Gardeners' Corner
The family adopted by bees, how to care for Camellias and what to grow under a hedge
What do you do if you’re adopted by bees? That was the Watson family’s question when the insects started making honeycomb in their compost bin. Now with two hives, mum Julietta is always thinking how she can make her County Down garden a haven for both her family and the wildlife on the doorstep. With Magnolias and Camellias blossoming across the country, David rejoins John Anderson for a woodland walk in the 35 acre Savill Garden near Windsor where the collection includes, Camellia ‘ Cornish Snow Winton’ and the very popular Camellia ‘Donation’. Also on the programme, Brendan Little joins David in studio to answer questions including what to plant under an established hedge. Contact the programme. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
29 مارس 2025 - 58 دقائق 35 ثانية
Colour combinations at Castle Ward, are heathers back in fashion? And plantsman Jimi Blake on his latest obsession with alpines
Autumn planting is rewarded with Spring colour and at Castle Ward the formal bulb display of hyacinths and primroses is at its height. David meets gardeners Searcha Kelly and Judy Walsh who, with the help of volunteers, keep the gardens of this National Trust property looking good. Could heathers be coming back into fashion? Long lasting colour and a winter food source for bees mean they are high on the list for new plantings at The Savill Garden in Windsor. Keeper of the Gardens, John Anderson also shows David some other plants used as valuable ground cover including various types of Ophiopogon. Plantsman Jimi Blake reveals his latest interest is alpines – but will he get the new borders ready before his Huntingbrook garden opens for the season? Claire McNally joins David in studio to answer questions. gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
22 مارس 2025 - 56 دقائق 29 ثانية
Gardeners’ Corner Spring Special from RHS Wisley
Gardeners’ Corner celebrates spring with a visit to the world-famous RHS Garden Wisley. Covering 240 acres, it’s one of five gardens run by the Royal Horticultural Society and it attracts around one million visitors every year. Presenter David Maxwell visits several part of the garden that really come alive in spring, including the woodland areas at Oakwood and Battleston Hill and the crocus display on the conifer lawn. He also visits the labs at RHS Hilltop where scientists preserve plant DNA for future generations and sees a treasured dried potato plant collection by Charles Darwin. Also on the programme, a visit to Katy Bell’s wildlife-friendly garden in County Down where insects, amphibians and birds are waking up and Amy Kelly explains how to have success with spuds. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
15 مارس 2025 - 57 دقائق 15 ثانية
How to grow Dahlias, the art of stone walls and Adam Frost’s shrub of the month
With the temperatures edging up, it’s time to get those Dahlia tubers planted up for the season ahead and that’s what David Maxwell found Ann FitzSimons doing when he dropped into her country garden glasshouse near Killinchy. At the National Trust’s Downhill Demesne, students from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) are learning the art of making a dry stone wall from expert Paddy McKeegan. Head gardener, Una Quinn also tells David about her plans for a clover lawn alongside the Bog garden. In west Belfast, a visit to the Three Sisters Community Garden shows what gardening can achieve in a high density urban environment. A plot of waste ground once blighted by illegal dumping has been transformed into a place for social interaction and learning. Also on the programme, BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost reveals his favourite shrub for March and Rosie Maye joins David live in studio. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
8 مارس 2025 - 56 دقائق 37 ثانية
Could you have hidden treasure in your garden? Why alpines are the ultimate no-fuss plants and early spring with Jimi Blake
The hunt is on for long lost plant varieties – David Maxwell finds out why groups like the Irish Garden Plant Society and Plant Heritage want to find and save plants that can no longer be bought. In Bessbrook, Hilary McKelvey explains why alpines are the ultimate in no-fuss gardening. On a visit to renowned plantsman Jimi Blake’s garden in County Wicklow, David finds out about the best flowering plants to follow snowdrops. In studio, Anna Hudson reveals why we should all eat our weeds and she answers questions with David from listeners. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
1 مارس 2025 - 56 دقائق 34 ثانية
Storm-proof trees, winter gems at Ardgillan Castle and getting your Amaryllis to flower again
David Maxwell finds out about storm proof trees at the National Botanic Gardens of Ireland, Kilmacurragh where head gardener, Seamus O’Brien also has tips on creating a wind break with holly, hazel and mix of other native species. At Ardgillan Castle on the coast of north county Dublin, Dominica McKevitt reveals a garden for all seasons where reliable shrubs like Euonymus fortunei ‘Emerald ‘n’ Gold’ shine out even on dull days. In studio, Colin Agnew explains what to do to get your Amaryllis bulb flowering again next year and with the increasing move away from peat products RSPB ambassador and Winterwatch’s Lucy Lapwing joins David in studio to talk about the importance of peatland habitats. Contact the programme - gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
22 فبراير 2025 - 56 دقائق 44 ثانية
Growing soft fruit without a garden, getting going with sweet peas, tomatoes and chillies, Adam Frost’s shrub of the month
With spring just around the corner presenter David Maxwell, explores what we can all get growing in mid-February to get ahead of the game. Sweet Peas, Tomatoes and Chillies can all be sown right now on a warm windowsill for a summer full of scent and home grown goodness. Amy Kelly reveals how you can have a delicious crop of raspberries and strawberries without a garden and Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost tells us why he’s picked a showy willow as his shrub of the month. Also on the programme, as Mount Venus nursery prepares to move up the road, David joins Oliver Schurmann to find out about the logistics of moving a plant business and garden that’s celebrating its 25th birthday. In studio, David is joined by expert Ann FitzSimons. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
15 فبراير 2025 - 57 دقائق 06 ثانية
Why you should eat the rainbow, how to grow hellebores and easy hedging
This week why it’s good for you to eat as many different coloured fruit and veg as you can grow. A visit to Mount Venus nursery where Oliver Schurmann has a great collection on hellebores that are putting on an impressive show when little else does. In Glenarm, Neil Porteous is pruning grapes and Maurice Parkinson recommends Lonciera nitida as one of the best (and cheapest!) hedging plants available. Anna Hudson joins David in studio to take questions. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
8 فبراير 2025 - 56 دقائق 37 ثانية
Storm Éowyn, from rugby to raking, and searching for special snowdrops
Storm Éowyn has changed the face of some treasured public gardens. This week David visits the National Trust’s Mount Stewart which was one of the worst affected. Rob Wilson tells David that with thousands of trees down, the garden on the Ards Peninsula has completely lost some of its shelter belts. Despite the destruction, Gardeners’ Corner finds hope in the simple snowdrop at Ballyrobert Cottage Garden. Maurice Parkinson has over 250 varieties including favourites such as Galanthus ‘The Pearl’, ‘Primrose Warburg’ and ‘Fly Fishing’ which all perform well in the garden’s heavy clay. As Ireland kick off their Six Nations campaign, former rugby international Andy Ward tells David how he transitioned from flanker to gardener. In studio, David is joined by Brendan Little to answer questions and provide some seasonal inspiration. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
1 فبراير 2025 - 59 دقائق 26 ثانية
How to have happy houseplants, pruning gooseberries and apples and taking the work out of gardening
You don’t have to have a garden to enjoy plants and this week David Maxwell explores the plant world that prefers the indoor life. Roisin Horgan set up her houseplant business in east Belfast after years working in offices which lacked greenery. She reveals the best plants for different indoor locations including, the trailing Pothos or Parlour Palm (Chamaedorea elegans) for a dull hallway, the Calathea for areas of high humidity or the tree like Norfolk Island Pine (Araucaria heterophylla) for bright locations. In his Templepatrick garden, Reg Maxwell is pruning gooseberries and apples and David visits Claire Barnett’s new north Antrim garden where she’ll be taking part on the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend. Cherry Townsend joins David in studio with tips on making gardening easier and the best beans to grow in 2025. Email the programme - gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk
25 يناير 2025 - 59 دقائق 06 ثانية