< Previousherons as well as two families ofswans with goslings make their wayaround the styled, but still verynatural gardens.There’s woodland areas, a meadowfull of long grass and wildlife, orientalgardens and more areas to sit andponder in than you can imagine. Turnone way, there’s an artisanal bell toring and hear the sound waves lastforever, turn another and there’s a20 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYHOMES & GARDENSBy the mill pondoutdoors and by a millwheel is a seating area, beforeyou get to a formal Japanese garden and a covered barbecue14-21:Layout 1 11/7/14 13:45 Page 7LINCOLNSHIRETODAY21HOMES & GARDENSlovers’ swing by a pond. As Colin puts it, “You have to comehere to really appreciate what it isthat makes this place such a joy, thishouse absorbs people and far from aplace to maintain and look after, it’s aplace to enjoy. When I set out to walkaround, it’s not to see what needsdoing, it’s more like a walk in apark.”We’re inclined to agree. TheGranary and its accompanyinggardens are like a little slice ofheaven, peaceful and dramatic. Youstop at every turn and just standagog. Truly remarkable, it’s a gemthat we’ve been inspired by.The Granary is currently on themarket with Fine & Country.14-21:Layout 1 11/7/14 13:45 Page 822 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYHOMESVintage inthe kitchen!The trend for capturing a sense of the past in yourhome shows no sign of stopping! It’s vintage all theway, so why not go retro in the kitchen too?1 – Cheeky but clean, this vintage pin-up tea towel (£11) will not only dry the dishes in stylebut will look great too. It comes rolled up in a gift tube too, so makes a perfect present!(www.maidenshop.com)2 – Need a place to take a load off, or a seat to host larger parties in the kitchen? This bench(£492) is perfect. Reclaimed train station bench wood is on a heavy steel base which means itwill last generations! More fun than sitting at the train station too! (www.mobius-living.co.uk)3 – This pink beaker from Giggling Hedgehogs (£18) is a fantastic art-deco take on the usual,dull drinking receptacle. Hand made in limited edition batches, it’s earthenware that will last alifetime, but is already so retro! (www.gigglingghedgehogs.co.uk)4 – The maple leaf design on this vintage cocktail shaker (£65) makes it a must-have item foranyone who loves mixing their own creations in the kitchen. It’s perfect for those parties whenthe wine just isn’t enough! (www.theoldcinema.co.uk)5 – For those who love growing their own herbs or just need some stylish storage, thesefishmarket boxes (£35 small, £40 large) are perfect. These hand-crafted reproductions look thepart and have iron handles too for ease of moving. (www.lovestruckinteriors.com)6 – Floral patterns are still in, and never really go out of style either! These tea, coffee andsugar caddies (22) are designed by Emma Bridgewater and are part of the Rose and Beerange. (www.onebrowncow.co.uk)7 - More of a display feature than a practical gadget, this vintage butter churn (£55) will lookgreat on a sideboard or up on a shelf. It’s perfect for those who love a dash of the past in theirhome. (www.raspberrymash.co.uk)8 – Cast iron is as vintage as it comes! This lovingly-crafted egg tree (£9.95) is perfect forthose who love getting dusted up with flour in the kitchen, who could resist?(www.livelaughlove.co.uk) 12322-23:Layout 1 11/7/14 10:40 Page 17456822-23:Layout 1 11/7/14 10:40 Page 224 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRERosie Ablewhite has been running Lincoln Art Works, a gallery in the city’s West Parade foraround three years, but her own art is now taking sole focus. We meet her to find out more.EmergingVISIONS24-25:Layout 1 11/7/14 10:45 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY25ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIREfter discovering thegallery she wasexhibiting in for her post-graduation show was for sale, Rosie sawthe chance to own Lincoln Art Works, alight and airy gallery with oodles ofspace. Having had some fantastic artiststhrough the doors over the last fewyears as well as some big openings andhigh-profile guests including fashionistaGok Wan, Rosie is slowing things downat the gallery and plans to use thespace more as a workshop for her ownwork.Rosie’s work focuses on portraits, butnot in a traditional sense. Working withacrylic paint, but using them likewatercolours, her paintings often getmistaken for ink. Working on bothcommissions and her own inspiration, thefaces and profiles of both famous peopleand unknowns look as if they areemerging from fog or are ghostlyapparitions.Rosie says: “A lot of my inspirationcomes from fashion photography, wheremodels’ expressions are quite neutral ordark. I always wondered what’sprompted them to look that particularway, the fact that there’s a darkness tomy style too adds to that.”Work on display when we visitedincluded commissions done for buyers,including stills from classic film ‘GoneWith The Wind’, but also include portraitsRosie has worked on from photographsor from sittings. “I do tend to work with photographs,as the subject doesn’t move and I cantake my time, I did study life drawing atuniversity, but I prefer to have time toreally get it right.”Rosie’s degree in Fine Art includedillustration in the first year, but she foundher interest lay in drawing and paintingportraits. “There really wasn’t anything else I’vewanted to do my whole life,” Rosieexplains. “The gallery has been a greatthing for me though, it’s really made melearn about business and it’s helped withmy confidence no end.”For contemporary inspiration, Rosie hasalso embraced technology, using thephotography and image-sharing serviceInstagram to follow artists she admires.“I think it’s great, I’ve found a fewartists through that and they also showtheir progress on there. There’s two inparticular I really like, Casey Baugh andHenri Kauu, I’m really impressed bythem.”Rosie has also been lucky enough topaint local actor and personality ColinMcFarlane for a Lincoln-wide project,Rosie says, “He was lovely and I hope hereally loves the work, it’s great to be ableto have chances to paint such interestingpeople.”To see more of Rosie’s work, visitwww.facebook.com/rosierockets“I do tend to work with photographs, as the subject doesn’tmove and I can take my time, I did study life drawing atuniversity, but I prefer to have time to really get it right.”A24-25:Layout 1 11/7/14 10:46 Page 226 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYGARDEN ADVICENow is the time to sit back and enjoy yourgarden. All the hard work during the rest ofthe year means that you can reap therewards by sitting in the sunshine enjoyingthe colour, smell and gentle buzz fromappreciative mini-beasts. Maybe you can only really appreciate this with aglass (or two) of something refreshing! As the children are off school, this is the time of year when all of thefamily can enjoy the garden together. There are lots of activities you can dowith them to keep them amused but which are also educational. There isalso a current campaign by the RSPB called “Give Nature a Home” and youcan download a guide from their website at www.rspb.org.uk. This gives ideas of things to do that will help nature in your garden whilegetting your little ones (and big ones!) outside and having fun. They canbuild anything from a hedgehog shelter to a bee hotel! If you are feeling brave you could mark off a section of the garden whichis just for them to experiment with. If they leave the grass to grow - say noto the mow - then this will encourage butterflies, bees and grasshoppersand enable them to complete their life cycles. They could use the space tostart growing vegetables. Some vegetables that can be sown at this time ofyear are spinach, beetroot, carrots, lettuces and leeks. Along with starting to sow your vegetables other jobs this month for yourgarden include keeping on top of the weeding and deadheading. You alsoneed to make sure you keep watering your plants, especially any new treesand shrubs you have planted this year as if their roots fail to take hold theywill die. You can break up some earth around the base of them to allowwater to break through the soil more easily where it may have becomehard. Just remember to be water wise when watering your garden.You can also start preparing indoors ready for spring. Flowering plantssuch as cyclamen should be potted into final pots and you can also betaking cuttings from herbs such as sage and rosemary. With the herbs youneed to remove their lower leaves and root them in a half peat/half sandmixture and put in a cold frame or mini greenhouse over winter.However the most important thing to do this month is enjoy your gardenand outdoor space!Ed Fuller from Fuller’sForestry and Landscapingurges us to kick back, putour feet up and get outside!Timeto relax!26-27:Layout 1 11/7/14 10:57 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY27GARDEN ADVICEPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/KAPPLEYARDSpecialised 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 OBLIGATION QUOTATIONSCall 01522 868717 or 07867 510544info@fullersforestry.co.uklwww.fullersforestry.co.ukwww.landscapinglincolnshire.comFULLERSForestry & Landscaping26-27:Layout 1 11/7/14 10:57 Page 228 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLINCOLNSHIRE WALKSWe begin near the tiny village ofBloxholm (“Blocc’s homestead”) a namewith Saxon origins. At the start a colourfulmosaic depicts a peasant together with hisoxen reminding us of the long-standingimportance of agriculture locally.Bloxholm was once a more extensivesettlement, something indicated byearthworks near the church where theDeserted Mediaeval Village once stood. Thevillage was devastated by fire in 1351, andprobably by the Black Death too, and isunlikely to have recovered from thesedisasters. Its Hall too has gone; built in the17th century it was enlarged a century laterby the Manners family but demolished inthe early 1900s. Their fine garden wallsurvives however and our walk passes this.The Manners family coat-of-arms adornsSt Mary’s porch and the tower with itsrather impressive castellations bears aimposing black and gold clock. (A visitrequires a short detour - see the routeguide.)Ashby-de-la-Launde, plain “Aschebi” inthe Domesday Book, got its extendedname from the De La Launde family whoacquired the manor in the 14th century.One of their number, Sir Thomas, wasexecuted at Stamford following the Battleof Losecoat Field in 1470. St Hibald’schurch has a 13th/14th century tower andspire but the remainder was extensivelyrebuilt in 1854 with a Victorian interior.At Brauncewell we find more villageremains in the last field before ManorFarm. It too is mentioned in the DomesdayBook, but as “Branzewelle”, and as havinga church and priest. Decline here probablybegan in the 13th century when much ofthe surrounding land was granted toseveral Lincolnshire monasteries. And theBLOXHOLM AND BRAUNCEWELLAlong leafy lanes and tracks to the north of Sleaford two linked walksdiscover remote hamlets, lost villages and hidden churches.Exploring Lincolnshire on footSt MARY'S BLOXHOLMBLOXHOLM MOSAICASHBY CHURCHSTEPPING OUTWAYMARK28-29:Layout 1 11/7/14 10:59 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE WALKSBlack Death in the 1340s would makethings worse! The village was aligned eastto west along a single street.All Saints church was rebuilt 1855though it retained its mediaeval towerbut became redundant in 1973. It is nowlooked after by the Lincolnshire OldChurches Trust.Around the church, in an area knownas Church Close, more earthworks may bethe former gardens of the Manor House –itself 17th century but much altered.NOTES:To locate the start leave theB1188 just north of Ruskington.. Somepaths used are part of the NKDC “SteppingOut” network and not shown on OS maps.Option 2 is rough underfoot on places. Apublic footpath from Bloxholm leadsdirectly to the inn at DorringtonTHE ROUTESOPTION 1:Face the mosaic, turn leftand at the bend bear left onto a track withviews over the Deserted Mediaeval Villagesite towards the church. Pass the walledgardens and when the track bends rightkeep ahead to a signpost at a fencecorner. Go through the hedge gap,keeping right along a track untilthis goes left, take the grasspath ahead towards trees anda footbridge.Bear half left up a gentlyright and left-hand bends, for half a mileto a fingerpost pointing right.Follow the grass headland keepingahead past a small wood and along theleft-hand edge of the next field towardsmore woods. A waymark post is visibleahead. From a stile continue to afootbridge at a farm track there goingleft 80 yards before turning right alonganother field edge with a ditch on yourleft.At the field corner go right a few pacesthen left over a footbridge and alonganother field edge to a stile in its far corner.Now continue towards farm buildings andwhen near them veer right (past anInformation Board) to a metal fieldgate bythe last barn. Walk forward through thefarmyard to the church.There are two return options. Eitherreturn the way you came, or return to thefarmyard where a “Restricted Byway” signpoints right. Follow the track to a lane,turn left and at a junction go left again.At the next junction turn right and walkto where a footpath crosses.Turn left and keep directly ahead onpaths and tracks into Bloxholm. Thissection follows the course of theRoman Mareham Lane road.Finally turn left back to thestart.by Hugh MarrowFACTFILESTART: NKDC “Stepping Out” carpark, Bloxholm. (GR066537)MAPS: OS Landranger 121 (Lincoln) • Explorer 272DISTANCES: OPTION 1. 4 miles • 6.5 kilometresOPTION 2. 5¼ miles • 8.5 kilometresREFRESHMENTS: None on route. Nearest is Musician’s Arms, Dorrington.Ruskington (3 miles) has several inns cafés etc.BLOXHOLM HALL GATESALL SAINTS CHURCH BRUANCEWELLrising arable field and (when visible) aimfor the water tower and Ashby church.Keep right around the churchyard wall to alane end and then take the grass track bywoods on the left. At the woodland cornerbear right to reach a “No Access OverBridge” sign before turning left beside adyke and hedge to reach a footbridge.Cross this, turn right and after 20 yards orso (no waymark on my visit!) turn left overan arable field aiming for the railings ofanother footbridge seen on the skyline. DONOT cross this but turn left on a grass path.Bear left at the field corner, then at a hedgecorner bear right. After 300 yards swing leftto a hedge gap with a footbridge; cross thisand go right along a rough field edge pathto reach some waymarks.Take the grassy track to your left, whichrejoins the outward route near BloxholmHall. Turn right and retrace your steps tothe start. At the road keep ahead into thevillage where a signed footpath leads overthe deserted village site to the church.OPTION 2.Face the mosaic and thistime turn right. Follow the lane, through28-29:Layout 1 11/7/14 10:59 Page 2Next >