< Previous20 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYHOMES12318-21_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:17 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY21HOMES1) Gold Birds Leg Candle Holder- Quirky is the word with thiswonderfully inventive candle holder modelled after a bird’s legfrom MiaFluer.2) Maria Reclaimed Wood Dresser- This Maria dresser fromSisters Guild is made entirely by hand using reclaimed wood,natural products and eco-friendly processes. 3) Army Chair- Invade the living room with this army chair fromGugliermetto, a celebration of inventive furniture design andItalian luxury. 4) Saya White Bookcase- This distinct white-washed mangowood bookcase from Puji has 14 different sized booked storagecompartments, giving it an artistic, quirky and contemporary feel. 5) Jeeves Pendant Light- The Jeeves Pendant Light from TheFrench Bedroom Co is made by hand from wool felt andreinforced with an aluminium lining in a gold finish. 6) Muffin Seat- This muffin seat from Babatude Boutique is justwhat you need to give any room a delicious makeover. 7) Cloud Toilet Paper Shelf- Designed by Bertrand Jayr, andavailable from Lime Lace, this display will bring a fun touch to thebathroom as it gradually takes on the shape of a cloud. 456718-21_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:17 Page 422 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE You don’t need an art degree toappreciate Kay Johns’ clear affinity for thenatural world, with every painting anotherlove letter. Kay was born in Tring,Hertfordshire in 1964, where she spentmost of her childhood around horses.She’d ride them around the Chiltern Hillsand surrounding countryside, taking inthe beautiful scenes that would latercome to define her work. She can now befound in Lincolnshire, where the county’snatural beauty and its abundant wildlifeare a continuing source of inspiration. So often our adult tastes andfascinations are rooted in the realm ofchildhood, and so it was for Kay whosehome was always full of pets. Given herpassion for painting, capturing her petsand the surrounding fauna was anobvious choice of subject matter, andeverything fell into place. This unbridled passion saw Kay attendWatford Art College and a London artcollege for four years, where she achieveda Distinction in GraphicDesign/illustration. There she went on towork for a publishing company, designingchildren’s books. Here Kay could let herimagination run wild, pairing her style –somewhere between realism andromanticism – with stories to inspire anew generation. Our lives are informed as much by ourown decisions as by the people we meet,and in 2004, Kay’s career changeddirection forever when she met partnerDavid. He ran a business framing andselling high quality wildlife art – the kindof meeting that might make you believein fate. Here in Lincolnshire, we’re no strangerto agricultural shows, so most of us willknow that there’s so much more to theseevents than simply tractors, trowels andtents. There’s an abundance of localartists, and visiting shows is a great wayto pick up some quality art works. Kayhas exhibited at all the main agriculturalshows up and down the country. Hereshe was surrounded by livestock, all justwaiting to be put on canvas, so Kayseized the opportunity. At the end ofeach trading day, she headed off to thecattle sheds to photograph the cattle,The countyon canvasFew contemporary artists capture the romanticismof British wildlife and cattle quite like Kay Johns. Special DeliveryLittle DonkeyCross HaresBig Brother22-23_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:18 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY23ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE THE 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 589134art@thelittleredgallery.co.ukwww.thelittleredgallery.co.ukpaying particular attention to the bulls. Fascinated by the huge andmagnificent animals, Kay will quietlystudy them using natural lighting ratherthan flash photography. Although thebreeders will usually be busy after along day of feeding, grooming andbedding their cattle down for the night,they are always more than happy toanswer any questions, even helping getthat special image that Kay is after. Now Kay has become a regular sightaround the show cattle, forgingfriendships amongst the breeders. Afterexhibiting her work at various artmarquees, she has ensured a constantstream of commission work to keep herbusy. She also works directly fromphoto collections, ensuring that shealways has a number of projects on thego. What is perhaps most striking aboutKay’s work isn’t in how faithfully itrecreates her subjects, but rather how itbreaks through to the quintessence ofwhatever animal she’s painting. Inpainting a fox, for example, she bringsout its curiosity, its cunning andplayfulness. In another, she shows offthe majesty of a barn owl. But thecrown in her jewel is her remarkableportraits of cattle. These romanticrenditions capture the poetic essence ofthe animals, offering the viewer ameans of seeing them in a new light.It’s hard to see cattle in quite the sameway again and that is truly the power ofthe painter.For more about Kay or to view her paintings, visitwww.theeventgallery.co.uk/kay-johns,and don’t forget to follow her onFacebook and Twitter. Stag NightLet Feathers FlyMe Lord Me Lady22-23_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:18 Page 224 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYGARDENSDesignedfor living24-27_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:20 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY25GARDENShis sleek, modern garden is a credit to its ownersthe Bailey’s and seems the perfect retreat forthose summer evenings. Split into two levels togive the garden a more interesting view and feel,the results speak for themselves. Indian sandstone usedfor the paving affords a clear, opulent feel to the garden -connecting the initial sections of the garden to theinterior of the house as if it has opened up and spilledinto the surrounding land. The paving is separated by re-purposed railway sleepers that are over 25 years old,which adds to the tactile feel of the garden. Stainedblack, they are eco-friendly and give the whole outdoorspace structure and form; as well as a modern, almostOriental feel. Curvaceous borders give the garden a larger feel andthe fencing surrounding the manicured lawns provides aCreating the perfectoutdoor space with a senseof tranquility and calmnessisn’t all about havingcopious amounts of spaceto do it in, as we discoveredwhen visiting a readersgarden on the outskirts ofLincoln. 26 ÁT24-27_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:20 Page 226 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYGARDENSperfect screen from the world outside.For that all essential storage, a traditionalshed is discreetly placed behind thescreening, so as not to interrupt the flowof the garden. Planting has been kept simple withsucculents, lavender and various grassesstrategically placed, all of which help tokeep the garden low maintenance.Likewise, there’s a clematis growing undera wonderful gazebo structure, which takespride of place near the entrance to thegarden and, to appeal to the senses, awater feature that babbles as it sendswater cascading over smooth pebbles. A custom-made wrought-iron gate sitshappily at the entrance, featuring an earof corn, a mouse and a butterfly.Constructed by local traditionalblacksmith John Walton, it reflects the fact24-27_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:20 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY27GARDENSthat the garden sits surrounded by opencountryside, reflecting a sense of placebefore entering the altogethercontemporary garden.This garden belies its size providing afeeling of space and providing its ownerswith a haven in which to relax and unwindand I must confess, as an owner of a largergarden myself, I find myself a little enviousat the thought of being able to enjoy theviews and relaxing in the garden, ratherthan being up to my ears in weeding,pruning, deadheading and so on. The concept of a low-maintenancegarden is certainly an appealing one and isessential in finding that all importantwork/life balance and what can be betterthan sitting outside on a warm afternoonwith a gin and tonic, rather than a hoeand a wheelbarrow?24-27_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:20 Page 428 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYhere are signs that winter is coming to an endand that we have the summer sun to lookforward to. If you have been hibernating overthe winter, now is a good time to get out intothe garden and start a spring tidy. Some of the things you can be doing include pruningbushes, cut back dog wood and willow, and hoe andmulch weeds to keep them under control. You can alsoprune roses; Bush roses need dead and diseased stemsremoved, weak shoots need to be cut back and lastyear’s shoots must be pruned to within 5-8 cm ofprevious year’s growth. Shrub roses need to have anydead, damaged and diseased stems removed, centralshoots need to be thinned, and also any dead headsneed to be trimmed off from last year’s hips that are left.You may also want to spruce up your garden furnitureand shed with a lick of paint, clean paving areas, and addcompost to containers. It is also a good time to think abouthow you will be using the garden in the summer and startto make changes now. For example, you may want to addsome lighting to the patio area, or change a flower bedboth in size and planting style. Sometimes a small changecan transform a garden, and adding or rearranging plantingcan give your garden a facelift.Apparently this will be the year of the Zinnia. This easy-to-grow annual offers long lasting colour and the fact that is itbecoming popular may suggest we are returning to a morerustic look for our gardens. Planting in a garden is a matterof individual taste, but I think the trend for 2017 is thatgardens will be more colourful. Remember that movingSpringcleaningWith the end of winter well in sight,Ed Fuller from Fullers Forestry andLandscaping shows you how it’s thebest time to get your garden readyjust in time for spring. TSpringcleaning28-29_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:22 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY29GARDENSSpecialised 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.comexisting plants can make your garden look and feel different.This is a good time to relocate evergreen shrubs as the soil isstarting to warm up. Just try not to damage the roots whenyou are digging them out, work inwards with a fork to teasesoil out from between the roots. Container/pot growing continues to be a strong trend andthis can be useful for teaching children about gardening, andalso if you want to grow your own fruit and vegetables butdon’t have the space for a veg patch. Growing your ownvegetables continues to be trendy especially withenvironmental sustainability being the focus of many gardeners. Pots are also a quick way to create a feature for yourgarden, and sweet peas are ideal to do this as they can growup canes creating structure and height. You can also usesweet peas without a pot as they can be planted in themiddle of a bed. Climbers are also a good way to soften afence, and although the wires may stand out for a while theywill soon be hidden by the plant. If you want to create some colour, and maybe a habitat fornature but you are not very hands on when it comes togardening, then a flower meadow may be the solution foryou. You don’t need to have a large area for it to be effective,and they are easy to maintain. You just need to sow ameadow seed mix in a sunny corner and wait for the hardyannuals such as poppies, corn chamomile, ox-eye daises andcornflowers to create a colourful area for you and the wildlifeto enjoy in the summer sun. Around thegarden• Protect new spring shoot from slugs• Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes• Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as Allium,Fresia, Begonia, Crocosmia and Bearded Iris• Start feeding fish and using the pond fountainand remove pond heaters• Open the greenhouse or conservatory doorsand vents on warm days• Trim winter-flowering heathers as the flowersdisappear, to prevent the plants becoming leggy• Keep feeding the birds• Start to mow the lawn but on the highestsetting28-29_Layout 1 21/02/2017 11:22 Page 2Next >