Gardeners' Corner

By BBC Radio Ulster

What's Gardeners' Corner about?

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.

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LAST EPISODE

How to grow hydrangeas, the...

09.16.2023

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 ...

Gardeners' Corner episodes:

09.16.2023 How to grow hydrangeas, the benefits of borage and Jekka’s herb of the month 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 ...
09.09.2023 What can sheep’s wool do for your garden? Wildlife to look out for in Autumn and September highlights at Rowallane 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 ...
09.02.2023 Wild gardening at Knepp Estate, harvesting seed in Hillsborough and early autumn grasses 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 ...
08.26.2023 Supermarket flowers, Crossrail Place Roof Garden and Lisgoole Abbey 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. ...
08.12.2023 Gardening on the moon, magical meadows and Herb of the Month 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 ...
08.05.2023 Soggy summers, preparing Mount Stewart for climate change and National Allotment Week 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 ...
07.29.2023 Cottage garden colour, a fond farewell to rose breeding and dreamy Dahlias with Marryn Mathis 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 ...
07.22.2023 RHS Bridgewater, Birr Castle Demesne and Greenfort 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 ...
07.08.2023 Bountiful basil, beautiful beans and cost-saving cuttings 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 ...
07.01.2023 RHSI Bellefield, no more bedding in Bangor and top rated roses 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 ...
06.24.2023 Countless caterpillars, water wise veg growing and herb of the month 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 ...
06.17.2023 Gardeners’ Corner at Garden Show Ireland 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 ...
06.10.2023 Hang’em up house plants, gardens for under 5s and Bord Bia Bloom 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 ...
06.03.2023 Native seeds, an artist's haven and exotic seaside plants 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 ...
05.27.2023 RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023 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 ...
05.20.2023 Community gardening in Saintfield, County Donegal’s OURganic gardens and Jekka’s herb of the month 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 ...
05.13.2023 Gardeners’ Corner from Balmoral Show 2023 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 ...
05.10.2023 The King’s Garden: A Gardeners’ Corner special 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 ...
04.29.2023 Gardening for moths, bulbs care after blooming and Liza Tarbuck 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. ...
04.22.2023 Growing a feast at Florence Court, top tomatoes and Diarmuid Gavin 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 ...
04.08.2023 A visit to Jekka’s, bulbs in bloom and a lost garden rediscovered 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 ...
03.25.2023 Gardeners’ Corner from Fairview Primary School 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 ...
03.18.2023 Gardening for gorillas, the beauty and benefit of log walls and Greba Garden How do you garden for gorillas? David meets the man who was in charge of planting at Dublin Zoo for four decades. Stephen Butler explains how the plants enhance the environment for the animals and give a sense of their ...
03.11.2023 Handsome hellebores, using digestate and herb of the month David Maxwell heads to Rosie Maye’s garden in Slane, County Meath where she has an enviable collection of hellebores. From named varieties to self-sown seedlings, they are the stars of the show in March. In Ballywalter, Anna Hudson is preparing ...
03.04.2023 Mount Venus Nursery, gardening for the senses and preparing for climate change with city trees At Mount Venus Nursery in the Dublin hills David Maxwell meets owner Oliver Schurmann whose enthusiasm for plants can be traced back to a local farmer giving him a handful of seeds. He still retains that childlike wonder as he ...
02.25.2023 Powerscourt, propagating perennials and Diarmuid Gavin’s garden fit for a King David Maxwell heads to Powerscourt Gardens in County Wicklow where 3000 roses are being planted in the Italian garden. Head gardener, Alex Slazenger introduces David to some of the winter highlights in a garden for all seasons. In Hazelbank Park ...
02.11.2023 Celebrating Snowdrops at Altamont, early spring at Hunting Brook and herb of the month As the Snowdrops reach their peak David Maxwell heads to one of the biggest collections in the country at Altamont Gardens in County Carlow. The collection started by Corona North has been maintained and increased since she left Altamont to ...
02.04.2023 Taming a fig, the magic of moss and Glenmona reborn This week David Maxwell heads through the Glens of Antrim to Glenmona House in Cushendun. The 19th century house, owned by the National Trust, is getting a new lease of life. David meets gardener, Una Quinn, who wants to make ...
01.28.2023 Dramatic gardening, Derry’s award-winning allotments and Oakfield Park Gardener’s Corner focuses on the North West with visits to the walled garden at Oakfield Park in Raphoe. Estate manager David Fisher sets the scene and Head gardener Wendy Bridgett gives presenter David Maxwell a tour of the 18th century ...
01.21.2023 Foxgloves, Florence Court and forgiving house plants In this week’s programme David Maxwell heads to a frozen Florence Court and takes refuge in the brand new glass houses in the 1930s kitchen garden. Ian Marshall explains how they have recreated the original greenhouses and added a 21st ...
01.14.2023 Easy to grow peonies, the right way to dig and herb of the month This week David finds out more about the ultimate easy to grow plant – the peony. Grower Alec White explains why he gave up a career in law when he fell in love with their brilliant blooms and why they ...
01.07.2023 A bubble bath for broccoli? Montalto’s winter garden and a taste of South African sunshine In the first programme of 2023 David visits the Montalto Estate’s Winter garden where new head gardener Lesley Heron points out some of her favourite plants for winter interest. In Newcastle, David finds out about the work of the Ark ...
01.05.2023 The Best of Gardeners’ Corner 2022 As one year gives way to another, David Maxwell looks back at the gardening year of 2022 including; a visit to Gravetye Manor in Sussex - the home of the influential Victorian Irish gardener William Robinson, Bloom in Dublin and ...
01.05.2023 Christmas Eve with Gardeners’ Corner Ahead of the Christmas Day celebrations, David Maxwell and the gardening experts get together for a festive fireside chat. Ann Fitzsimmons plays host at her Killinchy garden set amidst the County Down drumlins. Also joining in, for hot chocolate and ...
12.17.2022 Santa Klaus, Poinsettias and herbs for Christmas With one week until Christmas Eve, join David Maxwell and experts for some seasonal gardening inspiration. Renowned herb expert Jekka McVicar reveals what she’ll be using from the garden and Christmas and homemade remedies for sore throats! Klaus Laitenberger has ...
12.12.2022 Gardening across the pond, ‘Old Man’s Beard’ and tree of the month As the chill of winter bites, David is joined in studio by Ann Fitzsimmons for some timely advice on protecting the garden when the mercury falls. One listener wants advice on ‘Old Man’s Beard’ but this one isn’t wearing a ...
12.03.2022 Caring for Christmas Trees and creating winter wonder With the festive season in sight David heads to a Christmas tree farm to see some of the most popular varieties and find out how to look after living trees during the festivities. In Killinchy, Ann Fitzsimmons is planting Christmas ...
11.26.2022 Drenagh Gardens and winter veg As winter approaches, Helen Mark heads to Drenagh Gardens near Limavady where Conelley McCausland has set about restoring the vast walled garden and extensive grounds which had almost disappeared under the invasion of bamboo. Also on the programme, a visit ...
11.19.2022 Late autumn highlights at Rowallane, heeling in and ‘Tree of the Month’. This week, David visits the gardens at Glenarm Castle where Neil Porteous is making the best of late autumn sunshine to prepare for next year. From heeling in rhododendrons, to starting perennials from seed, there is a long list to ...
11.05.2022 Gardening on the set of The Crown, a banquet for birds and it’s time to bury some tulip bulbs November is the perfect time to plant tulip 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 ...
10.29.2022 Orchard county pumpkins, the lily wood and Tree of the Month As the Halloween half term begins, David Maxwell visits a pumpkin patch in the Orchard county. Brian Hutchinson has been growing the gourds for a decade and knows what they need to thrive. Also on the programme, a visit to ...
10.22.2022 The candyfloss tree, hope from Hiroshima and planting with Duneane Primary With Autumn colour all around, Gardeners’ Corner with David Maxwell celebrates the wonder of trees. At CAFRE’s Greenmount campus, the first of the Hiroshima survivor trees grown by staff and students is planted out. In County Laois, David is back ...
10.15.2022 Autumn at Gash Gardens, the quirky Quince and when gardening is a lifeline Some plants leave their best show until last and this week David heads to County Laois to find spectacular autumn colour at Gash Gardens. Mary Keenan describes how her family’s dairy farm has been transformed into beautiful gardens with standout ...
10.14.2022 Tree ferns, taming ramblers and why heritage fruit is good for your health David heads to the annual symposium at Kells Bay gardens in County Kerry which attracts top horticulturalists from across the country. John Anderson from Windsor Castle gardens is planning for the future with climate change in mind. Alasdair Moore from ...
10.01.2022 Golden grasses, hedges for hogs and rose hip syrup In this week’s programme David visits the Killyleagh garden that was never meant to be. Janie Metcalf wanted land around a house for horses, her late husband loved trees, but over the years she was bitten by the gardening bug ...
09.24.2022 Autumn flowering bulbs, harvesting seed and Charles Dowding We often think about planting bulbs at this time of year for a colourful spring display but what about the bulbs that are flowering right now? In this week’s Gardeners’ Corner, David Maxwell visits Ballyrobert Cottage Garden where there is ...
09.10.2022 A life of flowers Gardeners’ Corner looks at the life of Queen Elizabeth II through the lens of all things gardening. David Maxwell chats to those who met her at great gardening events, he visits Northern Ireland’s official royal residence at Hillsborough and explores ...
09.03.2022 Gardening up the walls, show time at Yew Cottage and the low maintenance border with just three plants. How can you garden if you only have a yard? The answer is to garden on the vertical! This week, presenter David Maxwell chats to Ann Fitzsimmons about her new living wall. She maintains it with a fork and spoon ...
08.27.2022 Airfield Estate, decadent Dahlias and wildlife gardener Kate Bradbury Just a few minutes walk from Ireland’s largest shopping centre, a garden provides a quiet place in the city. A haven for wildlife and place to learn about our food, Airfield Estate in Dundrum was left in trust to the ...
08.20.2022 The Old Mill House garden, what to do with a glut and tree of the month With late summer approaching David is joined in studio by Reg Maxwell to take questions on everything from sickly tomatoes to Oh la la clematis. He finds out about the Old Mill garden in Helen’s Bay which is being lovingly ...

Older episodes

Gardeners' Corner

What's Gardeners' Corner about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Gardeners' Corner episodes:

How to grow hydrangeas, the benefits of borage and Jekka’s herb of the month

What can sheep’s wool do for your garden? Wildlife to look out for in Autumn and September highlights at Rowallane

Wild gardening at Knepp Estate, harvesting seed in Hillsborough and early autumn grasses

Supermarket flowers, Crossrail Place Roof Garden and Lisgoole Abbey

Gardening on the moon, magical meadows and Herb of the Month

Soggy summers, preparing Mount Stewart for climate change and National Allotment Week

Cottage garden colour, a fond farewell to rose breeding and dreamy Dahlias with Marryn Mathis

RHS Bridgewater, Birr Castle Demesne and Greenfort

Bountiful basil, beautiful beans and cost-saving cuttings

RHSI Bellefield, no more bedding in Bangor and top rated roses

Countless caterpillars, water wise veg growing and herb of the month

Gardeners’ Corner at Garden Show Ireland

Hang’em up house plants, gardens for under 5s and Bord Bia Bloom

Native seeds, an artist's haven and exotic seaside plants

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2023

Community gardening in Saintfield, County Donegal’s OURganic gardens and Jekka’s herb of the month

Gardeners’ Corner from Balmoral Show 2023

The King’s Garden: A Gardeners’ Corner special

Gardening for moths, bulbs care after blooming and Liza Tarbuck

Growing a feast at Florence Court, top tomatoes and Diarmuid Gavin

A visit to Jekka’s, bulbs in bloom and a lost garden rediscovered

Gardeners’ Corner from Fairview Primary School

Gardening for gorillas, the beauty and benefit of log walls and Greba Garden

Handsome hellebores, using digestate and herb of the month

Mount Venus Nursery, gardening for the senses and preparing for climate change with city trees

Powerscourt, propagating perennials and Diarmuid Gavin’s garden fit for a King

Celebrating Snowdrops at Altamont, early spring at Hunting Brook and herb of the month

Taming a fig, the magic of moss and Glenmona reborn

Dramatic gardening, Derry’s award-winning allotments and Oakfield Park

Foxgloves, Florence Court and forgiving house plants

Easy to grow peonies, the right way to dig and herb of the month

A bubble bath for broccoli? Montalto’s winter garden and a taste of South African sunshine

The Best of Gardeners’ Corner 2022

Christmas Eve with Gardeners’ Corner

Santa Klaus, Poinsettias and herbs for Christmas

Gardening across the pond, ‘Old Man’s Beard’ and tree of the month

Caring for Christmas Trees and creating winter wonder

Drenagh Gardens and winter veg

Late autumn highlights at Rowallane, heeling in and ‘Tree of the Month’.

Gardening on the set of The Crown, a banquet for birds and it’s time to bury some tulip bulbs

Orchard county pumpkins, the lily wood and Tree of the Month

The candyfloss tree, hope from Hiroshima and planting with Duneane Primary

Autumn at Gash Gardens, the quirky Quince and when gardening is a lifeline

Tree ferns, taming ramblers and why heritage fruit is good for your health

Golden grasses, hedges for hogs and rose hip syrup

Autumn flowering bulbs, harvesting seed and Charles Dowding

A life of flowers

Gardening up the walls, show time at Yew Cottage and the low maintenance border with just three plants.

Airfield Estate, decadent Dahlias and wildlife gardener Kate Bradbury

The Old Mill House garden, what to do with a glut and tree of the month