Gardeners' Corner

David Maxwell travels to the hills of County Wicklow where he explores Jimi Blake’s Hunting Brook garden in late summer. Jimi pushes the boundaries of what it’s possible to grow in Ireland a thousand feet above sea level and tells us how we can stave off autumn for a another month. David Kenny is one of the few Irish rose breeders left, so what makes the perfect Irish rose? All that and the team w...

The bees need our help and this weekend Gardeners’ Corner with David Maxwell will explore how we can all make our outside space a haven for them. David gets up close and personal with the Irish black honeybee on the Ards peninsula where Valentine Hodges has around 100 hives. He’s also off to Hillsborough which is holding a Honey fair this weekend. Also on the programme, David chats to organic grow...

In this, National allotments week, Gardeners’ Corner celebrates those little plots across the country giving joy to many as well as a rich harvest of fresh food. Presenter David Maxwell visits the National Trust’s community allotments at Springhill near Moneymore where one grower explains hügelkultur. Helen Mark visits the plots at St Columb’s park in Londonderry and Amy Kelly comes live from Ards...

David visits vineyard owner David Llewellyn in Lusk, Co Dublin, to find out the secret to his sparkling success, as he has been successfully producing wine for a number of years. He also heads to Kells to explore the beautiful haven created at Dot's spot, and BBC journalist and presenter Victoria Fritz explains how her love of gardening has brought her a large social media following.

Before modern medicine, herbs were the only thing available to treat ailments. Eager to make sure this knowledge isn’t lost, the Irish Register of Herbalists tend a collection of over 200 plants at St Anne’s Physic Garden within Dublin’s St Anne’s Park. David meets some of those involved and finds out about several herbs including Rosebay willowherb and Stevia which is used today as a sweetener. A...

Join David as he finds out what plants are best adapted to dealing with drought. Among them, the daylily, which Maurice Parkinson believes should be more popular in the UK and Ireland. How to transform a steep and uninviting bank; David visits Randalstown where local volunteers have transformed an old railway embankment into a thing of beauty. Also on the programme, Klaus Laitenberger on how to us...

David Maxwell and experts Averil Milligan and Neil Porteous offer sage advice on how to make the most of your summer garden. David takes a trip to an exotic oasis in East Belfast that's brimming with colour and texture and has become a real talking point for residents of the area. Averil Milligan takes David on a tour of her dry garden, and Mary Doris offers tips and tricks on activities to get th...

The pandemic may have confined many to their homes for months but it also forced some young gardeners to connect on social media. This week on Gardeners’ Corner, David Maxwell meets 27 year old Philip Stewart who has transformed his garden in county Londonderry and is documenting it all on social media. Anthea Forde is getting grips with the plant collection established by her late husband, Patric...

Tune into BBC Radio Ulster’s Gardeners’ Corner this Saturday morning when Helen Mark will be visiting Jim Bradley to find out what colour scheme will be on trend this summer, Amy Kelly makes the mouth water with her succulent salads and hang on to our hydrangea as Helen discovers a field of flowers in Scotland. That’s Gardeners’ Corner, this Saturday morning with Helen Mark and the Gardeners’ Corn...

Helen Mark will be finding out how to make the perfect herbal brew while David Maxwell goes wild in a summer meadow. And to mulch or not to mulch? That is the question that will be answered by the Gardeners’ Corner team.

Our gardens can provide a lifeline to bees, and this week David Maxwell and his guests will be exploring how we can make them the perfect place for these precious pollinators. Also on the programme, getting the cottage garden look; David visits Cherry Townsend’s garden in Islandmagee. And why a garden by the sea can create opportunities; Helen Mark chats to Conrad McCormick about the exotic lookin...

With garden flowers very much in fashion, and ahead of British Flower Week, David Maxwell meets a young couple who are trying to turn their passion into a business. Andy and Aisling McCormick started their flower farm last year and they say there’s a big demand for beautiful blooms grown locally. Also in the programme, Ann Fitzsimons on why all is not lost when your veg goes to seed and David head...

Join David Maxwell for the first Gardeners’ Corner of meteorological summer. This week, David finds out all there is to know about growing lavender in a northern climate from Moira Hart, who has acres of the perfumed plant in Wexford. Barbara Pilcher is planting in the dry shade of a mature beech tree in her garden and David chats to Alan Gardner from Channel 4’s ‘The Autistic Gardener’ about his...

Join David Maxwell in his own garden this bank holiday weekend along with expert Ann Fitzsimons. The pair chat about must have plants including Alchemilla mollis (Lady’s mantle) and Alliums. Also in the programme, David visits Ards allotments where Amy Kelly is growing strawberries and raspberries as well as some more unusual edibles. Is Portaferry the new Darjeeling? David heads to Ireland’s firs...

For many it’s considered the greatest flower show on earth and while it’s normally held this week, Chelsea has been ‘chopped’ from its normal spring slot and moved to the autumn. It’s the first time this has happened in the show’s 108 history meaning this year’s RHS show will be completely unique. This week, David Maxwell chats to some local Chelsea Flower Show successes about what taking part in...

We all know gardening is good for us, but why is it now a recognised therapy? David Maxwell speaks to Larne based horticultural therapist, Liz Curtis. David explores the freshly planted herb garden at Glenarm Castle Gardens and Amy Kelly explains some plant jargon like ‘potting on’ and ‘pricking out. Also on the programme, David will be joined live by Ann Fitsimmons and Maurice Parkinson to take l...

After a cold first week of May, David and his experts guests take calls from listeners on encouraging more worms in the garden, growing great blueberries and a beginners guide to figs. Also on the programme, David chats to Gardeners’ World presenter, Frances Tophill about her allotment and he catches up with Jimi Blake about the year ahead for his celebrated garden in Wicklow. And after a listener...

Gardeners’ Corner heads to Glenarm Castle for the annual Tulip Festival. Presenter David Maxwell takes in the display with Reg Maxwell and speaks to gardener Jordan McWhirter, who planted some of the six thousand bulbs. David also catches up with celebrity gardener Sarah Raven and asks her what follows the tulips in her East Sussex garden. Also in the programme, organic vegetable grower Klaus Lait...

David Maxwell finds out all about slugs; the good, the bad and the well….Should gardeners’ get rid of them all and what are the best methods to limit their damage without harming the environment? There will be advice from many familiar Gardeners’ Corner voices on how they deal with this problem pest. Also on the programme, making raised beds; what materials are needed? How deep should they be? Wha...

Whether you are new to gardening or an old hand, weeding is part and parcel of the pastime. But maybe it’s time to give some of those weeds a second chance. This weekend on Gardeners’ Corner, David Maxwell hears from Amy Kelly on weeds she wouldn’t be without. He meets Lori Hartman who is planting ‘prairie style’ in her first garden in Broughshane to remind her of her native USA. Also on the progr...

This weeks Gardeners' Corner phone-in offers advice on bringing wildlife into the garden over the Easter period & what to plant now the sun has come out. Presented by Helen Mark.

How can you transform a small urban outside space? A special edition of Gardeners’ Corner explores how to create privacy, add drama with big containers and make a small garden feel bigger. Presenter David Maxwell is joined by experts Ann Fitzsimmons and Claire Woods to discuss the gardens of 4 listeners, including one described as a ‘concrete box’ and a family garden which has to work for both chi...

Join David Maxwell and his guests for some spring time gardening. This week, Averil Milligan and Reg Maxwell are the experts on hand to answer listeners’ questions including; how to grow perfect peaches, when to cut back Aubretia and why daffodils are not producing flowers for one listener. Also on the programme, David chats to organic vegetable grower Klaus Laitenberger on what we should be doing...

Join David Maxwell for another spring edition of Gardeners’ Corner. This week, with St Patrick’s day just around the corner, David explores the art of rose pruning which traditionally should be done by this date. It’s also the day to put potatoes into the ground, but what conditions do they need and what are the best varieties for the back garden? With seed sowing well and truly under way, Barbara...

Does the thought of cranking up the mower fill you with dread? Well this week on Gardeners’ Corner, presenter David Maxwell finds out why we should all be doing it a lot less. Dr Trevor Dines from the charity Plantlife, explains how you can have a beautiful garden that plays a part in supporting the natural world. Also on the programme, June Blake on dramatic Dahlias and why they deserve a place i...