< PreviousWhen we start a project, whether it be a domestic garden, public open space or commercial landscaping scheme, there is a lot of preparation needed as planting is the very last thing to be carried out. You need to be aware of building, painting, plumbing, electrical and carpentry skills 20 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY Although we’ve had some cold weather at the beginning of the year, the days are getting longer and so spring is just around the corner. It is at this time of year that we start to get more calls from people wanting their gardens redesigned as they are beginning to think about their outdoor space and how they want to make use of it in the summer months, as Ed Fuller from Fullers Landscaping explores. constructed. Planning of each element is imperative; for example, you may want a decking area with lighting in one area and a water feature in another. This may require the electrical fittings doing at the same time even if you are not plumbing in the water feature until a later date. There are many independent stages throughout the construction process, but they also need to be considered cooperatively. This planning will also ensure that the ‘site’ is run efficiently. To begin with your garden will look like a building site and may do so for a while but be rest assured it will look eventually be the amazing garden that you want. Once you have the basic structures in place you can start the fun bit of using the planting to finalise the design. This is where the different colours, shapes and sizes of plants are well-thought-out so that they complement the overall feel of The garden reimagined to ensure that all of the elements are undertaken correctly and work together. When designing a garden, we consider how the colour, texture and shape of each material will complement one another while also thinking of the practical side of how they will be The garden reimagined 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 11:10 Page 1the garden, as well as being planted in the right places to ensure survival. If you aren’t wanting to redesign your garden at this time, there are still things you can do to give your garden a lift. Pruning and removing dead and diseased stems will give your garden shape, especially if you have some large bushes. Just giving them a cut and shaping can have a dramatic effect. You can also spruce up your garden by giving your furniture and shed a lick of paint, clean paving areas, and add compost to containers. It is also a good time to think about how you will be using the garden in the summer and start to make changes now. For example, you may want to add some lighting to the patio area or change a flower bed both in size and planting style. Sometimes a small change can transform a garden and adding or rearranging planting can give your garden a facelift. Whether you are having a full redesign or just doing individual things to make a change remember Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your garden. I find that most people underestimate the work that is needed to create a garden and therefore you may want to see it as a long-term project. In any event enjoy the process and keep thinking of the long summer days in which you can enjoy the fruits of your labour. LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 21 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 professional, tailored gardening and forestry FULLERS Landscaping Call 01522 868717 or 07867 510544 landscapinglincolnshire@gmail.com www.landscapinglincolnshire.com Around the garden •Protect new spring shoot from slugs •Plant shallots, onion sets and early potatoes •Plant summer-flowering bulbs such as Allium, Frecsia, Begonia, Crocosmia and Bearded Iris •Cut back Cornus (dogwood) and Salix (willow) and buddleias •Start feeding fish and using the pond fountain and remove pond heaters •Open the greenhouse or conservatory doors and vents on warm days •Get rid of slimy patches on the patio but using a scrubbing broom and cleaning fluid or a pressure washer •Sow sweet peas •Trim winter-flowering heathers as the flowers disappear, to prevent the plants becoming leggy •Keep feeding the birds © Shutterstock / Photographee.eu 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 11:10 Page 222 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY BOSTON © Shutterstock /Tony Dunn The brilliance of Boston The brilliance of Boston While often overshadowed by its American namesake, Boston is a town swimming in intrigue and deserving of attention. 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 12:14 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 23 BOSTON A historic market and port town, located on the River Witham, with close connections to The Wash, Boston has a rich heritage and a lot to offer. With a population of around 69,000, the town continues to grow and develop, with numerous new housing developments in the area, as well as advances in leisure and education. That’s all without mentioning its robust business offering covering a wide variety of sectors. The town’s oldest business is Calders & Grandidge, suppliers of quality pressure treated timber, founded all the way back in 1820. Operating from its forty-six-acre site, the company has more than 100 years of experience providing creosoted timber poles, railway sleepers, gates and fencing. Good news for the town came in 2019, when Boston College was ranked joint 5th over 180 Further Education colleges across the country in the NICDEX national league table, and enhanced its educational offering, with the opening of a new Engineering, Manufacturing and Technology facility. Meanwhile, boosting activities for families in the area, Boston Borough Council has received £51,000 for a new multi-use games area in Central Park. The new facility will present space for a variety of activities including football, basketball, table tennis and fitness. The area is expected to open in the Easter holidays. Central Park, once a private deer park, is also home to the town’s Outdoor Cinema. In April (25th) a Mamma Mia double bill will grace the screen. With 2020 marking the Mayflower’s 400th anniversary year, Boston is sure to hold a prominent place on the UK’s tourism map as a key town in the Mayflower trail. While the actual anniversary of the pioneering voyage is on 16th September, the year long commemoration began in the town last November with an Illuminate Parade. Boston’s connection to the Mayflower begins on an autumn night in 1607, when a group met a boat on the edge of The Wash at Scotia Creek, Fishtoft, near Boston. Planning to escape to Holland for religious freedom, they were betrayed by a ship captain who they had arranged to travel with. The Pilgrim Fathers memorial marks this escape point and can be visited today. The local militia captured the group, including William Brewster, senior leader of the Pilgrims, taking their possessions. After being brought back to Boston by boat they were held and tried at the town’s Guildhall - in fact their cells can still be seen. While most of the group were sent back to where they came from, several “ringleaders” were referred to the higher Assizes court of Lincoln. Today Boston Guildhall, which was built in the 1390s, is a museum and has fortunately managed to retain a wealth of its original features. Just one event marking the 400th anniversary is the Boston Mayflower Marathon UK, which is expected to welcome 3,000 runners, supporters and spectators. Boston’s annual marathon has been adapted to coincide with the anniversary and will feature an enactment of the 1607 Separatists in Boston in costume, starting their expedition to Holland and New England. Beginning at Boston Market Place, the marathon will finish at Boston College, on Skirbeck Road. The event will involve a full and half marathon and a fun run. Aside from its pilgrim history the town has a long legacy connecting back to the medieval period - Blackfriars Theatre for instance is one of the town’s earliest surviving medieval buildings, dating from the 13th century. By simply standing in the marketplace one can see the narrow lanes and frontage of buildings reflect the town’s medieval layout. The marketplace has seen stalls for centuries, having held trading markets since 1132 and weekly markets every Wednesday and Saturday since 1308. On 29th March Boston marketplace will host its annual Celebration of Farming event, featuring vintage and modern tractors and farming equipment, alongside unique stalls. Boston is also well-known for its May Fair, which has been held since 1125. Taking place from Saturday 2nd to Saturday 9th May this year, the Boston May Fair has been rated amongst the top five street fairs in the country. Highlighting its significance, it also has a Royal Charter. The event will draw thousands to the town centre with rides for all the family, food and sweet treats. The final day of the fair will also coincide with the free Boston Model Fairground Show at Boston Guildhall - why not look at some miniature models before trying out the real thing. Perhaps the most famous site in Boston, however, is that which dominates its skyline - ‘the Stump’, known more widely as St Botolph’s Church. Named after an Anglo-Saxon monk who apparently visited the area in the 7th century, the Stump is one of the largest parish churches in England, and dates from 1309. Climb just 209 steps to experience its 83-meter-high tower. Aside from the tower, the church also holds some 25 Á 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 12:14 Page 224 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY J & J FUELS BOSTON Oil in South Lincolnshire is available at a fair price and with a reliable service from family run J and J Fuels. We are here to ensure you receive the very best service and at a time that suits you. As member of the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers you can be sure of a safe service every time with quality of product also assured. We pride ourselves on our prompt delivery services as well as our competitive prices. Offering domestic heating oil and farm diesel within a 30 mile radius of Boston. 01205 760 638 Bakers Lane, Freiston, Boston www.jandjfuels.com Looking for a great gift idea? fashio WWWLINCWWW.LIN COOCOLNSHIRET ODANODAY.NET 1st 3 issues only £1 Lincolnshire Today’s gift subscription for only £27.55 with free delivery Call 01472 310301 or visit www.lincolnshiretoday.net/341 Keeping business on the up... We pride ourselves on providing a pro-active, friendly and accessible service. Experts in Accounts and Tax Returns Tax Planning and Book-Keeping Audits and Business Advice We’re here to get you in the right direction To find out how get your business on the up visit www.dextersharpe.co.uk Offices in Boston, Bourne, Horncastle, Lincoln, Louth, Skegness & Spilsby CHARTERED CERTIFIED ACCOUNTANTS To discover more about our extensive range of timber products, including a wide selection of fencing and gates, visit: www.caldersandgrandidge.com Email enquiries@caldersandgrandidge.com or call our experts on 01205 358866 NEW 2020 RANGE PREMIUM MULTI-FUEL STOVES & FIRES ELECTIC & GAS FIRES AND SURROUNDS We have an extensive range of fireplaces, multi-fuel and wood burning stoves along with a magnificent collection of gas fires, electric fires and surrounds on display at our showroom in Boston, Lincolnshire. Our stunning selections from leading British and Scandinavian manufacturers such as Elgin & Hall, Jotul, Chesneys, Dimplex, Valor Contura and Arada to name but a few, means we cater for all tastes. Our friendly and helpful staff are always on hand to give you some ideas and help to guide you with your purchase. Visit our showroom or call us today on 01205 310 327. Church Road, Boston PE21 0LG | Tel: 01205 310 327 E-mail: sales@bostonheating.co.uk | www.bostonheating.co.uk 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 12:14 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 25 BOSTON interesting misericords in its choir stalls showing mythological creatures, animals, heraldic symbols and more. Also prominent on the Boston skyline is Maud Foster Mill, one of the tallest operating windmills in the UK. Dating to 1819 the windmill and its shop are open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, when one can climb the mill’s seven floors and see flour being made in the traditional way, through wind-power. Boston is also a town with a deep connection to nature, with reserves nearby presenting stunning views of ‘The Wash’. Close are the RSPB sites Frampton Marsh and Freiston Shore which are frequented by birdwatchers, walkers and families. As we near spring, at Frampton Marsh passage and breeding waders, including an avocet colony, can be seen on the freshwater scrapes and wet grasslands, in addition to nesting lapwings, skylarks and march hares. During spring at Freiston Shore meanwhile, which has one the UK’s biggest ‘managed realignment’ projects to convert coastal farmland into tidal saltmarsh, one can also see avocets and skylarks alongside oystercatchers, corn buntings, wheatears, yellow wagtails and common sandpipers. For those seeking a more exotic nature experience, Boston’s Ark Wildlife Park houses over 200 animals, from crocodiles to lemurs, mostly rescued from the European pet trade. There are also plenty of sites for avid walkers and dog owners, including Sir Joseph Banks County Park and Woods, which also features a fitness trail, orienteering course, and a lime tree avenue which frames the Stump. While history and nature are two core aspects of Boston, it also has a thriving arts scene which can perhaps be most clearly seen at Blackfriars Theatre & Arts Centre, which is home to two local amateur dramatic and operatic groups and hosts a variety of productions, from ballets to plays and musicals, comedy nights and pantos. Blackfriars was originally a Dominican Friary and did not become a theatre until 1966. Alongside offering a variety of different performances, Blackfriars’ Foyer Gallery holds regular visual arts exhibitions, and the site has an art studio as well as other multipurpose rooms. If visiting the town, there are plenty of hotels, B&Bs, self-catered options and camping sites to choose from, as well as a variety of restaurants to keep bellies satisfied, alongside independent and mainstream shops, museums and entertainment venues. © Shutterstock/ Randall Runtsch © Shutterstock /Electric Egg A look back at Calders & Grandidge’s history 22-25.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 12:14 Page 4U nlike rabbits, brown hares do not live in burrows but aboveground, sheltering from the elements in shallow depressions in the ground. When disturbed or under siege from predators – most commonly the fox – they bound across fields and grassland and often in an evasive zig-zag pattern. As Britain’s fastest land mammal, they use their powerful hind legs to reach speeds of up to 45mph. To put that in perspective, cheetahs, the world’s fastest animal, can reach a top speed of 60mph. Brown hares are most visible from early spring when the breeding season begins lasting right through until September. Due to their speed, it can be difficult to glimpse this elusive animal, despite there being some 700,000 in the UK. But if they’re seen at all during this period, chances are it’ll be when they’re boxing. People used to think that this was two males fighting over a female – giving rise to the phrase “mad as a March hare” – but it’s been revealed that it’s more likely to be a female fending off the advances of an amorous male. Females will have three to four litters of two to four young a year – known as leverets – which are weaned between three and four weeks. As well as being significantly larger than rabbits, brown hares have several other tell-tale signs. Their fur is tawny coloured with a pale underbelly and white tale, long black-tipped ears and eyes of deep amber. As well as being speedy, they’re also most active at night, generally foraging at dusk and dawn. They spend a third of their three or four years of life foraging and will tuck into grasses, young cereal and other arable crops. Where rabbits are community orientated, brown hares are largely solitary. They can, however, be found in small groups in late winter and during courtship which often involves several males chasing a female. A rabbit’s foot may be a lucky totem, but a hare’s paw was believed to have medicinal qualities. It was once thought that carrying a hare’s paw in the right-hand pocket would ward off cramp and rheumatism. It was also believed that if a pregnant woman saw a hare, her child would be born with a harelip. The animal can be commonly found in folklore, perhaps most famously with the white hare of Looe, Cornwall which was said to signal misfortune to men who have betrayed their lovers and as a warning to fishermen that a storm is brewing at sea. Hares also crop up in different religions with many medieval churches and cathedrals across Britain containing an image of three running hares with linked ears. This is probably due to their association with the Virgin Mary or as a representation of the holy trinity. And that’s all to say nothing of the March Hare in Alice in Wonderland. 26 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY The common consensus is that the brown hare was introduced to the UK by the Romans some two thousand years ago. Though some suspect they arrived even earlier, they are now considered naturalised and as much a part of the English countryside as deer and dormice. Lincolnshire wildlife 26-27.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 11:11 Page 1© Shutterstock/nomad-photo.eu LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 27 26-27.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 11:11 Page 228 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FASHION Spring style Spring style The start of a new season is always cause for celebration, especially where fashion’s concerned. With spring here, we’re able to share stunning outfits from some of our favourite designers and labels. Readers will be pleased to know that floral patterns are here to stay and the colour to watch out for this season is yellow – the paler the better. 28-37.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 11:14 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 29 FASHION LauRie A shock of red takes this simply stylish outfit from LauRie to the next level. 28-37.qxp_Layout 1 24/02/2020 11:14 Page 2Next >