Gardeners' Corner

BBC Radio Ulster
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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.

  1. -3 J

    Celebrating tulip time, making pampass plume and preventing peony problems

    As the spring sunshine brings out the blooms, join David Maxwell as Gardeners' Corner celebrates tulip time. Expert guest Anna Hudson will have some of her favourites in studio and they'll discuss whether the bulbs are worth saving for next year. Also on the programme, David visits Salthill garden in County Donegal where Elizabeth Temple has changed a featureless lawn into a garden full of choice plants and trees. In Dublin, Nicola Kenny visits Taplin''s Field Community Garden where organic food is produced by a diverse group of city dwellers and the programme hears from Paul McHugh who discovered a rare wild flower on his daily dog walk in Portglenone. The live phone-in programme also includes questions on pampass grass, peonies and photinia hedging. Contact the programme on gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

    57 min

  2. 18 AVR.

    Gardening by the sea, Adam Frost's bulb of the month and celebrating 20 years of a garden trail

    David Maxwell visits a unique, nature-friendly private garden in Falcarragh, created by gardener and author Seán Ó Gaoithín. Crammed full of native trees and plants, it has become a haven for insect and bird life, despite the sometimes harsh conditions on Donegal’s west coast. Further south, in Mountcharles, he visits Dorothy Jervis, whose cottage and garden overlook Donegal Bay. She is the fourth generation of her family to call this exposed hillside home. Despite heavy, wet soil and a plantation of Sitka spruce, she has created a relaxed, cottage-style garden that sits easily in the surrounding wild landscape. Also on the programme, Adam Frost chooses bluebells as his bulb for April, and Brendan Little joins David in the studio to answer questions. Contact the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

    57 min

  3. 11 AVR.

    Sensory gardens, spring tidy-ups, and opening the gates to the public

    Helen Mark is invited to Lisbane County Down where she discovers the work that goes into preparing a garden for public visitors through the National Garden Scheme, and the challenges of gardening on a hill with Olwen Sheridan. With secateurs in hand, Helen helps Joy Caskie on a spring tidy-up, cutting back, moving plants and trimming edges and getting some ideas for her own to-do list. And after a midlife career change, Gary Hegarty swapped designing newspapers for sensory gardens. Here he shows Helen the benefits of these special spaces. Ann FitzSimons joins Helen in studio. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

    57 min

  4. 4 AVR.

    The Road to Chelsea

    Presenter David Maxwell finds out what it takes to create a world class exhibit at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Alongside fern expert Billy Alexander, David helps to create the Kells Bay Garden in the Great Pavillion. He also speaks to some of the other designers, landscapers and tradespeople on site working against the clock as judging day looms large. Despite the challenges of time, heat and even a local fox, the garden gets finished and picks up a prestigious gold medal and the president's award.

    55 min

  5. 28 MARS

    Getting rid of horsetail, alpine addiction and the artful gardener

    As wintry showers return, Gardeners’ Corner heads to the snow-dusted Sperrins where David Maxwell visits Andrew Shannon, whose country garden has a modern creative twist. Known on social media as The Artful Gardener, Andrew reveals how the plot once tended by his grandparents now inspires his seasonal animations. At Belfast’s Botanic Gardens, David meets Colin Agnew as he reflects on 45 years of gardening there ahead of his retirement next week, including the remarkable cactus he grew from seed as a young apprentice which now almost reaches the glasshouse roof. In Limavady, Gordon Toner explains his decades-long passion for alpine plants, a fascination that has earned him nearly 250 gold medals. And in studio, expert Anna Hudson brings seasonal inspiration from Ballywalter Estate and answers listeners’ questions on compost and tackling the invasive weed horsetail. Contact the programme: gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

    57 min

  6. 14 MARS

    The best daffodils for pots, borders and lawns and easy crops for a mid-March harvest

    This week, David Maxwell heads to Hillsborough Castle where thousands of daffodils are in bloom. Head gardener, Claire Woods explains how this versatile spring bulb can be grown in containers, borders and lawns. Nearby, enthusiast Richard McCaw has been growing and showing daffodils since 1989. He shows David where his new varieties begin life in a little plot of land behind his home. At Laurelbank Farm in County Down, Jo Facer is bringing in the harvest. It's something she does on her market garden 52 weeks of the year. Jo reveals two crops that are well worth the effort - beetroot and kale. Ann FitzSimons will join David in studio to answer questions and provide some seasonal inspiration. Contact the programme on gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

    56 min

  7. 7 MARS

    Castlewellan's walled garden reborn, Spring wildlife watch and Adam Frost's bulb of the month

    David Maxwell visits the historic Annesley Walled Garden in Castlewellan Forest Park as it reopens to the public. The garden, which dates back to the mid-18th century, has been closed for two years while £1.3 million of improvement works were carried out. Head gardener Alwyn Sinnamon shows David the work done to the long borders and the gleaming glasshouses, restored to their former glory. David also explores the rediscovered Bog Garden and Rhododendron Wood. Adam Frost reveals his bulb for March, and there’s a visit to the Alpine House in Kew Gardens, which is celebrating its 20th birthday. In the studio, gardening expert Claire McNally joins David to answer questions, while wildlife expert Katy Bell uncovers the secret world of dragonflies. Contact the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

    56 min

  8. 28 FÉVR.

    Chelsea comes to Strabane and the best plants for early spring colour

    With spring just around the corner David Maxwell heads to a community garden in Strabane, County Tyrone which will be getting quite the facelift this year. As it operates a Trussell foodbank, it has been selected as the permanent home for the charity's show garden at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show. David meets some of those who use the garden space and he chats to designer Rob Hardy about his plans. Also on the programme, a visit to Ballyrobert Cottage Garden where spring flowers and bulbs are announcing a change of season and Rosie Maye joins David in studio to answer questions and provide some inspiration for the season. Contact the programme - gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

    56 min
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À propos

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.

Informations

  • Création
    BBC Radio Ulster
  • Années d’activité
    2009 - 2026
  • Épisodes
    687
  • Classification
    Tous publics
  • Copyright
    © (C) BBC 2026
  • Site web de l’émission
    Gardeners' Corner

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