< Previous30 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAYGARDENSThis month we return to Market Rasen, to a garden that shows you don’t always need a detailed plan to create something beautiful. Success through trial and error 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:37 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 31GARDENShen Geoff and Judith Barnard moved into their home 23 years ago their garden was, as Geoff said: “a paddock, a field.” Though the development of the garden remains ongoing, it took ten years for Geoff and Judy to get it to a state that looked somewhat close to what they wanted. Since then it has simply evolved over time. Geoff now spends at least ten to twelve hours a week trending the garden, but Geoff said: “That’s because I fiddle with it a lot.” When asked about how the couple came up with a plan for the garden, Geoff said: “My wife came up with some plans, but it really just evolved as we went along.” He continued: “There were actually no real plans, we just put things in and if they did not look right we took them out again. In the past we have put trees in the wrong place for example - but we hope that we’ve got them in the right place at the moment!” The story is similar for how the couple chooses their flowers and plants. Judith remarked: “I really just buy anything that catches my eye or takes my fancy, nothing has ever been planned, the plants are just put in and turn out to look really nice.” It seems the couple simply have a knack for gardening! When a landscape gardener saw the couple’s garden at an open garden event, he too asked them about how they had designed it. Judith said that after revealing there was no real plan, and that they just “plonked” things in, he laughed, saying: “Well you’ve done very well then!” Going into more detail about the couple’s garden, it has sandy soil - well drained soil. Amongst the plants in the garden are shrubs, roses and what Geoff refers to as a little orchard with fruit trees. The garden also boasts shaped holly, a maple tree and rowan trees. In developing their garden Geoff and Judith have come across a few obstacles. Geoff revealed: “There were a lot of trees that we had to take down, but we replanted them in different positions. There was also a huge old Nissen hut that the Italian prisoners of war used to be in and pigsties on the plot.” Geoff and Judy both agreed that the driveway is a big stand out feature of the garden, and one of 32 ÁW30-33.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:38 Page 232 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAYGARDENStheir favourite spots. Geoff said: “I love the driveway, it is 200ft and has borders on either side, all in flower, and we are surrounded by different types of trees, so we have some kind of green all year round.” Judith added: “I particularly like the driveway - it is long with a flower border all the way up that changes and evolves every year. We put things in and take them out and move them around. My next-door neighbour says that she enjoys walking down the driveway because it is like walking down a big border in a stately home!” Judith also mentioned the patio as a strong contender for her favourite spot: “We really like to just sit on the patio outside the bungalow, which looks down on the garden as the bungalow is just a bit raised up. So up there we get to look down at the full length of the garden unlike anywhere else.” Around Geoff and Judith’s garden, one will find charming little statuettes hidden. Judith said: “We have a little ornamental chicken, pheasants, an emu, and penguins sitting on the little pond near the garage. We like little quirky things like that. And we actually get a lot of them as gifts!” Aside from the ornamental animals, the 30-33.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:38 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 33GARDENScouple’s garden does draw in its host of real wildlife. Judith said: “We do get a lot of pheasants in the garden which live locally in the fields. They come into the garden and bring their young when the hatch out, and they fly up into the trees at the bottom of the garden, in particular our big fir tree, which they roost in for the night. We have had a fox look in on us through the patio window at night, and rabbits that like to eat the plants. We also have a blackbird that we feed sultanas to and a robin who, after catching onto that, we now do the same with. We tend to feed the birds all through winter in general. We had owls too, and a bat. Talking about any major obstacles that the couple have faced this year, Judith pointed to the weather. “It’s been a nightmare to put it bluntly,” Judith exclaimed. “The hot weather was awful, and quite stressful, as the drought came in the run up to the Open Gardens in the town. As we have quite a big plot we were watering it every night with the hose pipe. It was really hard. The lawn didn’t look like it normally would when the day came, but everyone in the town was in the same boat.” When asked about the future of the garden Judith said: “We don’t particularly have any plans, we quite like it the way that it is. Though, I’ve always had quite the longing for a silver birch, so we will probably put some of those in, and we would probably like a water feature in the future somewhere.” Through their successful trial and error method, it will certainly be intriguing to see how Judith and Geoff’s garden develops and changes.Patio BlindsOutdoor Clear PVC Roll-Up Blind Enjoy Your Garden All Year Round! Outdoor Roll-Up Blind• Great for enclosing outdoor spaces • Protects from wind and rain • Easy installation • Fixings Included • Easy fit to size • Extensions, joiners & other accessories available Sizes available: 90cm, 120cm, 150cm, 180cm, 210cm, 240cm, 270cm, 300cm T: +44 (0)1469 575804 e: patioblinds@renco.co.uk www.renconets.com Renco Nets, Pelham Industrial Estate, Manby Rd. Immingham DN40 2SE 0.75mm Heavy Duty PVCvisit our online store on or contact us below30-33.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:38 Page 4There are many things that every garden, no matter what size, needs. A tree is one of them. They offer shade, have huge environmental and health benefits and, also, they can be a focal point to a garden. With their ever-changing appearance due to buds, flowers, leaves, fruit and bark they can add something to a garden all year round. If you’re thinking of adding a tree to your garden, or re-designing your garden, then you need to consider a few things. Size doesn’t always matter. You need to consider what size of tree you ultimately want to end up with. If they are given the space, trees can get extremely big. However, they can also be grown in pots. Some trees need more help to get established than others, while some trees may take over. When deciding what tree to have you should also consider what you want the tree to add to your garden. Every garden needs a tree, whatever size, shape or style. Here Ed Fuller from Fullers Forestry and Landscaping espouses everything you need to know about trees in your garden. For example, trees can also be used to create instant privacy. Pleached trees are the perfect way to do this as they can add height to a garden and sit above any fence line without the need for planning permission. They also don’t take up much volume so if your garden is not very large they don’t take away precious space. Pleached trees can also be used to ‘hide’ things. For example, we have some pleached apple trees that are planted along the side of our garage. They add interest and a feature to our garden rather than having a blank brick wall to look at. If you’re looking for screening from a tree, then evergreen would be the best choice as they will have leaves all year round. If you want your tree to add colour in the winter, long after the flowers have gone, then a birch would be a great addition. One popular birch is a Betula Ermanii. This is a shallow rooting © Shutterstock / Breslavtsev OlegTREE OF LIFE34 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY34-35.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:45 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 35medium-sized tree with peeling creamy-white bark on the trunk that is tinged with pink. It has papery brown bark on the branches and their leaves are usually the first to emerge in spring and they turn bright yellow in autumn. Fruit trees make a great addition to a garden. They can provide you with fruit that you can cook and eat, but also food for wildlife that visit your garden. If you don’t collect the fruit, then you have to be prepared for some mess as the fruit falls. Finally, a tree can also come into its own at night. By adding lights you can created a focal point that is both practical and beautiful. You can get a vast array of solar powered lights, if you haven’t got an outside electricity source. Lighting in any garden can add so much and this is definitely the case if the lights are hung in a beautiful tree. So if you are thinking of adding some plants to your garden ready for the spring then maybe consider a tree, as there are so many I am sure you would find the perfect one.Specialised Services in Garden Design Landscaping and Tree Maintenance Backed by a highly-skilled and experienced team, we’ve built our reputation on an ability to provide our clients with professional, tailored gardening and forestry solutions FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTATIONSFULLERS Forestry & LandscapingCall 01522 868717 or 07867 510544 info@fullersforestry.co.uk l www.fullersforestry.co.uk www.landscapinglincolnshire.comAround the garden•Prepare vegetable beds and sow some vegetables undercover •Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering •Divide bulbs such as snowdrops •Prune hardy evergreen hedges and renovate overgrown deciduous hedges. •Use a pressure washer to clean paths, steps, paving and patios •Plant colourful, evergreen Phormium ‘Cream Delight’ in a patio pot to brighten winter displays •Protect blossom on apricots, nectarines and peaches •Prune Wisteria •Take care not to walk over borders or on lawns where spring bulbs and flowers will be emerging •Prune conservatory climbers © Shutterstock /Anton Watman© Shutterstock / Arkki Makkonen34-35.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:45 Page 236 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAYFASHIONBring on spring! Winter might still be clinging to the wind and frosting up the windows, but spring is on its way. We’ve been lucky enough to get a sneak peak at what our favourite brands will be offering in the run up to spring and beyond. Trust us, there’s plenty to get excited about. 36-45.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:49 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 37FASHIONMasai There’s floral patterns and then there’s this gorgeous Japanese inspired outfit from Masai. Feel comfortable and look beautiful this February. 36-45.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:49 Page 238 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAYFASHIONAbove left: Oui If you’re looking for a stylish outfit ready for the spring season, look no further because Oui has you covered. With a stunning fit and pattern effect, you won’t be wanting for much this season. Available via www.oui.com/gg. Above centre: Ichi The repeating pattern of this outfit alone would be enough to make it a must-have, but Ichi don’t stop there with a delicate frill effect around the middle, a sheer hem and a button down collar that’s just to die for. Photo courtesy of DK Company - ICHI Above right: Marc Cain Bring an early taste of spring with this playful Marc Cain outfit. Opposite: LauRie We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again – no one does simple elegant style quite like LauRie. Taken from the brand’s winter range, this outfit is no different with an evocatively patterned top and figure-hugging trousers with a glinting seam down the side. 36-45.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:49 Page 336-45.qxp_Layout 1 23/01/2019 09:49 Page 4Next >