Episodes
Published 03/23/24
This week Gardeners’ Corner visits what must be one of most beautiful classrooms in the country – the walled garden at the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE), Greenmount Campus in County Antrim. David Maxwell joins CAFRE’s Lori Hartman for a look around, as work begins to renovate some areas including the hot border and a brand new brick pergola. At Mount Venus nursery, in the hills above Dublin, Oliver Shurmann has some spring highlights and Colin Agnew introduces...
Published 03/23/24
While damp weather is making it tricky to get in to the garden there is still plenty to keep Dave and Jules Hardy busy at Esker Farm Daffodils. Since David’s last visit the county Tyrone couple have added a large garden area which shows how the daffodils can be grown in mixed borders. Amy Kelly kicks off the Great Gardeners’ Corner Grow Along by sowing Beetroot, Carrots and Sugar Snap Peas. In Dublin, Oliver Shurmann picks some seasonal highlights at Mount Venus nursery and friend of the...
Published 03/16/24
This week, David Maxwell visits Brendan Little in his garden on the shores of Mulroy Bay in county Donegal. What was once a formal lawn is now covered in naturalised spring flowering bulbs. Brendan explains how he hopes to extend this riot of colour into late spring and summer – something he hopes will mean he won’t need to get the mower out until September! The propagating operation at Mount Stewart is ramping up as part of a new 3 year project. After a career in publishing, Jacky Hawkes is...
Published 03/09/24
As Spring officially begins, David Maxwell heads to Jimi Blake’s Hunting Brook Garden in the hills of County Wicklow where he has brand new borders in mind. At the National Trust’s Mount Stewart, work begins on a tree nursery that will produce 600,000 trees a year and gardener Archie Parke retires after five decades of service in Belfast’s Botanic Gardens. In studio, Cherry Townsend will take questions and provide some spring inspiration and wildlife Katy Bell on what to look out for in your...
Published 03/02/24
Two years to the day since the war in Ukraine began, presenter David Maxwell hears the powerful story of how a garden has helped one family close the front line survive. Alla Olkhovska has been harvesting and selling seeds of rare clematis found in her grandmother’s garden in Kharkiv. She also wrote her first book about these beautiful climbers in the basement during the initial bombardment. David finds out what it’s been like to look after this precious space with the sound of birds...
Published 02/24/24
In this week’s programme, David heads to the Green Spaces Community Growing Project near Warrenpoint where the volunteers are getting the garden ready for the season ahead. He finds out what attracts people to community gardening. In County Sligo, Lissadell House and gardens occupy a breath taking location. Immortalised in a poem by Yeats, work has been going on for the last 20 years to restore the gardens and plant hundreds of trees in this windswept location. Oliver Shurmann chooses...
Published 02/17/24
How can plants help solve serious crimes? In this week’s Gardeners’ Corner David Maxwell meets the forensic experts that use plants to give them clues. National hedgehog day fell this week – apparently a Roman precursor to ‘Groundhog day’ and with these small mammals still on the red list, wildlife expert Debbie Nelson brings Holly the Hedgehog into studio to explain what gardeners can do for them. Legendary plantsman Jan Ravensberg chats to David about a lifetime with plants and social...
Published 02/03/24
After a week of storms, David heads to the gardens at Hillsborough Castle where Claire Woods is surveying the trees for damage. Claire explains that their approach is to leave as much of the wood as possible in situ as it supports all kinds of life. In the first of a new series, Oliver Shurmann reveals his perennial of the month which is Hepatica nobilis – a flower he first encountered as a child in Germany. Grace Loughrey has a small yard garden at her house off Belfast’s Ormeau Road where...
Published 01/27/24
What happens to our gardens when it snows? This week David Maxwell heads to Downhill Demesne on Antrim’s north coast to see how a blanket of white transforms how we experience the garden. He also chats to Una Quinn about her plans for the Bog Garden there in 2024. Along the coast in an equally cold Ballyvoy, Conrad McCormick is protecting his tender plants as the mercury drops and on the shores of Strangford Lough, Amy Kelly is able to harvest veg from her allotment despite it being...
Published 01/20/24
With another new year stretching out ahead, David Maxwell is joined in studio by Brendan Little for the first live programme of 2024. They’ll be chatting about preparing for the year ahead and what’s looking (or smelling) good in the garden in January. Also on the programme, David heads to Rowallane Gardens in Saintfield where Claire McNally is pruning roses, Ann Fitzsimmons is considering building a fruit cage in her County Down garden this year and Philip Stewart in Magherafelt is turning...
Published 01/13/24
In the garden we are often thinking of the seasons to come, but it can also be useful to look back and take stock at the start of a new year. This week, David Maxwell leads us through the seasons with Gardeners’ Corner, from a huge snowdrop collection at Altamont Gardens in County Carlow to the quiet retreat for a Limavady gardener who’s been living with cancer. From the razzmatazz of garden shows in Antrim, London and Dublin to the serenity of a poet’s garden in County Laois. Join David...
Published 12/24/23
Join David Maxwell and the gardening gang for a festive fireside chat at Kilcoan Gardens in Islandmagee. With home grown and handmade seasonal treats, four experts brave the winter weather for a fun filled Christmas get together. Ann Fitzsimmons and Mary Doris use fresh garden herbs and Christmas leftovers for a fuss free holiday meal, while Brendan Little and Cherry Townsend tour the gardens picking foliage for some last minute Christmas decoration. Also on the programme; Una Quinn...
Published 12/23/23
With the leaves gone it’s all about colourful stem colour on Gardeners’ Corner this week. David meets artist Heather McDermott who loves willow more than any other plant and works with it every day. She thinks more of us should have our own ‘Salley’ gardens so we have this useful crop which can be used to make free plant supports and fences. Also on the programme, how a handful of soil has more life in it than there are people on the planet and celebrating Garvagh man Andrew McClarty who has...
Published 12/16/23
With daylight at a premium the work goes on in two stand-out gardens visited by Gardeners’ Corner this week. At Musgrave Park Hospital in South Belfast, the charity Horatio’s Garden is creating a garden for spinal injury patients designed by Chelsea gold medal winning designer Andy Sturgeon. Helen Mark meets the new head gardener there and chats to Andy about this ‘high maintenance’ space. At Glenarm Castle the Walled Garden has recently been named Historic Houses 2023 Garden of the Year. The...
Published 12/09/23
With a wintry feel in the air, David Maxwell is joined in studio by experts Anna Hudson and Reg Maxwell to offer some gardening inspiration for colder days. The team will be taking questions on among other things the challenges of Christmas Cactus, and why one listener’s winter display of cyclamen is wilting. Also on the programme, David heads to a Jurassic world in County Kerry where Australian tree ferns have naturalised. At the Greenmount campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and...
Published 12/02/23
As Autumn gives way to Winter, David Maxwell visits the Savill Garden in Windsor Great Park. Keeper of the Gardens, John Anderson shows David the national collection of Mahonia which are lighting up the garden with their bright yellow flowers. A listener gives some tips on preventing newly planted spring bulbs becoming a tasty snack for garden wildlife. Jekka McVicar chooses Mint as her penultimate ‘Herb of the Month’ and Klaus Laitenberger takes David foraging in County Leitrim. Expert Ann...
Published 11/25/23
This week, David heads to Rowallane where Claire McNally picks some highlights including Mahonia and reveals her quest to find a ‘not so tart’ berry from the plant sometimes known as the Oregon Grape. David joins Klaus Laitenberger at the community garden in Bundoran where he’s pruning the blackcurrants. Frank McCooke from Slemish market garden gives practical tips on planting garlic for spring. Reg Maxwell gets planting for a Christmas display - yes there's still time! Contact the programme...
Published 11/18/23
In this November highlights programme, David Maxwell is joined in studio by expert Brendan Little. Celebrating the season of golden colour, Brendan gives advice on planting with birds in mind and getting new saplings for free. November is the perfect time to plant bulbs and that’s what Claire Woods is doing when David Maxwell visits her at Hillsborough Castle. Then it’s off to the RSPB’s Belfast Wow where Tim McCann has lots of tips on getting garden birds through the worst of winter. Also on...
Published 11/11/23
The weekly gardening programme for keen gardeners with the latest advice, news and visits to gardens large and small around the province. Presented by David Maxwell.
Published 10/28/23
Helen Mark presents this week's edition of Gardeners' corner. She takes a trip to the Arboretum at Castlewellan Forest Park to oversee the work on the herbaceous borders. Frank and Linda McCooke give Mary Doris a masterclass in all things gourd - from Crown Prince to Munchkins, how to grow and what to cook. David Lindsay from Picked Organic on why he decided to give the good life a go. Expert Ann Fitzsimmons joins Helen in studio to answer listeners questions. Email any time...
Published 10/28/23
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 programme on [email protected] ‘Please note this material has been edited since...
Published 10/14/23
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 David why Lemon Verbena is his favourite herb and the value of Florence Fennel. At Ballyrobert...
Published 09/30/23
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, Taghnevan Community Allotments provides a hub for locals interested in growing their own and the...
Published 09/23/23
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 treatment options have allowed him to remain active and his garden has become even more precious...
Published 09/16/23