These beds measure at 1m2 and are about 80 cm high. Although they can be tailored to your requirements.
Initial Investment
- Each raised bed costs £400 (which includes; all materials, soil, compost, seeds and plants and labour)
- Weekly mentoring on how to care for plants and maintenance £30 per hour (this includes and biological and mineral amendments to help the plants)
Return on Investment
- Imagine each day going into your garden and picking your herbs, salads and greens for your lunch and dinner
- Starting off small you only have to dedicate a small amount of time and effort
- The nutritional content of homegrown food far surpasses any shop bought produce
- Your crops will be safe from mammals and rodents and most insects, slugs and snails cannot get to your food.
Tailored Services
Our Services
(You can mix and match the services that best suit your needs)
Designing
- Personalised design of your garden, allotment or other space (this involves a consultation process to design your ideal garden)
- Hand drawn or CAD design that will give you a visual representation of how your garden will look once created
- We can design any size space in any context, whether you are looking for purely ornamentals, herbs, fruit and vegetables or a combination of them
- I am a qualified and experienced Permaculture Designer passionate about plants, wildlife and soil and the benefits they bring us.
Creating
- Locally and ethically sourced materials
- Home grown plants and homemade mineral and biological natural fertilisers (that’s right we make our own garden amendments) We also have over an acre where we grow some of our plants and build the structures to compliment your garden
- Our skilled carpenter can build anything from garden rooms to garden benches to planters and raised beds
- We also create wildlife ponds from the small to the large
- Following the the agreed design, or based on our discussion we will carefully source seeds, plants (the ones we don’t grow) along with all other required materials, bring in any specialists and create your dream garden
- Step by step communication to ensure we are fulfilling your desires and to keep you up to date with any developments.
- We will visually document the entire process and give you the video so you are able to look back at your dream garden being created.
Nurturing (Plant Care, Soil Care, Animal Care, Human Care)
- Pruning to encourage correct growth at the correct time of year
- Lawn Care to get the most from the lawn and to reduce the need to water
- Weeding (Yes we weed) it’s an important part of garden care
- Nurturing your plants to optimise their health-plants need particular care to establish and also to mitigate against attack from disease or pests (this is where our homemade fertilizers come into play)
- Soil Care, to maintain a healthy garden, caring for the soil is essential. Fortunately, it’s one of my specialist subjects.
- Nurturing those wildlife areas is extremely important for the health of your plants and soil
- Maintaining those areas which you inhabit is also essential for you to enjoy your garden.
There is a new Gardening Revolution happening, why not be part of it.
Contact us here or
Mobile 07990575201
Email:sowseedgrowfeed@protonmail.com
to discuss how we can help you.
All the best
Sow & Grow Regenerative
I use my knowledge of Permaculture, Soil Regeneration, my experience in mentoring and facilitation as well as my research on current & historical socio-economic and climatic changes to create a tailored plan. Creating a resilient and abundant ecosystem, a healthy and adaptive mindset and a holistic lens will enable you to mitigating against climatic changes and socio-economic uncertainty.
My goal is to equip you with the knowledge of how these systems work, so you can become self-reliant, building skills and the mindset that will enable you to overcome obstacles and create a solutions based perspective. I can teach you about Permaculture Principles and and Regenerative Soil techniques and most importantly how these relate to natural cycles and patterns that are found throughout nature from the microcosm to the macrocosm.
Site Design includes consultation, advice, soil sampling and site observation visits. Observation is a key element of design and as much information and knowledge of the site is needed before this can take place.
Soil Remediation Plans are context specific and are adapted to your individual needs and desires. Soil is the foundation of all ecosystems. In fact without soil, all life would not exist. I consider healthy soil to be the lynchpin of healthy animals and humans. Building great soil will make the difference to your plants and animals. It is an integral component to creating the natural cycle that exists in all environments on Earth.
I will work with you to create a design that is uniquely adapted and contextually appropriate for your climate and personal circumstances. I offer advice and consultation on holistic food production, increasing soil health and creating abundant bio-diverse systems. Using the permaculture framework and regenerative techniques you will be able to understand how to form synergistic relationships with your plants, land and animals which will lead to you being able to regenerate your eco system and protect what is most important to you.
This is a uniquely tailored service, with many dynamics depending on your present context and your future vision. Please contact me to find out how I can help you achieve your goals.
Soil testing and Analysis
Soil testing is essential to establish exactly what is happening in your soil and plants. Without this there is very little room to create what you want and the chance of making a big mistake is high. Because of the way soils have been treated over the past 100 years we need to do everything we can to remediate and testing is the start of remediation
This will include-aggregate, Ph, plant sap analysis, plant tissue, fauna, mineral, saturated paste, microscopy, flora and brix testing. This would be a nominal amount of £200 for a site visit and would be in addition to the cost of the tests. They range from £25-60 per sample.
Once the reports come back to me I can interpret them and determine the course of remediation and regeneration actions that suit your context and budget.
PERMACULTURE LANDSCAPE TO HELP YOU LIVE THE GOOD LIFE
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