Gardeners' Corner

Helen Mark presents this week's edition of Gardeners' Corner. Maurice Parkinson selects some show-stopping grasses to enjoy in the Autumn sunlight from his nursery in Ballyrobert. Klaus Leitenberger introduces David Maxwell to some cute little Cucamelons and how to keep unruly grapes in check. Jekka McVicar chooses her herb of the month and Helen is joined in studio by Brendan Little. Email the pr...

David Maxwell is joined for an episode with an early Autumn feel. With Sweet Chestnuts, Horse Chestnuts and apples in studio there is plenty to chat about and questions from listeners’ on Buddleia, Acers and Hydrangeas. Also on the programme David meets up with organic grower Klaus Laitenberger at the Organic Centre in County Leitrim where he began the Irish chapter of his life. Klaus also tells D...

As Autumn shades being to show, David Maxwell heads to Florence Court where they are still finishing summer pruning the apple trees. The National Trust garden has one of the best collections of Irish heritage varieties on the Island. Volunteer David Bolton explains his work in identifying varieties and the recent rediscovery of the Wine apple which it was thought has disappeared. In Lurgan, Taghne...

Hydrangeas are the stars of the show in early autumn and Rosie Maye has an enviable collection in her garden near Slane in County Meath. Presenter David Maxwell finds out what conditions they like and how to prune the different types. Near Limavady, a garden has become a refuge for Fred McIlmoyle who was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018. While his prognosis wasn’t good initially, advances in tre...

It’s been the home of poets and actors and now it prides itself on putting an organic garden at the centre of a private events space; Ballintubbert is found near the village of Stradbally in County Laois. In this week’s programme, presenter David Maxwell tours the gardens with head gardener Jennifer Taggart and finds out how the place has been shaped by it’s former owners including actor Sir John...

The Knepp Estate in West Sussex is world famous for turning its back on intensive farming in favour of rewilding. Its latest project is to transform a former crochet lawn into an undulating sustainable garden packed with over 900 plant species. This week presenter David Maxwell tours the garden with Charlie Harpur and finds out how they manage this unique space which has already massively increase...

In this week’s programme – do you ever wonder where all those bunches of flowers in the supermarket come from? David travels to a family business in Armagh which grows and imports flowers for retailers across Ireland and the UK. With a major public transport scheme underway in Belfast, the programme finds out how horticulture was put front and centre during the Crossrail project in London and a vi...

Gardening on earth can be challenging sometimes, so what about gardening on the moon? David chats to Professor Simon Barak from Ben Gurion University of the Negev about trying to germinate seeds on the lunar surface. Back on planet earth Brendan Little hasn’t mown his grass since May and it’s time to take the meadow into hand. He’s planting plugs of Ragged Robin and Foxgloves and sowing Yellow Rat...

The weather is always unpredictable but with a warm and dry June and damp July, it’s making life challenging for gardeners. This week, David Maxwell will be joined by Cecilia Daly to chat about the reasons for the recent weather patterns and her predictions for the rest of summer. Also on the programme, the National Trust’s Mount Stewart teams up with Bristol University to predict the future for t...

After nearly a century and a half, the Dickson family have decided to bring their rose breeding business to an end. Presenter David Maxwell visits Colin Dickson in his rose field near Newtownards to find out why he’s calling it a day, and to see his very last rose ‘A Fond Farewell’. Also on the programme, how to keep the summer colour coming with Cherry Townsend, top Dahlia choices from Marryn Mat...

Nothing beats visiting other gardens for inspiration and learning, and in this week’s Gardeners’ Corner, presenter David Maxwell asks three of his regular experts to choose one of their favourite gardens. Those featured include RHS Bridgewater near Manchester which opened in 2021. It’s not only one of the newest public gardens, but it is also one of the biggest garden projects undertaken in the UK...

Summer is in full swing and this week David Maxwell and his expert guests are focusing on edibles. Brendan Little provides a masterclass on growing basil, proving you can grow enough to produce pesto in Donegal! Amy Kelly loves growing beans at her allotment in Newtownards where they not only produce an edible harvest but also provide beauty. In studio, David is joined by Ann Fitzsimmons who answe...

It’s the flower of summer and of romance and it never looses it’s appeal according to Mary Keenan who David Maxwell visits in this week’s programme. At her County Laois gardens he has roses that can find a place in any garden and offer both colour and scent. In County Offaly David visits Paul Smyth at Bellefield garden recently left by architect and gardener Angela Jupe as a bequest to the RHSI. T...

This week on Gardeners’ Corner with David Maxwell; why are there so many caterpillars this year and do the spooky webs some are creating spell doom for the plants they cover? At Helen’s Bay Organic Farm John McCormick has some tips on growing courgettes and how to get better veg without wasting water. Helen Mark travels to Stranocum for a masterclass on early summer pruning with Don Kerr and Jekka...

With the heat wave continuing Gardeners’ Corner is live at Garden Show Ireland in Antrim Castle Gardens. David Maxwell is joined by Diarmuid Gavin, Cherry Townsend and Mary Doris who will take questions from an invited audience. Also on the programme, with house plants one of the big themes at this year's show, Conrad McCormick will pick some of his favourites and away from the show David heads to...

As summer begins in the garden, David Maxwell finds inspiration at Ireland’s biggest gardening show. In its 17th year, Bord Bia Bloom attracted over 100,000 visitors. In the programme, David catches up with Oliver Shurmann from Mount Venus nurseries who designed an imaginative woodland garden for under 5s which won best large garden and with house plants more popular than ever, Pat Keville from Pl...

Do you have native plants in your garden? A visit to True Harvest Seeds in Kilclief in Co Down showcases some of the native origin plants growing in the wild and how Debbie Gillies and the team of volunteers are preserving the seeds for the future. From the homegrown to the exotic - David heads to Cluain na dTor in Donegal to see Seamus O' Donnell's collection of stunning plants from across the wo...

David visits the gardening event of the year – the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023. With 36 show gardens and a pavilion full of plant experts, Gardeners’ Corner looks at the show from the perspective of the ordinary gardener. What elements can we all put into practice and with several gardens featuring ‘weeds’, should we all be growing more of them or is that a step too far? Of course, the celebritie...

In this late spring edition of the programme, presenter David Maxwell visits the new community garden in the County Down village of Saintfield. In County Donegal, Joanne and Milo Butler run OURganic in the hills above Gortahork. The gardens are used to teach others about organically growing food and the principles of permaculture. Jekka McVicar chooses basil as her ‘Herb of the Month’ and gives so...

Gardeners Corner takes questions from Gardeners’ at the Balmoral Show 2023. David Maxwell is joined by experts Claire McNally and Ann Fitzsimmons. Questions from the audience include plants for a shady exposed back garden and when to fertilise daffodils. Also on the programme, David visits a flower farm in Magherafelt, a guide to fertilisers and why alliums should steal the show in your garden in...

In this Gardeners’ Corner special to mark the coronation, presenter David Maxwell travels to the private garden of King Charles III in Gloucestershire. He’s shown around by Derry man, Brian Corr who learnt his gardening trade in Northern Ireland before becoming Head of Gardens at the King's Highgrove Estate. David explores the different areas of this organic garden which the King has been hands on...

How much do you think about your garden after dark? In this programme presenter David Maxwell meets Jo Mulholland who’s mad about moths. He finds out about their decline and what gardeners can do to help these often underrated pollinators. Mary Doris has tips on how to look after spring flowering bulbs to make sure they perform next year and John Gault gives a masterclass in rhododendron care from...

With two weeks until the coronation, David visits a garden under construction to mark the event. Diarmuid Gavin’s bold design for The King’s Coronation garden will soon be an eye catching attraction at Hazelbank Park on the shores of Belfast Lough. Among those helping to get the garden finished on time are some students from CAFRE’s Greenmount campus. Also on the programme, Helen Mark visits the N...

David visits Jekka’s herb farm near Bristol on its first open day of the season where Jekka McVicar shows him around the new herb garden. In Hillsborough, as the spring spectacular gets underway, Claire Woods reveals how even the professionals have nature to contend with sometimes and Montalto Estate near Ballynahinch launches its Lost Garden. In studio, Ann Fitzsimmons will join David with some E...

In this Gardeners’ Corner special, live from Fairview Primary School, David Maxwell joins the children, parents and teachers at Fairview Primary School in Ballyclare. In collaboration with the Education team at BBC Northern Ireland, the programme showcases some of the great gardening taking place in schools across Northern Ireland. Experts Claire McNally and Brendan Little will be on hand to offer...