< Previous20 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE Born and raised in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Leigh Lambertwas endowed with a keen eye for detail and the patience forobservation. As soon as he was able, Leigh had a pencil in hishand and would draw everything he saw, from some of thesimplest things to a passing combine harvester. His familywere quick to pick up on this natural talent and as heprogressed through school, his impressively detailed creationsearned the attentions of his teachers. Yet despite all this, Leighremains self-taught, having received no formal art training. It was only after relocating to Warwickshire with his family in1996, that Leigh really focussed on developing his technique.Leaving Newcastle allowed the fledgling artist to appreciatethe nature of his upbringing. What he had always thought ofas a concrete jungle now appeared through the prism ofmemory as somewhere strangely beautiful. This was a crucialepiphany that has gone on to provide the framework forLeigh’s work, that sense of nostalgia and evoking fondmemories of youth. Leaving school at eighteen saw the young Leigh desperateto plunge headfirst into the art world and earn a living throughpainting. He was only further inspired to pursue his dream ofbecoming a professional artist after his mother found him ajob in a local factory. But, begrudgingly, Leigh did take thejob. Although this took up much of his day, the eveningsremained free for painting, and paint he did. It was during thistime Leigh released a series of watercolours based on streetThis month we look at the works ofLeigh Lambert, whose combination ofnostalgia, detailed observation andhumour have cemented him as one ofthe nation’s most sought-after talents. The finer pointsof memory20-21.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:47 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY21ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE scenes of Warwick, his new adoptivehome. This was the perfect storm ofcreativity, cementing Leigh’s style,matching detailed observation andrealism with rose-tinted nostalgia andmore than a little humour. The factory was only ever a stop gapand soon Leigh bid it bon voyage towork at an art supply shop in Warwick.One step closer to his dream, he nowhad a whole new world of art suppliesand different mediums to explore.Although Leigh has worked in a variety ofTHE LITTLE REDGALLERYLove art? Then we’d love to meet you, please call in for a cup of tea and a chat.The Little Red Gallery are feeling ‘Love’ with a fantastic range of pieces and perfect gift ideas.8 Bailgate Lincoln LN1 3AE01522 5891348 St Mary’s Hill, Stamford, PE9 2DPart@thelittleredgallery.co.ukwww.thelittleredgallery.co.ukmediums, it’s oils on board to which hemost commonly returns. His use of colouris minimal, lending his pieces an icymonochromatic quality and mirroring theindustrial streets. Vibrant colours areinstead reserved the figures inhabitingthe frame, or a vehicle perhaps, whichseem to leap from the board. It adds avital sense of joy and the vitality of youth,indicating that there’s more to Britain’sindustrial heartlands than meets the eye. Leigh has made good on his dreamshaving accrued several successes inrecent years. In 2014, for example, he wasshortlisted as ‘Best Up and Coming Artist’in the prestigious Fine Art Trade GuildAwards. As a result, his works becamehighly sought after with limited editionsoften selling out within weeks, with waitinglists for those hoping to acquire an original. Now Leigh is most commonly found inhis garden studio, capturing everydayscenes, each with their own nostalgia andhumour. To see more Leigh’s works firsthand, head down to the Little Red Galleryin Lincoln. For more about Leigh and his work, visit www.leighlambertgallery.com or on Facebook @leighlambertgallery20-21.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:47 Page 222 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYREADERS’ GARDENSThis month we visit the garden of Derek and JanetAnderson in Market Rasen. When Derek and Janetmoved into their home 28 years ago, they were handedyour typical estate house garden. Derek said: “When Itook it over it was mainly grass, a couple of trees and avery small patio area.” The couple have certainlycompleted a lot of work since then to make the gardenwhat it is today, but there have been two main events intheir time at the home that really kickstarted thedevelopment.One was when the they were presented with theopportunity to acquire an extra piece of land behind thehouse, Derek recalled: “The extra land was the majorstep forward. There was a track that went along the sideof our garden and up to a farmer’s field. When the fieldwas sold for development the farmer offered the track tofive houses and we were the ones who ended up buyingTransformed from the typicalOnce “your typical estate house garden,” this month’s featuredgarden now hosts an extensive water feature, styled trees and awinding pathway that leads you through themed areas.22-25.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:49 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY23READERS’ GARDENS24 Áit. So we had an extension from our garden plus this longpiece of land which is about 24ft wide.” Over the yearsDerek has developed a lot of this land into raised beds, forwhich he uses a three-year cycle so that the soil isreplenished, fertile, and produces good crops. There are alsonow greenhouses down the lane.The other key event that pushed the garden forward wasDerek’s retirement around 10 years ago, which coincidedwith the extra land opportunity. Derek has since workedalong the land to make the garden what it is today. He said:“The basics were there before I retired but after I had moretime to spend in the garden, so I developed a lot of it.Things that were already there became quite a lot bigger.”With the extension of land, Derek has had to respond tothe shape it has made the garden - it is not simply a22-25.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:49 Page 224 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYREADERS’ GARDENSrectangular garden. Derek said: “The bulk of it is near the house butthen there’s this long narrow plot that stretches equivalent to fourhouses behind the property, so it’s quite an unusual shape in thatrespect.” Embracing the shape of the garden, Derek has created a grasspathway leading through it that is intentionally varied so that you cannotsee right up the end. “It means you have to go around corners andmove through each area of the garden,” said Derek.When asked about how he came up with the plan for the garden,Derek said: “Well I worked on it for a period of time doing bits andchanging them. It’s basically organised on the idea of having severaldifferent areas that you can move into. For example one area is mainlyfruit, another that you walk through has astrantias and different kinds ofperennials growing in beds, so the garden is sort of themed in thatrespect.”An attention drawing feature of the garden is it’s lovely, and quiteextensive, water feature. Derek said: “It’s central to the garden. It isquite a big water area, and a waterfall goes down into the bottom pond.It’s quite a formal pond situation!” There are two separate ponds in thewater feature that both contain a mixture of Koi and Goldfish. “It’s quitethe mixture,” said Derek, “and they are interesting to look at. They arenot show fish, they are simply there as a feature of the garden.”Another key attribute of the garden is the styled look of its trees andhedges, Derek said: “There are a lot of shaped trees of different shapesand sizes, they are an architecture that is different and nice to see.Though it’s quite hard work keeping them trimmed, it’s definitely worthit!” He went on to highlight the garden’s mixture of deciduous trees andevergreens that he shapes to effect.When discussing the specific plants in his garden, Derek raved aboutits fuchsias and astrantias. On how he chooses what to plant, Derekexplained: “I tend to plant something and then if it grows well I mightget two or three varieties of that plant. Like the astrantia, for example. Istarted off with one called Ruby Wedding, because it was our rubywedding, and that went very well, so I bought a white one and a pinkone. So I tend to grow things in patches. I don’t use a lot of beddingplants though, mainly perennials, things that are going to come back22-25.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:49 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY25READERS’ GARDENSevery year.” While they love the entire garden, one of the couple’sfavourite things about it is that it allows them to grow produce. Dereksaid: “I love produce, and while my wife is not a great gardener, shedoes do a lot of work making things like chutneys, jams, and soupsfrom the produce we grow up the lane section of the garden.”Getting the garden to where it is now has not been without itsstruggles of course. For instance, when digging down for his ponds,Derek came across a lot of bricks. Though it was an interesting find,Derek said that it made the digging quite hard. He did, however,rescue a lot of the bricks, using them around the garden. Derekrevealed: “I actually built a barbecue with some of the bricks and haveused them in some of the pathways!”With the soil in the area being, according to Derek, “a yellow almostbeach like coloured sand,” that you first have to go through a layer ofdebris left behind by builders to get to, he has imported a lot of thesoil he uses - though it was up the lane in particular where most of theimported soil was required as a result of the ex-track having beenbedded down after years of farm tractors driving up it. Derek said:“The raised beds up the lane ended up being a necessity really, I hadto build up the depth of soil to grow the plants in - so that was quite achallenge!”When asked what the future holds for the garden and whether thecouple have any upcoming plans, Derek replied: “Honestly, not really, atthe age of 70 its come to a case of looking to see whether I can make itless hard work. So we may well be reducing the number of raised bedsin the garden and finding things that aren’t so time consuming tomaintain. At the moment I’m still just about coping with themaintenance but I do now get some help with the hedge trimming.”Derek and Janet are members of the town’s Rotary Club and openup their home as part of the Open Gardens in Market Rasen. Thecouple actually organise the event for the town, which occurs annuallyon the first Saturday of each August. Derek said: “Hopefully morepeople will open their gardens in the future and we can see how theycompare!”22-25.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:49 Page 4The way we have viewed ourgardens has changed over the last fewyears, with us thinking of the garden asanother room of the house. This will bedeveloped further with one new trendfor 2019 – accessorising your gardens.The principals of interior designing willbe used outside, with the introductionof colourful outdoor furniture, fencesand pergolas. You don’t need to get anew fence, just get out the paint andbrushes and get artistic. Pots are going to be well and truly inthis year, and these could be used as acolourful, trendy, statement piece. Potsof all shapes, sizes and colour will befashionable. You could have retro pots,recyclable pots and hanging pots.Bamboo pots will be popular asbamboo is on trend at the momentand good for the environment. Growing your own fruit and veg willcontinue to be popular and trendingduring 2019. There is a rise inThe New Year could be theimpetus for you to create anew garden or make somesmall changes to enhance it.There are a few new trends in2019 to find their way into ourgardens. Maybe one of themcould be just what you need, asEd Fuller from Fullers Forestryand Landscaping explains.popularity for patio fruits which areminiature fruit bushes that don’t takeup much room. These could be dwarfmulberries and blackberries and couldbe grown alongside your herb garden.An herb garden has always beenpopular but with the increase in ginpopularity a herb garden has become amust. There is always a need for home-grown rosemary sprigs (along withhomegrown mulberries andblackberries) for your G&T!It is predicted that bee andpollinator-friendly ‘cottage garden’plants will also be popular this year. Ifyou don’t have a big garden andtherefore a restricted space for plants,then you can get dwarf versions of a lotof popular plants. These could then beplanted in your colourful, statementpiece pots.The final trend for 2019 will betechnology. Automating garden jobs,such as watering and mowing, will© Shutterstock / AnteromiteGlitz forthe garden26-27.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:50 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY27become more popular. The top tech gadgets areautomated irrigation systems and robot lawn mowers.While lighting has been a must for a few years this yearwith the statement piece trend you can use lighting toenhance your statement. Maybe lights that are remotecontrolled and colour changing could be added tocomplete the accessorising of your garden. Whether you plan to make big changes or some smallerones then we can always help. I have a fabulous team thatwill work come rain or shine and they are highly skilledlandscapers who can create anything from low maintenancegardens with artificial grass to romantic cottage gardensand state-of-the-art ultra-contemporary gardens. Over thelast eighteen years I have built up a family run business thatprides itself on designing and creating gardens that suiteach individual client’s budget, regardless of their garden’ssize and shape. If you want to make some changes nomatter how big or small, I would advise you to considerdoing them sooner rather than later as good landscaperswill already be booked well into spring.Specialised Servicesin Garden DesignLandscaping andTree MaintenanceBacked by a highly-skilledand experienced team,we’ve built our reputationon an ability to provide our clients with professional, tailored gardening and forestry solutionsFREE NO OBLIGATIONQUOTATIONSFULLERSForestry & LandscapingCall 01522 868717 or 07867 510544info@fullersforestry.co.uklwww.fullersforestry.co.ukwww.landscapinglincolnshire.comAround thegarden•Move patio pots to sheltered sites during cold periods•Improve the soil by spreading and forking in compost or manure over beds and around trees shrubs and roses •Move plants growing in the wrong place•If snow falls, knock it off the branches of evergreen shrubs and conifers to prevent branches breaking •Dig deeply in areas where you’ll be planting new roses,shrubs or perennials•Clean algae and moss from paths and steps•Plant new fruit bushes and trees•Sprinkle a top dressing of gritty compost over lawns•Dig over veg plots, mixing compost into the soil as you go•Cover rhubarb with forcing jars for an early harvest•Use cloches to warm the soil for early sowings•Dig up congested clumps of winter aconites and transplant to new sites•Buy shallots, onion sets and seed potatoes•Order bulbs, corms and tubers for summer flowers© Shutterstock /Chanthanee© Shutterstock / Agenturfotografin26-27.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:50 Page 228 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYPEACOCK & BINNINGTON Q&APeacock and Binnington hasbeen in business for animpressive 125 years. What is thesecret to the company’slongevity and success? Great people make a business andPeacock and Binnington have alwaysinvested heavily in training, developing,motivating and rewarding its staff. Being125 years young, latterly our culturerevolves around our strapline “Proud ofour history, excited by our future”.With a long and storied history,the company has worked withgenerations of agriculturebusiness. How does Peacock andBinnington foster these long-lasting local relationships? Treat people how you wish to betreated yourself. Great service and beingpersonally close to the customers builds arelationship of trust. Make sure you dowhat you promise and fulfil thecustomer’s needs, not just your own. Though the business wasfounded in 1894, Peacock andBinnington aren’t stuck in thepast, with a modern website andan online shop. How else is thecompany embracing the digitalage? The digital age splits into severalcategories. On farm our tractors wouldnow rival the formula 1 industry: satelliteguidance and auto steer bring incredibleaccuracy; performance telemetry;diagnostics; security and farm datarecording, to name a few areas. Our social media – Facebook, Twitterand Instagram feeds – keep customers,staff and suppliers updated with ouractions in real time. The speedinformation is transmitted is incredible. Throughout our business we arelooking at constant improvements withtechnology – electronic documentstorage, job card scanning and electronicwork schedulers are just a fewinvestments that improve efficiencies. The company has recentlyextended its footprint and reachwith the acquisition of Hull-Q&APeacock and Binnington We recently got the chance to chat with Graham Main, Managing Director ofpremier agricultural machinery dealers Peacock and Binnington to discuss its longhistory and what Brexit means for farming.Managing Director Graham Main28-29.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:51 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY29PEACOCK & BINNINGTON Q&Abased Northfield AgriculturalServices. What does the futurehold for Peacock andBinnington? The future looks bright for Peacock andBinnington: our Vice-Chairman and 4thgeneration Peacock family member,Nicholas, was a wholehearted driver ofthe recent acquisition, showingcommitment to our future. Our goal now is to integrate our newBranch at Halsham into the P&B brandand to ensure we continue evolving tomeet the demands of the progressivemodern farmer and the next generationscoming through. How do you think Brexit willaffect future farming? The million-dollar question! In truth,who knows? I give two answers to ourstaff: “Things outside our control weneed to monitor and react to, but not getconsumed with” and “We will put ourenergies into developing our own teamand business. Throughout the bestFor more information, visit www.peacock.co.uk, email enquires@peacock.co.uk, or call 01652 600200. The Old Foundry, BriggN Lincs DN20 8NRbooms and worst recessions businessesflourish or fail due to their own energiesand efforts”. One thing is for sure – if welet the politicians guide and run ourbusiness, rather than us, it will fail.The new peacock & Binnington depot in Halsham, HullThe originalBrigg location –now thecompany’s HQ28-29.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 11:51 Page 2Next >