< Previous20 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE landscapes The look of This month we take a closer look at the colourful contemporary landscapes of Caroline Deighton. Caroline Deighton is a professional artist based in Eccleshall, Staffordshire where she produces colourful contemporary landscapes inspired by the nation’s stunning scenery. It’s easy to see where this love affair with the bucolic British countryside began, having grown up in rural Cheshire. Although we might be biased here at Lincolnshire Today with the Wolds right on our doorstep, there’s no denying that there are stretches of stunning natural beauty all over this green and pleasant land. Unsurprisingly, Caroline says she feels very fortunate to have lived in such lovely, awe-inspiring parts of Britain. Caroline is a keen walker and happiest when at the top of a mountain, taking in the sights and smells, all of which is evident when looking at her work. In particular, there is a strong influence from the Lake District in her work and she will try and get away as often as possible. Her paintings are in a mixed medium of 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:08 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 21 ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRE oil and acrylic paint on canvas board which gives them a dreamy quality, as if glimpsed through a haze of sunlight. She captures the beauty she sees and feels while out walking on beautiful, warm, sunset evenings, and meeting the characters that she now incorporates into her paintings. The work itself offers exaggerated perspectives, a lack of straight lines, blurring together people, vehicles and buildings into the landscapes themselves. There’s also a sense of nostalgia to the pieces, as if they were taken from a half-remembered childhood storybook and still have the power to take your breath away, like the landscapes that inspired them. You can see Caroline’s work up close and personal at Little Red Gallery on the Bailgate in Lincoln. 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 Caroline is always painting, so get in touch with the Little Red Gallery for her latest work and for originals. Prices start from £235. 20-21.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:08 Page 222 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY Fullers Landscaping recently designed and completed a garden which was transformed to provide our clients with the outdoor space they wanted, and that the property deserved. Here Ed Fuller explores the process. The property is positioned above the road, with the garden wrapping around the property. Originally it was made up of a paved area and lawn. The level of the back garden was below the back door and, without steps, meant the access to the garden from the rear door was difficult. Furthermore, at the back, on one side of the garden is a large tree which provides a considerable shaded area. The brief from the client was that they wanted a modern, low maintenance outdoor entertaining space. Along the back of the house are large windows and a conservatory and so they also wanted it to be attractive to look at from inside and look good at night. The design included several areas, but we made sure they were not disjointed, and that the garden flowed as you made your way round. It involved several seating areas to ensure that the clients could get the sun during various times of the day and have a number of vantage points. The path that runs all the way around the property starts on the left side of the house, and initially leads you to a scree area along one side and along the other, which is the boundary are pleached trees which sit in front of larch slatted fence. As you turn the corner you see a paved area in the corner of the garden with an arbour providing the first seating area. To keep the garden low maintenance artificial grass and low maintenance planting was used. The path leads past the artificial grass and steps have been created to raise the level of the garden. This higher level has a porcelain paved area providing the second seating area, and further steps which take you up to the back door. These steps are surrounded by a glass balustrade and the area at the top can be used as another seating area. As the balustrade is glass it enables you to view the garden from inside. Moving from the porcelain paved area you go to a footpath made of porcelain planks which is framed by timber arches which continue round to the other side of the property. To the left of the footpath directly under the tree we created a woodland lawn which was created using Soleirolia Soleiroli, which is also known as mind-your-own-business or mother of thousands. Soleirolia is a fast growing, mat-forming perennial with creeping, rooting stems bearing small, rounded of your dreams Getting the garden 22-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:10 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE 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 FREE NO OBLIGATION QUOTATIONS FULLERS Landscaping Call 01522 868717 or 07867 510544 landscapinglincolnshire@gmail.com www.landscapinglincolnshire.com Around the garden • Clear up fallen autumn leaves regularly • Prune climbing roses and rambling roses once they have finished flowering and tie in the stems before autumn winds cause damage • Plant daffodil, tulip, and allium bulbs for a fantastic spring display • Now is the ideal time to plant clematis plants • Clear up fallen rose leaves to prevent diseases such as black spot. Do not compost the leaves • Clear overhanging plants away from pathways • After tidying borders, mulch with bark chips, well rotten manure, or leaf mould compost to insulate plant roots for the winter and keep weed growth in check • Harvest squashes and pumpkins before the first frosts, and apples and pears • Plant autumn onion sets for cropping next summer and plant out spring cabbages • Remove the netting from fruit cages to allow birds to catch and eat any pests that are lurking there leaves and inconspicuous pinkish flowers. It is perfect, low maintenance planting for this type of area. To the right of the footpath, which is still under the shade of the tree, we created a fearnary. A fearnary is also sometimes called a stumpary. This was created using of a variety of rocks and cobbles, like a scree garden but it is planted with ferns. This was the perfect planting to use as they are shade tolerant. As you go round to the far side of the house you are led to the final seating area which is surrounded by larch slatted fence and low maintenance planting. To enable the garden to be used at night, we installed lighting at various locations throughout the garden. This can be controlled with a remote control and means the clients can change the colour of the lighting and the level of brightness. This project enabled us to use many skills and create an amazing garden which ticked all the boxes of the client’s requirements. It is a great addition to our portfolio. GARDEN ADVICE 22-23.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:10 Page 2The linnet isn’t just a street in Birchwood, Lincoln, but a member of the finch family. They can be commonly seen this time of year dining on seedheads alongside other finches. Though they are omnivores, their favourite food is seeds, so much so that both their Latin and common names are derived from this food source. Its common name comes from linseed – the seed of Flax – while the Latin name, L.cannabina, refers to hemp. As with other finches, the linnet produces beautiful, melodious songs made up of fast trills and twitters. So adored were these songs, that linnets proved hugely popular as cage birds in the 19th century. As we move into winter, linnets may form large flocks with other seedeaters, feeding on stubbles, saltmarshes and wasteland. If you’d like to catch a glimpse, keep an eye out on commons, heathland, rough ground, farmland hedges, saltmarshes and in parks and gardens. But what exactly differentiates the linnet from other finches? Well, they have the small, slim body one would expect, though males boast a crimson breast and forehead – though they’re not easily confused with the robin – as well as brown backs and grey heads. Females, on the other hand, are browner, with streakier colouration and no red at all. Regardless of sex, the bird has an undulating flight, usually twittering as it goes. Linnets build neat bowl-shaped nests, typically in gorse bushes or in hedgerows. Females lay between four to six eggs, usually coloured pale blue with purple and brown spots. Only the female incubates the eggs, which hatch after eleven to thirteen days. However, both parents collect and bring seed which, unsurprisingly, are the chicks’ basic food source. Unfortunately, readers may struggle to spot the linnet as their numbers have significantly dropped since the seventies. Indeed, the UK population is believed to have declined by as much as 57% between 1970 and 2014. Agricultural intensification is cited as the main reason, specifically the rise in modern farming practices and herbicides. However, there are ways in which readers can help. By joining the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust, you can help to create Living Landscapes – networks of habitats stretching across town and country that allow wildlife to move about freely and people to enjoy the benefits of nature. 24 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY With its beautiful song and fondness for seeds, it’s easy to see why the linnet proves such a popular bird, both historically and today. But intense farming continues to threaten their numbers. Lincolnshire wildlife 24-25.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:12 Page 1© Shutterstock/ John Navajo LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 25 24-25.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:12 Page 226 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FASHION There’s no easy definition when it comes to what makes an autumnal outfit – you just know it when you see one. For every look sporting dark colours and heavier materials, there’s one that’s bright and floral. Here we round up a few of our favourites. defining Season 26-35.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:16 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 27 FASHION LauRie With autumnal colours, a stunning fit, and subtle detailing on the trousers, this LauRie outfit is everything you could want and more. Its simplicity allows for the application of some choice accessories. 26-35.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:17 Page 228 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FASHION Above: Numph What else is there to say about this simply chic outfit from Numph? Top right: Masai Masai offer another outfit that balances simplicity and sophistication. Right: Samoon Samoon have definitely delivered one of our favourite, most autumnal looking outfits of the season. Opposite: Barbour Plaid patterns never go out of style, and autumn is the their time to shine. This shirt from Barbour is bright and stylish with a roomy but feminine fit. 26-35.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:17 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 11 FASHION 26-35.qxp_Layout 1 28/09/2020 16:17 Page 4Next >