< Previous20 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRECapturingJason Paul Corrigan, better known by Jay orJP, was born in Lincoln in 1971 and raised onthe Ermine East, where he attended ErmineInfant, Ermine Middle and YarboroughSchool. Jay is unashamedly proud of hisupbringing, and his enthusiasm for hisparents and childhood friends is infectious. In the years since, he’s clocked up anumber of jobs including working in thebuilding trade and in factories. And, giventhat Jay is football mad, it’s not surprising tolearn his CV even boasts a spell as a footballgroundsman. For the last 18 years he’s been working asWe caught up withJason Paul Corriganwho, despite only takingup photography thisyear, has already wonmultiple awards. He hashad his work featured onnational TV and currentlyhas work on show at theLittle Red Gallery, inLincoln’s Bailgate.a window cleaner, so he’s no stranger topanoramic views and how best to frame ashot. As a single father, Jay and his youngson James like nothing better than to take acamera and spend the day out and about inLincoln. Jay’s shots are immediately striking, movingfrom pristine realism to more playful, almostimpressionist compositions. What’s mostsurprising is that he only took upphotography as a hobby this year. Havingalready won two competitions, being theLincolnshire Heritage Calendar and RuddocksPuzzle, it’s safe to say he’s naturally gifted and20-21_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:10 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY21ARTISTIC LINCOLNSHIRETHE 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.ukthecountyhas a keen eye. His work has also beenfeatured on ITV Weather and in a numberof magazines. Jay’s work is currently ondisplay at the Little Red Gallery, which he’sdelighted to be associated with. “I see things differently when my eye isthrough the lens,” Jay says, “nature paintsthe picture - I just record it in my camera.Every time I capture a moment, my heartjumps a little - it is a very special thing.”This immense sense of optimism is evidentin each of his images. Even his mistynightscapes break from the gothic traditionand instead conjure images of open fireplaces and other wintery comforts. Every artist has their muse, be it a loveinterest or a historical setting, and for Jay,inspiration is abundant in our county. “Iwant to capture the beauty of thiscounty,” he says. “I love recording howbeautiful Lincoln and Lincolnshire really is.”Some of his favourite sights to capture areLincoln Cathedral, the fields, flowers,sunshine and people. Most of us might not associatephotography with danger, but Jay saysthat taking pictures comes with its ownset of occupational hazards. He’s beenchased by farmers and quad bikes, falleninto ditches and attracted more than oneodd look while lying in wait for thatperfect shot at all hours of the day. Hisfountain piece took over an hour lying flaton the ground in the park waiting for thelight to break through just where hewanted it. Given this level of care andattention, it’s really no wonder his work iswinning awards and accolades. 20-21_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:10 Page 222 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYGARDENSGarden lighting can certainly help in this area, asmost thieves prefer working under the cloak ofdarkness. However, it’s not all about security. Makingthe right choices means you can enjoy your garden,long after the sun sets both in the winter and in thesummer months. Until fairly recently, garden lighting choices werevery limited and quite expensive for anything morethan a simple high-wattage security light, sodiumflood or perhaps a porch lantern. Thankfully, stylish designs are much moreaffordable these days, and technology has comealong in leaps and bounds so its no longer ascomplicated or expensive to install them.With the arrival of dark nights, readersminds will no doubt be turning tosecurity and this is especially true forthose of us with expensive gardenfeatures and ornaments or evenexpensive Koi. So here's a fewexamples of gardens that'veembraced that problem and created anew dimension in the process.24 ÁAfterDark22-25_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:13 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY23GARDENSPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/PHOTOGRAPHEE.EU22-25_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:13 Page 224 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COMGRISHA BRUEVLanterns light up this Lincolnshiregarden and add moodPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COMWELCOMIA22-25_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:13 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRETODAY25GARDENSThe trick is to remember that, as oureyes get accustomed to the dark, alittle light goes a long way - so keepany power outputs to a modest level -this is perhaps just as well with risingenergy costs. Fixed wall lights either side of adoorway, soft LED's within the borders,and underwater pond lights, if youhave a water feature, are all excellentways to create a new dimension inyour garden. The latter is particularlyeffective if you place them under awater flow as the movement andrefraction creates patterns and thishelps adds layers to your gardenlighting scheme. Another area that isworth attention is garden steps asilluminating these will create awelcoming look as well as guiding theway and keeping intruders at bay. When choosing the effect of differentlights in different parts of your garden,you'll need to decide whether you want awash or a pinpoint spot and whetheryou'll want a colour such as green, crispwhite or warm glow - most bulbsnowadays state which kind of light theythrow so try a mix and match in differentareas to see what works best for you.Nowadays its possible to opt for mainslighting without the need to run a cablefrom the garden to a switch in the house- using a wise-box, or similar, you cansimply switch the lights on and off fromthe comfort of your living room via aremote control. These work across fairlylong distances too - I have mineapproximately 50 feet from the houseand it works very effectively. Effective lighting also increases thesense of interior space. Using spikeduplighter or floods to light trees,sculptures or borders works extremelywell here and remember if you havedecorative patio plants such as clippedolive trees or Buxus (box) balls/pyramids,then a small uplighter designed foroutdoor use creates a dramatic effect.Remember too that you don't have toinstall permanent fixtures - successfulgarden lighting is all about being flexible,and lights with spiked fittings have theadded advantage over their counterpartsin that they can be moved with theseasons or as borders fill out. Lighting is especially effective in winteras many trees and shrubs shed theirleaves in the colder months, leavingtrunks and branches bare, so use theseinteresting shapes wisely by illuminatingthem and give your garden that allimportant architectural feel. Above allhave fun with it and remember to checkthat the light you're thinking of using isan outdoor one - if in doubt, consult anelectrician and remember to protect anycables laid underground from futuredamage by spades or cutting irons. Its alltoo easy to think you'll remember whereyou laid it but in a few years time whenthe garden evolves you don't want to beracking your brain wondering where thecables was.PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/WELCOMIA22-25_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:13 Page 426 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYgardener don’t manage to then you may find by thesummer parts of your decking are discolouredand green and slippery. This then createdanother time consuming job to get yourdecking back to its former self and lookinggood again. Over watering– Seedlings and cuttings willneed frequent watering until they getestablished. However once they havedeveloped good root system, water them atregular intervals. Most plants hate sitting inwater as their roots need to breathe. Even if thetop soil looks dry it could be soaking wetbelow. Planting preparation and planning–When you are considering any planting youneed to make sure you put the right plants inthe right place. For example, you don’t want toput sun loving plants in the shade. There willalso be certain plants that like the type of soilyou have. As part of your research take a lookat what your neighbours have planted and seePHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/JIL PHOTOThe perennialThis is the time of year when the gardentakes on a whole new image, due to thechange in colours, falling leaves and dormantplants. If you are a keen gardener you willknow that there is still plenty to do at this timeof year. While you may not be using the gardenin the same way as the summer months it stillneeds looking after.However, there are a few mistakes that somepeople make which can either cost a lot of timeand/or money to rectify or end up puttingpeople off gardening in the future. Some ofthese include: Time– Especially if you are new togardening you need to make sure you giveyourself enough time to carry out the jobs inthe garden. It is also important to tackle onejob at a time. It is surprising how much timeyou need to keep on top of your garden, and ifyou don’t get some jobs finished properly itcan compromise your plants and structures. Forexample, if you want to oil your decking butEd FullerEd Fuller from FullersForestry and Landscapingexplains why your gardenstill needs love and attentioneven in the autumn and howto avoid some of thecommon pitfalls. 26-27_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:15 Page 1what has thrived, but most garden centre will have someone whocan provide you with some advice.You also need to ensure when planting seeds that you give themenough room and prepared soil. When you plant them in thedamp soil in the winter or spring you need to remember that thesoil will dry up and become rock hard. This means that the roots ofthe young plants won’t be able to penetrate the soil and thereforenot grow very big. It may be considered a laborious job but bydigging the beds before planting, and adding plenty of compostand leaf mould, the soil will remain loose enough for the youngplants roots to take hold. It is hard work but again make sure youleave yourself enough time for this job.A common mistake made when planting trees is putting themtoo close to the house or planting trees too big for the garden. Forexample, a dwarf species may be more appropriate. I have manypeople contact me about cutting down trees that they plantingmany years ago but are now causing a threat to their house. Fullygrown trees can cause a safety issue when too close to properties,create too much shade and when their leaves fall they block upyour guttering and create dampness. Below ground they can bejust as destructive with their roots spreading and swelling whichcan cause the foundations of the house to become unstable.Pruning– This can be hard work but is vital for some plants tosurvive. For example, if you have fruit trees and berry bushes theyneed to be pruned so that unnecessary branches are taken awayas these take energy that the tree needs for fruit creation. Timingfor pruning is important, as with some plants it could result in theremoval of dormant flower buds, or early pruning for fruit treesmay make them create shoots that will suffer frost damage. Whatever your gardening ability, a little bit of time spentplanning can help transform your garden whatever the time ofyear and give a feeling of satisfaction.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY27Specialised 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.comGARDEN ADVICEPHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ELENA ELISSEEVA• Clear up fallen leaves, especially from lawns,ponds and beds• Raise containers onto pot feet or bricks toprevent waterlogging• Plant tulip bulbs for a spring display next year• Prune roses to prevent wind-rock• Plant out winter bedding• Cover brassicas with netting if pigeons are aproblem• Insulate outdoor containers from frost(bubble wrap is good)• Stop winter moth damage to fruit trees byusing grease bands around the trunks• Put out bird food to encourage winter birdsinto the garden• Dispose of excess debris unfit for compost byhaving a bonfire – but check for hedgehogs. Around the garden26-27_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:15 Page 2PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK.COM/ARENA PHOTO UK28-30_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:17 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY29BOSTONBoston is a town steeped in history, andhas worked hard to retain its heritage. Onceupon a time the town was a major exporthub, second only to London itself in theamount of trade it handled each year. This iswhat led to a major city in the US beingnamed after the town, which many believedwould remain an industrial trade hub formuch of the UK. As the wool trade thatBoston so heavily relied on began to diedown however, the town found itself leftbehind by some of its larger cousins, but ithas retained much of its rustic charm –instead of becoming a sprawling metropolislike many larger towns and cities. Nowadays the town isn’t quite so powerful,but that doesn’t make it any less of a spot forshopping and tourism within Lincolnshire.Beyond that, Boston manages to maintainmany of its links to the past and is quick tocelebrate its cultural heritage. The huge tower of St Botolph’s Church (orthe Boston Stump, as it is best known)dominates the town, and it continues tobring people together. It celebrated its sevenhundredth anniversary not so long ago andthe success demonstrated how iconic andcherished it remains. Equally iconic is theMaud Foster Mill – one of the few stillworking and producing flour.It’s also estimated that around half ofBoston’s population is employed in theagriculture industry – so if any town is wellequipped to highlight the best ofLincolnshire produce, it’s right here inBoston.This foodie heritage continues with its everpopular markets. Indeed, fresh food was firstsold in the town’s market place around athousand years ago and the traditioncontinues – in exactly the same location – tothis day. Boston plays host to several of thetop growers and suppliers in Lincolnshire,and some of their most loyal and enthusiasticcustomers are the chefs and owners behindthe town’s top eateries. They also frequentthe array of independent traders that can befound along the length of Boston’s HighStreet.Boston continually celebrates its history inthe award-winning Guildhall Museum. Builtin the 1390’s, it is a testament to the wealthand power of Boston back in this time. Oneof the favourite attractions is the restoredbanqueting hall and kitchen so you can seehow townsfolk entertained in years gone by.They dined in some style then – and you canstill do that in Boston’s excellent venuestoday. And of course there is the bi-weekly BostonMuch to doabout BostonChristmas is almost upon us and some towns make themost of it. Rich in history, Boston is a sight to behold,especially in the winter months. 30 Á28-30_Layout 1 17/10/2016 14:17 Page 2Next >