Jack Wallington - nature, gardens and landscape

11/09/2026

I was extremely sad to hear of the passing of Professor Megan Povey this week, who I was lucky to meet and interview for my book last year. I didn’t know Megan very well but in the few times we met, I found her riveting, razor smart and truly inspirational - opening my mind to the world of food and much more. I realised I had been asleep my whole life when it comes to food until that point. Megan was a food physicist and activist on climate and so many other important issues. I’m particularly sad because I was hoping our paths may have crossed again in the next couple of years and we may have even been able to collaborate one day.

This is a photo I took of Megan in one of the food laboratories at the University of Leeds where she taught so many generations of students over decades.

I filmed a short video about some of the things Megan taught me for Grower Gatherer before I found out this news, I still plan to share it tomorrow. 💞

11/09/2026

Is it time to grow more food?

I’ve managed to amass decades of experience of growing food.

10/09/2026

When we read these things in the national press and on social media, we really have to question who is pushing these narratives and why…

07/09/2026

This morning as I walked among the asters and geraniums I thought to myself, am I… ?!

?

06/09/2026

In 2021 I introduced some local orchid seeds into our meadow and made a wish. In July this year the moment came with our first common spotted orchid, Dactylorhiza fuchsii. Anyone who has known me a long time will know what that moment meant to me, when I saw it for the first time. Over the following months I have protected it from deer and rabbits and the amazing farmers I work with for the meadow cut helped to avoid it, and it has now set and released its seed 💞

04/09/2026

Last night we held a lovely celebration to welcome Grower Gatherer into the world at IOU Hostel, Hebden Bridge - an incredible hostel, I was lucky to work with the team designing the outdoor wildflower terrace. It’s a hostel where we chat to walkers on the Pennine Way and artists holding creative retreats and workshops. Nestled beneath the Nut Clough woods and a unique meadow grassland bank I’ve been planting wildflowers into.

After years working on a book, publication day can feel like a strange anticlimax as the hard work is over and the book flies off into the world without you. I was so immensely grateful that so many friends and family turned out to make it feel like something had in fact just happened! And thank you to the outstanding IOU team and Book Case, Hebden Bridge for all of your support. I literally could not do it without each and every one of you 💞

Happy publication day Grower Gatherer, I’m proud of you.

Photos by Christopher Lyon Anderson and Exploring & 360 photography

04/09/2026

I'll be talking about edible perennials and edible plant communities at RHS Garden Bridgewater's Flavours of Autumn weekend, I'm on at Saturday 12 September at midday - full details here:

Join us for a celebration of all things homegrown at RHS Garden Bridgewater in Salford: 12 – 13 September 2026

02/09/2026

Pot's Growing On? Simple joy of establishing plant communities https://www.wildway.info/p/simple-joy-of-establishing-plant (new diary for paid subscribers)

I realised today that I derive the most joy from plodding around our garden each day checking in on plants I’ve added to various plant communities.

01/09/2026

The main reason I wrote my book Grower Gatherer is to share what I know about growing edible perennials to help everyone start experimenting with these resilient food plants in the face of a warmed climate.

All but the last two of these photos are from areas of the UK worst hit by the heatwaves and drought. And there are many more crops that are drought and heatwave resilient, even with our wetter winters. If you are interested I’ve explored this topic more in Grower Gatherer.

29/08/2026

How long can I survive on courgettes, padron peppers and gherkins? Wrong year to go heavy on picky bits.