< Previous10 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY HOMES A flexible family home meticulously designed by its owners, Primrose House can be enjoyed in every season. P eacefully placed in a rural environment between the village of Torksey and the renowned Lincoln Golf Club is a marvellous family home that evolves with every season; from winters in front of the living room’s log fire to summers entertaining under the gazebo as the sun sets. Approaching the abode, impressive A family home for all seasons A family home for all seasons LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 11 HOMES 2009, the current owners, Derek and Kath, have now lived at the property for 16 years. Initially drawn to its location, the couple have transformed the dwelling from a shell into a true home. From the decoration to installing the Clive Christian kitchen and creating the cast iron gates welcome you to a tree-lined driveway, leading to a tranquil development of just twelve properties. All self builds, uniquely each home on The Fairways boasts an individual design. Amongst these proudly stands Primrose House on its own plot of an acre, surrounded by meticulous gardens. Built by Gusto Construction in 12 Á12 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY gardens, the house has been carefully designed and curated. This has resulted in high quality finishes throughout including bespoke built-in cabinetry, wooden panelling, solid oak parquet flooring, and silk wall linings. In the construction of the house, the family also wanted to ensure it incorporated environmentally friendly facilities, meaning the property possesses a ground source heat pump, with underfloor heating throughout, high spec double glazing in hardwood windows, and rain water reclamation pumped from underground storage tanks. When taking a tour of Primrose House, one first passes the property’s own electric gates onto a gravelled driveway with a turning circle and fountain. Pristine lawn and mature planted beds sit alongside, while the front of the home is framed by crisply cut hedges and statues. Stepping inside, a spectacular entrance hall greets you, to the right of which is the living room with its roaring marble fireplace. Derek and Kath reflected on how the space has been ideal for hosting 22 family members at Christmas, in front of the open log fire and around the Christmas tree. The room connects to the library, which Derek shared is “nice for relaxation and contemplation.” He continued: “You can really immerse yourself here in winter with a hot Bovril and watch the snow fall.” Returning to the entrance hall, to continue through the ground floor, a downstairs WC, study, and dining room can be found, before reaching the kitchen and pantry designed by Clive Christian with granite work surfaces over. With plenty of space for keen cooks, and intricate details to be spotted on the cabinets, there are also integrated Miele appliances including an oven, hob, steamer, and microwave, along with a Fisher and Paykel dishwasher, American fridge freezer, electric AGA and Quooker tap. A bright and airy orangery is accessed LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 13 HOMES off the kitchen, providing a wonderful entertaining area, over which roof lanterns flood the room with light. This is Derek and Kath’s favourite spot in the home, “because it’s lovely for all seasons.” Derek noted: “In summer you can enjoy looking out over the gardens, and in winter, you can sit, enjoying the warmth of the underfloor heating, and watch the rain, wind and snow.” The orangery leads on to a boot room and a triple garage beyond, above which is a large games room with a Bose sound system. Currently hosting one-armed bandits, football, air hockey and pool 14 Á14 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY tables, and a fireplace, there is also a kitchen and bathroom here, facilitating its use as a flexible living space if required for a self-contained annexe. Returning to the core of the home to explore the first floor, one ascends stairs in the entrance hall to reach a galleried landing. Three bedrooms can be found, including the master with its silk wall linings, bespoke cabinetry, and his and hers dressing rooms and en-suites. The two further bedrooms have their own en- suites too, and there is additionally a purpose-built laundry room on this floor. To the second floor there are two more bedrooms, a bathroom, and access to the balcony where you can sit and look over the gardens and golf course beyond. Outside, providing a great setting for garden parties over the years, the rear gardens have been designed and landscaped by Derek and Kath with a specific vision. “We wanted to create ‘rooms’,” they shared. “There’s an Italian garden, a lavender parterre, lawns for playing croquet and football, and a relaxation area. There’s also raised beds for vegetables and an orchard. So, the gardens create a little microcosm of everything that you would want in a house.” A wrap around patio, meanwhile, can be accessed via the orangery, living room, and study, and leads to a purpose-built gazebo with power and light; a prime spot for alfresco dining and entertaining. “You can sit eight people in there, dining, and it’s rather nice as the sun sets,” the couple said. The gardens further benefit from a summer house with double glazing and electricity, which the owners like to unwind in while listening to Classic FM. There is additionally a garden shed and greenhouse as well as a gate providing access onto the course at Lincoln Golf Club. Handy for eager golfers, Derek and Kath note that one can wander directly across to the clubhouse in 200 to 300 metres. Despite loving the property, its LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 15 HOMES flexibility and how well it lends itself to being a family home, the time has come to sell. Derek explained: “Reviewing our lifestyle, after recovering from a serious illness, we have decided to downsize and move closer to family.” When asked what they have appreciated most in their time at the property the couple shared: “The gardens and the flexibility of the house, in the sense that you can go and sit in the gardens, and you can enjoy your morning coffee, or you can have friends round for dinner. It also presents seclusion while being secure and friendly.” Primrose House is now on the market with Mount & Minster for offers in excess of £1,250,000. ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE 16 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY Lincolnshire Depicting the majesty of S howcasing the majesty of Lincolnshire, Carl Paul is a local artist whose eye perfectly captures the beauty of the county. Born in Grimsby in 1962, his early love of art saw him frequently chosen at school to help with the design for concerts and plays. Setting his natural skills in motion, Carl’s talent was nurtured at Grimsby College of Art from 1979 to 1981. While inspired by the greats, including Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh, ingraining impressionism in his work, Carl is not shy in highlighting how his teachers still influence him to this day, in particular David Tartellin, David Smith, and Alf Ludlum. He shared: “Each artist gave me a different style and approach to art, with subjects from landscapes to wildlife and townscapes to figurative.” Learning never to stick to one subject or style, he added: “I do not like to analyse the paintings I’m working on at the time. Each painting, depending on the subject, develops its own style.” This can be seen in how detail and the strength of his colour Full of feeling and rich with colour and texture, Carl Paul’s paintings are a love letter to Lincolnshire. palette varies between works. With a preferred medium of acrylic, Carl enjoys the versatility of the paint, allowing him to use it like a water colour or an oil, for a bold or delicate effect. Lincoln has become a particular muse for Carl’s art, with a number of works displaying its most iconic and emblematic scenes, from the craggy walls of the castle and the gothic spires of the cathedral to the cobbled streets and walkways. To show the city in all its varying shades, Carl explores colour and composition. His love for the Lincoln landscape has even developed into an extensive souvenir range of products, encompassing tea towels, greeting cards, fridge magnets, coasters, postcards, and calendars. While wearing his influences and inspirations on his sleeve, like the best artists, Carl creates something distinctly his own. Full of feeling and rich with colour and texture, his paintings leap off the canvas and send a love letter out to Lincolnshire. LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 17 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. ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE 18 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY wrap the feature up for further protection. Mains powered features * Act fast, never allow ice to form on any part of the featur e. * Empty all water from the feature. If you have a large feature this may require multiple people to ensure it is done safely. * Wipe up any excess water and residue that is left behind. This will prevent it turning into ice. * Special protection covers are available and come in multiple sizes, placed over your feature to protect it from the months of harsh weather. These steps will ensure you preserve your water feature and preserve its condition ready for its return as the heart and soul of your garden. When it comes to your pond, you can have a lot at stake. It’s important to protect the work you put into it this year, so it’s imperative that you don’t let winter ruin that hard work. The body of water will W ater features can be the centrepiece of your outdoor area or maybe a full ecosystem in the corner of the garden. Maintenance is key to ensure the best quality and longevity of your outdoor water displays. The constant exposure to the elements, especially in winter, may have an impact on your water feature, but this can be prevented with some easy maintenance, and you need to be aware that different powered features will need to be handled differently. Solar panel features * When the temperature gets to freezing, remove all water. * Using warm water, thoroughly clean the panel with a cloth using some suitable grime spray and warm water. * Once dry you can store this in a secured shed or garage. Please note the temperature could go below freezing, so Ed Fuller from Fullers Landscaping explains how to get your water feature winter ready. Extending the life of water features Extending the life of water features* If you have clay soil now is the best time to improve it with organic matter and/or horticultural grit. * Keep deadheading annuals and perennials to extend their performance. * Prune any late summer flowering shrubs such as the rock rose. * Prune climbing roses and rambling roses once they have finished flowering (unless they are repeat flowerers). * Raise pots off the ground for the winter by using bricks or ‘pot feet’ to prevent waterlogging. * Clear pond weeds and net your pond ready for autumn leaf fall. * Divide herbaceous perennials. * Pick autumn raspberries. * Dig up remaining potatoes before slugs damage them. * Install water butts and keep up with watering of new plants. LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 19 FULLERS Call 01522 868717 landscapinglincolnshire@gmail.com www.landscapinglincolnshire.com GARDEN ADVICE Specialised Service in Garden Design and Landscaping Backed by a highly-skilled and experienced team, we’ve built our reputation on an ability to provide our clients with professional, tailored garden design and construction services. need to be looked after but the concerns about the fish and plant life should also be kept in mind. Popular advice includes: * Remove vulnerable plants. Most plants that go around ponds will survive winter, but the tropical plant life may not survive. Take them inside to ensure they stay alive. * Monitor debris in the pond. Surrounding plants in your garden will be shedding, so there might be a build-up of this debris as well as algae and fish waste. * Smaller issues with waste management can be aided by installing a pond filter. * Installing air pumps will ensure that a small part of the pond will remain ice free. Also, the constant movement of water will stop algae building up. * Covering your pond can ensure that no debris will affect the pond, giving you peace of mind when contact with your garden will be limited. * If you have fish in your pond, depending on the species, they can hibernate during winter, so reduce their food. The landscape you have cultivated in your garden should be your pride and joy. The countless hours and budget that has gone into this can potentially be in jeopardy over the winter months. But the simple steps, covered above, can prevent issues from arising. The transition from winter to spring will be with ease with proper water feature maintenance. Around the garden Images show projects completed by Fullers Landscaping. A project completed by Fullers LandscapingNext >