Gardeners' Corner

What trees work well in small spaces? This week David Maxwell visits two experts who have the answer. Amy Kelly’s small suburban garden is full of fruit trees including the mysterious Medlar fruit. Once commonplace in Britain and Ireland, the fruit, which has to be left to over-ripen, has fallen out of favour. Amy thinks the tree still deserves a place because it provides several seasons of interest and fruit to boot! In Ann FitzSimons’ Killinchy garden, she is growing a variety of shrubs and trees in pots. It makes for a permanent display and offers those with limited space or those renting the chance to have an interesting garden space. Also on the programme, David visits Billy Alexander in Kells Bay where he is preparing for his biggest display of ferns yet at next year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. In studio, Colin Agnew, takes questions and provides some Autumn inspiration. Email the programme at [email protected]

As autumn leaves continue to fall, David Maxwell visits the Botanic Gardens of Trinity College Dublin. It’s moved a few times in its history but now can be found near Dartry in the south of the city. Dr Stephen Waldren takes David on a tour and shows him the seedbank preserving endangered Irish plants. Mick McCann, who has worked as a gardener at the College for 40 years, reveals how the beauty around him inspires his poetry. Also on the programme, Polly Nicholson on her new book ‘The Tulip Garden’ and a visit to Yew Cottage where Philip Stewart is planting a brand new border and gathering copious amounts of fallen leaves to produce leafmould. Mary Doris will join David live in studio to answer questions and provide some seasonal inspiration. Contact the programme on - [email protected]

As the leaves continue to fall, presenter David Maxwell visits one of most important historic gardens on the island of Ireland. The arboretum and walled garden within Castlewellan Forest Park has dozens of champion trees and it’s a garden getting a facelift. Alwyn Sinnamon reveals the work going on to restore some of the gardens 18th century features, as well as the discovery of lost garden. Also on the programme, in Glenarm Castle’s walled garden Neil Porteous is preparing the bananas for winter and on up the east Antrim coast Una Quinn is part of the National Trust team which has restored and reopened Cushendun’s village green. David is joined live in studio by expert Ann Fitzsimmons. Contact the programme on [email protected]

Are Chrysanthemums making a comeback? This week on Gardeners’ Corner with David Maxwell he chat to Neil Porteous about the new varieties taking the gardening world by storm. In Ballywalter, Anna Hudson is getting the glasshouse beds ready for some winter crops. Derry Watkins on her life with plants and why everyone should grow something unusual from seed. In studio David will be joined by Rosie Maye who will have some autumn highlights from her own garden and she’ll answer questions from listeners on Fuchsias and Aeoniums. Contact the programme on [email protected]

With the leaves falling presenter David Maxwell heads to the 25 acre arboretum at Brook Hall near Derry. David Gilliland shows him some of the large collection of trees that are dazzling before their leaves drop including one which smells like toffee! Also on the programme, Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost on his life, career and his new garden in Lincolnshire. Oliver Schurmann reveals his penultimate perennial of the month and David is joined in studio by Brendan Little who will take questions from listeners and offer some seasonal advice. Contact the programme on [email protected]

As part of a series of ‘BBC Comes to Town’ roadshows to mark 100 years of BBC broadcasting in Northern Ireland, Gardeners’ Corner heads to Coleraine. David Maxwell hosts the programme at the new Causeway Campus of the Northern Regional College. He’s joined by experts Claire McNally and Neil Porteous who take questions from a live audience. Also on the programme, David heads to the National Trust’s Downhill Demesne where head gardener Una Quinn is taking roses in hand with a group of local volunteers and he visits keen amateur gardener, Kenny Bacon in his suburban back garden near Ballymoney. Contact the programme on [email protected]

In this Gardeners’ Corner special, David Maxwell visits two gardening greats; Sarah Raven at her world famous East Sussex farmhouse, Perch Hill and designer Tom Stuart-Smith at the Serge Hill Project in Hertfordshire. At Perch Hill, David chats to Sarah about how the former medic became one of the most influential gardeners of our time and what it’s like when your home becomes part of the brand. Head gardener Josie Lewis shows him around the garden including the dazzling Dahlia patch – a flower Sarah can take much credit for bringing back into fashion. In the second part of the programme, David meets Tom Stuart-Smith at his home and workplace in Hertfordshire. The winner of 9 Chelsea Gold Medals, Tom explains how community is now at the centre of much of what he does including the unique Plant Library which was started in 2020. Tom’s wife, Sue Stuart-Smith,a prominent psychiatrist and psychotherapist, explains the health benefits of gardens to all and Millie Souter shows David some of the 1500 varieties that find a place in the collection.

When the right Autumn conditions arrive, Fungi pop up as if by magic and this week on Gardeners’ Corner, David Maxwell explores this fascinating world with Northern Ireland Fungus Group member Debbie Nelson. At Ballyrobert Cottage Garden, Maurice Parkinson is planting miniature Irises for a splash of colour in February next year. He’s also dividing autumn flowering cyclamen which he says are the ultimate no fuss plants for this time of year. Colin Agnew is in studio with some alternative choices for spring bedding which can be planted right now and he’ll be taking questions from listeners on prepping a new polytunnel and overwintering Dahlias. Contact the programme on [email protected]

This week David Maxwell finds out how to preserve some of this year’s harvest with HE teacher come obsessive gardener Kerry Connolly. She’s an expert at turning a glut of marrows and tomatoes into sauces and chutneys for the colder months. He also returns to Howth near Dublin to visit another exceptional garden on this Irish Sea peninsula. This time he meets mountain climber Karl Flynn who has created an exceptional exotic garden through a lifetime of weekend gardening. Oliver Shurmann reveals his favourite perennial for September and Anna Hudson joins David in studio to answer questions and provide seasonal inspiration.

With autumn in the air, Gardeners’ Corner with David Maxwell is celebrating blackberries both wild and cultivated varieties. Mary Doris joins David in studio and shows him some of the ways she puts nature’s bounty to good use. In Ballymena, Colin Agnew has created his own botanic gardens out the back of his suburban semi. It includes a Victorian style fernery and a very personal collection of trees. On Black Mountain above Belfast, sound and gardening are combined at the Black Mountain Shared Space and with BBC Northern Ireland celebrating 100 years of broadcasting, David dips into the archive to hear the first gardening presenter, Professor A E Muskett. He also chats to Prof Muskett’s daughter, Doreen, about her memories of the BBC in a bygone age. Contact the programme on [email protected]