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Linda Clark - The Spotted Dog Flower Co

linda clark - the spotted dog flower co

4.8(69)

GAINSBOROUGH

My name is Linda and I have been working full time growing and selling flowers since 2014. Prior to this I worked in the constrution industry for many years, initially in administration and marketing, followed 12 years as PA to the Chairman, through the highs and lows building roads and sewage systems! Then a move into the IT department managing the teams installating IT and telecoms on big construction sites and a lot less exciting stuff resulting in spending far too much time on Doncaster railway station. Time for a change!! Joining the fledgling organisation Flowers from the Farm (FFTF) in 2012 when members numbered around 50, led to becoming co-ordinator for the East Midlands region in 2015 and Co-Chair for a two year fixed term 2018-20. Since I joined FFTF has grown to nearly 1000 members championing local grown flowers. My business increased from selling a few bunches of flowers a week to supplying flowers and floristry for weddings, funerals and in 2020 a big expansion in selling flowers to the general public, followed by a return to farmers’ markets in 2021 where from March to September you will find The Spotted Dog at Brigg, Lincoln and Saxilby. My flowers are grown with the environment in mind. The poly tunnel is unheated, the greenhouse uses electric for only two months of the year, the flowers pesticide free and tonnes of compost are supplied from our own horses and livestock every year, supplemented by bulk green waste. Flowers are supplied wrapped in kraft paper or re-useable vases or buckets depending on volume supplied! I use primarily British flowers, either grown by myself or sourced from other growers, locally in Lincolnshire and Cornwall early/late season. On very rare occasions I will use carefully sourced imported flowers if needed for the work being undertaken although more and more customers are requesting “only British” and are happy to work with the seasons. Media mentions have included BBC Radio 4 Open Country with Helen Mark on her programme ‘Inspired by Flowers in Lincolnshire’, Radio 4 ‘Farming Today’ during British Flowers Week, Radio Newark with Girls About Town, BBC television for RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2018 when I was filmed cutting flowers to ready to transport to London for use in the Flowers from the Farm exhibit when the amazing team won a gold medal. There have also been articles in My Weekly Magazine, Flower Arranger magazine, The Gainsborough Standard, The Lincoln Business Journal and in 2020 The Daily Telegraph in an article about the flower industry during the Covid pandemic. In 2021 I was delighted to welcome Lizzie Musham from BBC Radio Lincolnshire for a field walk ahead of FFTF Flower Farmers Big Weekend and we met up again in November when she joined one of our wreath making workshops at The Cross Keys Stow and made a wreath live on air! I’m passionate about promoting natural funeral flowers suitable for green burial grounds, never use floral foam and in 2020 became an associate member of the Association of Green Funeral Directors. My wedding flowers have appeared on Love My Dress and Rock My Wedding blogs and I undertake weddings only within a 50 mile radius of my home.

Fort Luton

fort luton

London

In 1859 Lord Palmerston instigated the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom to review the nation’s defences. At the time there was a strong possibility of a French attack and the country’s existing defences were deemed obsolete. The report was published the following year with the recommendation of the construction of a series of forts to strengthen the defences around the country against landward attack. Over 80 forts were built with five being constructed in Medway to protect the Royal Dockyard, Royal Arsenal and the approach to London. Fort Luton was the smallest in the “Chatham Concrete Ring”. The five forts were Fort Borstal, Fort Bridgewoods, Fort Horsted, Fort Luton and Fort Darland. The design and placement of the forts were based on the needs and armament available in 1860, artillery range was three miles and with the site of the forts you could hold the enemy around five miles from the Dockyard at Chatham, an important feature of approach to London was the A2 which Rochester Bridge is part of and this had to be protected, if the enemy could use it they would have a direct route into London and if they destroyed the bridge they could delay our troops from hampering their invasion plans and forcing them to travel miles to cross the River Medway. Construction started on the Medway forts in the mid-1870s however funds became short and work stopped for some years, by the time work began again armament had so improved as to make the forts useless for the defence of the Royal Dockyard and Rochester Bridge, artillery fire was now travelling up to twelve miles. The design of the forts were changed many times reflecting on the improving armament, changing needs for defence and the new suggestion that fixed artillery forts were an unnecessary cost which field works could replace. Due to the constant improvements during this short period many features of Fort Luton were removed from plans including a main magazine, counterscarp galleries and a caponier. The size of Fort Luton was also reduced and a casemate was converted into the use of a magazine. None of the forts received their fixed gun emplacements but instead they were provided with secure bases around the ramparts, this allowed field guns to be wheeled into position when under attack but also removed if there was heavy bombardment. To protect the guns Fort Luton was provided with four gun shelters in which the artillery men could also retreat when in danger.