Gardeners' Corner - TopPodcast.com

Latest Episodes:

Sarah Raven at Perch Hill and Tom Stuart-Smith at the Serge Hill Project Oct 05, 2024

Show notes

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.

The best bedding to plant now, irresistible irises and finding Fungi Sep 28, 2024

Show notes

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 gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

How to preserve your summer veg, an exotic oasis in Howth and perennial of the month Sep 21, 2024

Show notes

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. Contact the programme on gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Growing and using blackberries, a backyard botanics and broadcasting about gardening over the last 100 years Sep 14, 2024

Show notes

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 gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Perfect plants for pots, the Quiet Garden and a remarkable life with trees Sep 07, 2024

Show notes

David Maxwell heads to a 250 year old Rectory garden which has been opened to the community in Ballymoney as a place of quiet reflection. With generous cottage borders, fruit trees and plenty of places to sit, it has become a special place to many including volunteer Daphne, who opens the gates at dawn and dusk. Dr Mark Johnston on his remarkable life with trees captured in a new free e-book. Wildlife expert Katie Bell joins David in studio to highlight what we can look out for in our gardens this Autumn and Rosie Maye brings inspiration and helps David tackle some gardening conundrums. Contact the programme on gardenerscorner@bbc.o.uk

Gardening with dogs, Ardán garden in Howth and spotty apple harvests Aug 31, 2024

Show notes

With a new pup at home, David finds out about gardening with dogs in mind. He speaks to designer and dog owner Brian Burke about a canine friendly garden he created for Bloom in 2017. Between the hedges in Howth; a visit to Ardán garden where Nuala Doherty and Conall O’Caoimh have created a first class immersive garden over the last two decades. Largely self taught, they have divided the half acre site into many unique spaces and included tropical planting, a conservation habitat for rare newts, a miniature woodland space and slug free veg beds. Also on the programme, creating a gardening group at work and Claire McNally will join David in studio with inspiration for early autumn and to answer listener questions. Contact the programme on gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Rabbit Proof Plants, June Blake on using red in the garden and National Allotment Week Aug 10, 2024

Show notes

This week Gardeners’ Corner is seeing red at June Blake’s garden in County Wicklow. She’s filled a border with Monarda, Crocosmia and Alstroemeria in this most alarming hue. June tells David Maxwell about her preference for planting large numbers of the same varieties and why Verbascum’s are her top choice when it comes to rabbit and slug proof plants. At Hillsborough Castle Gardens, Claire Woods is gearing up for their summer fair after a tricky season and Amy Kelly is escaping to her allotment at the beginning of National Allotment Week. Oliver Schurmann choses his perennial of the month and Ann Fitzsimmons joins David in studio to answers questions. Contact the programme on gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

How to have the perfect lawn, using farm troughs in the garden and Jimi Blake’s summer borders Aug 03, 2024

Show notes

You don’t have to call yourself a gardener to want to have a perfect lawn and this week, David Maxwell has been finding out how to achieve the perfect sward from the experts at the Greenmount campus of the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise. In county Wicklow, a visit to Jimi Blake at his Hunting Brook Gardens provides inspiration for creative containers more usually found on a farm. Jimi also reveals some of his favourite Dahlias for 2024 and the value of lilies in the summer garden. In studio David will be joined by Brendan Little who will answer questions and reveal his garden highlights for the first week of August. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Where are the bees this summer? Must have, no fuss, long flowering performers and making gardening child’s play Jul 27, 2024

Show notes

With many people reporting low bee numbers in gardens this summer, presenter David Maxwell chats to wildlife expert Katie Bell about possible reasons. At Kilcoan Gardens in Islandmagee Cherry Townsend reveals her favourite no fuss, long flowering perennials. How a community in Dromore, County Down is determined to change the market town for the better with plants and Dawn Isaac on ways to get the kids into the garden during the holidays. David is joined in studio by expert, Anna Hudson to answer questions live and she’ll also have some jobs you can do this week no matter the weather! Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Kylemore Abbey: Connemara’s answer to Kew Gardens and Growing 1000 edible plants Jul 13, 2024

Show notes

Kylemore Abbey in County Galway is an iconic image of Ireland. Built originally as a private home in the 19th century, it later became a Benedictine monastery, and today it attracts half a million visitors annually. Alongside the impressive granite castle sits a six acre Victorian walled garden which was once considered the ‘Kew Gardens’ of Connemara, boasting over 20 heated glasshouses. David Maxwell explores the garden with Head Gardener Anja Gohlke. Also on the programme, organic vegetable grower Klaus Laitenberger reveals his latest project to create a garden with 100 edible plants. David finds Klaus on a piece a land he had purchased on the wild Atlantic way near Achill Island in County Mayo. Oliver Shurmann reveals his perennial of the month, and David is joined in studio by gardener Mary Doris. Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

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