< Previous20 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE Jane Morgan brings the outdoors inside with her distinctive paintings featuring the Somerset countryside in all its colourful glory. Born in Somerset, Jane Morgan grew up the daughter of two architects and has raised four children with her husband over thirty years spent in the countryside. A self-taught artist, Jane only started painting after her children started moving out, allowing her to create a home studio and to capture the beauty of the Somerset countryside. countryside A touch of the If you’d like to see Jane’s work for yourself, head down to Lincoln’s Little Red Gallery. 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:27 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 21 ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE THE LITTLE RED GALLERY Love 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 3AE 01522 589134 art@thelittleredgallery.co.uk www.thelittleredgallery.co.uk This self-taught artist’s works have been a huge success, selling across the UK and Europe, and even as far as Hong Kong and the USA. Asked about her painting, Jane explained that she loses herself in a bubble, an uplifting feeling that allows her to fully enjoy the colours and shapes forming on the canvas. Her works are bright and striking, bringing a touch of wild flora to busy homes. Coming in a range of vibrant colours and all wonderfully arranged, their simple but sure aesthetics is sure to light up any home. 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:27 Page 222 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY February is one of the months when you may not have a lot to do in your garden. However, there are a few jobs you can do now that will set you up for the new growing season this spring. Maintenance of your tools will ensure that they are in good working order when you come to need them. Check your equipment and garden machinery as you may need to give them scrub down with a bucket of warm water and stiff bristle brush and sharpen blades. When you put everything back you can also tidy your shed and have a clean and orderly space ready for the growing season ahead. As the weather warms up your beds will develop more perennial weeds. Blitz these now so you get a head start and are more likely to keep on top of them. Make sure you dig up the roots, so they do not come back. If you are wanting to move deciduous trees and shrubs and reposition them in your garden, then now is the time to do this. However, do not do this if the soil is frozen or waterlogged. You can also keep an eye out on these plants for hellebore leaf spot. This is rounded brown spots on the leaves, and you need to remove any leaves that are affected. If you are thinking of sowing seeds this year, then you may want to start Maintenance and planning While you may not spend much time in the garden in February, Ed Fuller from Fullers Landscaping details the maintenance and planning that can be done to ensure you are ready for the growing season ahead. © stock.adobe.com/piyaset 22-23.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:30 Page 1• 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 • Prune Wisteria • Take care not to walk over borders or on lawns where spring bulbs and flowers will be emerging • Prune conservatory climbers • Prepare vegetable beds and sow some vegetables undercover • Prune winter-flowering shrubs that have finished flowering • Protect blossom on apricots, nectarines, and peaches LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 23 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 FULLERS Landscaping Call 01522 868717 or 07867 510544 landscapinglincolnshire@gmail.com www.landscapinglincolnshire.com Around the garden GARDEN ADVICE thinking about getting the seeds now. We are finding delays with deliveries are commonplace and so buying now will mean you’ll get them in time. There is also one job you can do in the warm and from the comfort of your sofa, and that is creating a timetable for your seed sowing. By planning your vegetable plot for the year you will ensure good crop rotation. You can also create a garden plan for your flowering plants so you know when each seed or bulb needs to be planted and can ensure you have beds full of colour and structure for most of the year. Whatever you want to achieve in your garden this year, planning will mean you are able to keep on top of things and have the outdoor space you want. Not long and the warmer weather will be here so you can really enjoy your garden. © stock.adobe.com/bonandbon © stock.adobe.com/vaivirga 22-23.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:30 Page 224 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY B. Knight & Son Ltd Timber Merchants & Manufacturers Gates, Fencing, Garage Doors, Automated Gate Systems, Structures, Hardwoods, Treated Softwoods, Decking, Cabins, Garden Furniture, Aged Oak, Building Timber, Sheet Materials, Tools & Firewood 30 Main Road, Langworth, Lincoln LN3 5BJ T: 01522 754207 E: sales@b-knightandson.co.uk www.b-knightandson.co.uk Est 1874 Gardening offers a sense of achievement - seeing your vegetables travel from garden to plate or flowers bloom is highly satisfying - and can keep children and adults alike amused. It also boosts wellbeing, with numerous studies finding extensive mental health benefits of the activity; gardening can reduce depression, anxiety, stress as well as improve fitness and self-esteem. With supermarkets still struggling to keep the shelves full of fresh goods, the ‘grow your own’ trend is booming. Stockists have witnessed a rush in vegetable seed, plant and gardening equipment sales, and the Royal Horticultural Society has reported a jump in visits to its webpages as the public seeks gardening guidance. Creating a vegetable garden is all the rage, providing cheap, healthy, fresh produce just a few steps from your home. One really only needs a shovel, however a fork, rake, trowel, hoe, various pots, a watering can and trays to start the sowing process in are useful. Where to start In creating a vegetable garden, first one will need to decide where to plant your vegetables. In most cases they will need as much sunlight as possible, thus avoid shady areas. If, however, your garden is prone to shade, vegetables like lettuce, peas, chard, beetroot, spinach and runner beans will be able to handle it. Remove the grass from your chosen area and fork over the soil. Next you will need to ensure your soil will promote the growth of your produce and is clear of weeds and stones. Different gardens will hold different soil - heavy clay, sandy, acidic etc. - and though you cannot change this, you can improve soil with compost and fertiliser as required. If your garden hosts unideal soil, consider installing a raised bed, which are particularly good for small plots of vegetables and make for an attractive feature. Choose a light and airy open space and create a frame at least 30cm in height. There is a plethora of ready-made flatpack kits for raised beds that can be bought online to make this process easy. Alternatively construct a raised bed from timber, stone or brick. One can then customise soil to grow plants that wouldn’t ordinarily grow well in your garden. Root vegetables including beetroot, © stock.adobe.com/Paul Maguire You can grow your own way Great for the mind and body, gardening is becoming ever more popular, with vegetable patches proving particularly preferable. You can grow your own way 24-25.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:31 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 25 GARDENS A long-established local family business: B Knight & Son Ltd, Lincoln B Knight & Son Ltd has traded as a timber merchant and manufacturer since 1874, being in the Knight family for over 145 years. Situated in Langworth on the A158 between Lincoln and Wragby, the business was started by Benjamin Knight, the current owners’ great and great great grandfather, having bought the site as a brick yard and turning it into a successful timber yard. Currently under the family leadership of John, Ben, and John’s daughter Helen, the business supplies manufactured timber items all over the East Midlands. Products include domestic and commercial fencing, handmade gates, bespoke structures, treated timbers, plus a range of garden furniture and decking. In addition, they can supply firewood, woodworking tools, ironmongery and treatments for timber products and projects. The business, which acquires timber from sustainable sources, further acts as agents for Palmako garden and weekend houses, supplying everything from children’s playhouses and garden buildings to four-bedroom cottages. B Knight & Son Ltd also have a traditional sawmill on site offering a milling service after many other sawmills have become a thing of the past. A loyal customer base which has passed through the generations and word of mouth is what has kept the business thriving for so long. Examples and images of products and services can be found at www.b-knightandson.co.uk and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/bknightandsonltd/). parsnips and carrots are ideal for raised beds, but since raised beds offer improved drainage in comparison to the ground, potatoes and leafy greens thrive too. They are also enjoyed by produce that desires well controlled soil, such as onions which like lots of organic matter. Containers filled with potting compost and growbags are other good alternatives where your soil is not an option, while Styrofoam boxes with drain holes can even be utilised alongside yoghurt pots, plastic fruit and veg and takeaway trays to replace small plant pots. Once soil has been warmed up by the sun, it’s time to sow. Sow seeds thinly into fertile damp soil or compost and place them in the brightest possible spot. Vegetables like carrots and parsnips can be sown outdoors in their final location, however others must be sown indoors or under cover. When starting with seeds one might instead begin with trays or pots of compost where seeds will germinate to be transplanted in the garden. A quick Google of your chosen vegetable will offer you a wealth of information on the conditions it requires and the best method for growth. Many are buying packets of seeds at present, but for those too busy to sow seeds why not consider purchasing plug plants to simplify gardening? Though it is worth bearing in mind, this will be pricier. After planting is complete, soil must be damp, yet not too wet. A quick need is a windowsill. Leafy greens grow particularly well indoors, just ensure to place them in pots with drainage holes and use a well-draining soil, while pea shoots are prime for limited space and sunny windowsills. Sow into shallow trays of moist multipurpose compost and shoots will rise in days. Cherry tomatoes, chillies, spinach, radishes, garlic and microgreens also do well in sunny windows. Just pop your windowsill containers on a tray to stop leakage. Microgreens, like basil, kale and mint, are good indoor growers too, germinating quickly and easily. Simply line a shallow tray with wet kitchen roll, sprinkle seeds on top and don’t allow the kitchen roll to dry out. Herbs and spices also thrive indoors, with parsley, coriander and basil growable from the windowsill. Scatter seeds over a pot of compost and cover lightly with soil. There are numerous grow your own vegetable kits online for those without a garden, offering sets for everything from chillies to mushrooms, avocados and herbs. One can also make use of vegetable scraps. Keep the ends of your celery, lettuce and spring onions, put their stems in a shallow dish of water and they will regrow. For best results move produce into a soil filled pot. This also makes for a fun experiment for children. Though starting a vegetable garden can seem intimidating, once you have a prepared area, and have sown seeds, all that comes after is simple maintenance. finger wiggle under the surface can be used to test moisture levels. What to grow For first-timers fruit crops such as tomatoes and vegetative crops like lettuce are easy grows. Tomatoes can be grown in containers and need around six hours of sunlight daily along with plenty of water. The versatile plant can be grown on a windowsill, patio, or in a pot out in the garden. Merely select good quality potting soil. Lettuce meanwhile can easily be grown in containers. A deep pot is required along with good quality potting soil mixed with vermiculite. For quick growers consider onions, peas, beans, baby carrots, lettuce and radishes. When temperatures start rising, around end of April it is a prime time to sow cabbages, cauliflowers, French and runner beans, sprouts and broccoli inside or outside, while chillies, peppers, courgettes, pumpkins and cucumbers are better sown indoors and leaf vegetables, peas and root vegetables can now be sown outdoors. Vegetables ready to plant out in May include aubergines, peppers, leeks, chillies, pea seedlings, rhubarb, Brussel sprouts, celery, courgettes, tomatoes, squashes, red cabbages and cauliflowers. If you don’t have a garden or space for vegetables Of course, not everyone has a garden or the outdoor space to grow produce. Fortunately there are plenty of things to plant indoors - in some cases all you’ll 24-25.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:31 Page 226 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY The growth of leisure time during the second half of the C20th for the general population, along with interest in the natural world has led to the creation of many country parks and nature reserves as an escape from the urban environment. Since mediaeval times there has always been large country parks, originally created by royalty and the aristocracy as deer and hunting parks. These contrast with the planned public parks that appeared in Victorian times (e.g. Peoples Park, Grimsby and Lincoln Arboretum). But the development of country parks and nature reserves for public access (and education), such as Whisby, Boston Haven or Gibraltar Point, and for nature conservation coupled with the rise of wildlife trusts, has been a C20th phenomenon. Country parks and nature reserves such as Snipe Dales are distinctly different to planned urban parks. To the southwest of Lincoln city, at Hartsholme, lies a country park of particular interest, that also has an intriguing history. Along with the adjacent Swanholme Lakes it combines a planned park with a nature reserve that is of interest for geological, natural and human historic reasons. The name Hartsholme comes from the Old Norse for “Hjort’s island” (raised ground in a marsh). The modern park has its origins with the Lincoln Waterworks Company who constructed the 25-acre lake as a reservoir in 1848 to supply the city. But within a decade the water quality was reportedly very poor and in 1904 was suspected of being a contributary factor in the Lincoln typhoid outbreak. Hartsholme Hall was built between 1862 and 1864 by Joseph Shuttleworth, who having bought the lake and surrounding grounds the previous year, laid it out with Victorian gardens. In 1879 he extended the estate to encompass 300 acres. The house went through a number of owners, including Lord Liverpool from 1908, and it was he who increased the estate to 2,000 acres. In 1939 he sold it to a Thomas Place from Yorkshire - who never actually lived there! During WWII the hall became an officer’s mess with the grounds being used for military training and it was during this time that both the buildings and grounds began to deteriorate. Hartsholme’s condition worsened until by 1946 Lincoln Corporation was thinking of buying the property but it took until 1951 to complete the purchase of 130 acres when the demolition of the hall commenced. There is a picture of the hall on one of the information boards; however, the stable area survives as a visitor centre, café and toilets. Hartsholme was opened to the public and in 1974 was designated as a Country Park. Today it features many pleasant walks (of varying length) including This month we pay a visit to Hartsholme Country Park and Swanholme Lakes nature reserve. heritage Lincolnshire explored THE BOAT HOUSE WILDLIFE AT SWANHOLME 26-27.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:31 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 27 around-the-lake and across the reservoir embankment. Other interesting features are the boat house of 1881, still with its Shuttleworth crest, and the Black and White Bridges. The latter was built in 1902 with a replacement footbridge erected in 1962. This became unsafe and was dismantled and renovated between 2012 and 2014. Joseph Shuttleworth was founder in 1842, with his brother-in-law Nathaniel Clayton, of the famous Lincoln engineering works at Stamp End. They were pioneers of early portable steam engines and steam driven threshing machines which they manufactured in their thousands and exported around the world. They exhibited at the 1851 Great Exhibition and within 25 years they employed 1,200 people. The failing company was eventually sold to Marshall & Co in 1929. Hartsholme Park is deservedly popular with the citizens of Lincoln and often busy. Nevertheless, several footpaths make it easy to escape the crowds to the tranquillity of the adjoining Swanholme Nature Reserve. Swanholme’s several lakes have an interesting history dating back to what geologists call the Quaternary Period, that is the last 2 million years or so. Over that time during the several ice ages the River Trent has been blocked by glaciers and forced to change its course more than once. Initially flowing through the Ancaster Gap to the south it later diverted through the Lincoln Gap and at both locations left considerable gravel deposits before reverting to its present northerly course (3 miles to the southwest the geological history of the area now occupied by the Whisby Nature Reserve of the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust is identical). Although in the Middle Ages there would only have been swampy woodland, probably used for grazing and its wood resources, this was drained in the early 1800’s. On the first OS map Swanholme was still shown as woodland and named Hartsholme Wood. Both Swanholme and Whisby have seen commercial gravel extraction resulting in the flooded pits we see today. At Swanholme there is now a variety of habitats, each with its own flora and fauna, including heathland, woodland and of course the lakes. There are five of these; Dragonfly, Sanctuary and the two Coot Lakes – Major and Minor which are the largest – and the tiny Tadpole Lake – all created by large scale gravel quarrying from the 1950’s onwards and the lake areas we see today had appeared by the early 1970’s. Gravel for ballast had been taken earlier from a pit to the east of the present reserve with sidings alongside the Midland Railway which had been opened in 1846. The reserve covers around 6.3 hectares and has been a Site of Special Scientific Interest since 1985 with Nature Reserve designation following in 1991. Along with the nearby Whisby reserve, Hartsholme park and the nature reserve of Swanholme Lakes are a great asset to the city of Lincoln and indeed the county as a whole. They are well worth a visit for nature lovers, bird watchers, walkers - or just for some fresh country air and a cuppa. by Hugh Marrows THE POPULAR CAFE THE WHITE BRIDGECOOT LAKE SWANHOLME THE LAKE EMBANKMENT 26-27.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:31 Page 228 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FASHION Fall in love with a new look As we slowly transition away from colder days, a new outfit is in store. Fall in love with a new look 28-37.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:34 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 29 FASHION Masai Masai brings us a unique take on classic stripes and adds a touch of colour to keep things interesting while keeping you warm. 28-37.qxp_Layout 1 21/01/2022 14:34 Page 2Next >