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Gardeners' Corner visits Cornwall Dec 11, 2021

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In this special Gardeners’ Corner, David Maxwell visits the Eden Project in Cornwall on it’s 20th anniversary to find out about it’s mission to connect people with the planet. He also finds out why Eden is bringing that mission to the banks of the River Foyle. David also meets Fermanagh GP Neil Armstrong who made Cornwall his home in the 1980s, and has spent the last 25 years transforming an abandoned piece of land near Penzance into an exotic paradise. And artist Johns Keys from Belfast on how his artistic eye is transforming Cornish gardens.

04/12/2021 Dec 04, 2021

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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.

Year-round herbs, pruning blackcurrants and wrapping up for winter Nov 27, 2021

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The weather might be wintry, but the good news is we can all enjoy home grown herbs year-round. This week, David Maxwell finds out how Claire Woods keeps a fresh supply growing through the winter months. He joins Klaus Laitenberger at the community garden in Bundoran where he’s pruning the blackcurrants. Cherry Townsend is on hand to answer questions from listeners and she joins David for a trip to Brendan Little’s woodland copse, where he wants to introduce some plants that love life beneath the canopy. RHS curator, Matthew Pottage has advice on wrapping up tender plants for winter and there’s a surprise call for an unsung gardening hero. Contact the programme on gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Hedges, SERC wellbeing garden and Glenarm’s new woodland walk Nov 20, 2021

Show notes

What makes a good hedge and is there still time for a trim before winter? That’s just two of the questions David Maxwell and his experts guests will tackle in this week’s gardening programme. David also visits the South Eastern Regional College’s Holywood campus where they have launched their new wellbeing garden. Born in the lockdown, Claire Dunwoody tells David it’s future is community focused. Also on the programme, a new woodland walk is under construction at Glenarm Castle estate. David gets a sneak preview on what visitors will find come next spring. And Averil Milligan and Maurice Parkinson will join David live to answer questions from listeners. Contact the programme on gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Growing bananas in Belfast? Planting spring bulbs in pots and how to take root cuttings Nov 13, 2021

Show notes

With the mild weather set to end in the next few weeks, David turns up the temperature by visiting the new ‘Banana block’ in east Belfast where 4 varieties of bananas are being grown in stylised raised beds which are also an art installation. Claire Hall explains that growing bananas is nothing new in east Belfast, in fact it was first done over a century ago. Also on the programme, Reg Maxwell is planting spring bulbs in pots and on a visit to Kilcoan gardens in Islandmagee, David finds Cherry Townsend taking root cuttings. Claire Woods and Ciaran Mulholland will join David live to take questions including what to do with an exotic tree fern as autumn gives way to winter. gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Gardening for climate change, making a wormery and the wonder of trees Nov 06, 2021

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As national governments try to reduce man’s impact on the planet at COP26, Gardeners’ Corner takes a look at what we can do in our own gardens. David Maxwell speaks to a compost manufacturer in Bellaghy about peat and the alternatives. He explores a woodland with Ian McCurley from the Woodland Trust and finds out the true value of planting thousands more trees. And David gets a crash course in turning household waste into plant food when he lifts the lid on Reg Maxwell’s wormery. All that and the experts will be answering listeners’ questions live. gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Meet the Asters, Castlewellan’s autumn gold and a trip to Kiltumper Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

As autumn takes hold, David visits the National Arboretum, Annesley Garden at Castlewellan Forest Park where he takes in the seasonal hues with Alwyn Sinnamon and learns about an unusual 19th-century recipe for compost that included rabbit intestines and rats! A walkabout with Maurice Parkinson in his Ballyrobert cottage gardens reveals a collection of asters perfect for late season colour. Ann Fitzsimons joins David on a visit to a listener’s garden who has over 100 named varieties of hydrangea and the authors of ‘In Kiltumper: A year in an Irish garden’ chat about their intimate relationship with life outside their County Clare window over the last three and half decades.

How to grow perfect pumpkins, bulb planting at Florence Court and ever heard of banana mint? Nov 01, 2021

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In this Halloween programme, David Maxwell leaves the garden for the farm in the hunt for the perfect pumpkin. He chats to Adrian McGowan in Killinchy, who’s grown 9 acres of them about the varieties that grow best in more northern climes. David also heads to the National Trust’s Florence Court in county Fermanagh where head gardener David Corscadden is planting Camassia bulb with volunteers from near and far. Also on the programme, Cherry Townsend joins David to answer listeners’ questions; autumn in Ballyrobert cottage garden with Maurice Parkinson and just how many types of mint can you name? gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Green manure, rose rock and storing the autumn glut Oct 16, 2021

Show notes

After many months speaking virtually, David meets up with organic gardener Klaus Laitenberger at the community garden in Bundoran. Klaus explains the value of ‘bedding down’ the veg borders at this time of year by piling on seaweed or growing a green manure. Also on the programme, a return to Ann Fitzsimons garden where she has a love hate relationship with her roses – find out how to take the wilder ones in hand! And Amy Kelly explains some of the ways you can store that autumn glut, so you can enjoy your harvest through the colder months. The panel will also be taking listeners questions on the usual numbers or by email gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

Buying trees with the spend local card, autumn planting and annual edible flowers. Oct 02, 2021

Show notes

Join David Maxwell and his guests for some autumn gardening. This week David visits Ann Fitzsimons in Killinchy, where she is planting up a new border with a prairie feel using plants that don’t mind wet feet in winter. Amy Kelly will have advice on growing annual edible flowers and we head north to the Conrad McCormick’s exotic borders in Ballyvoy. Also on the programme, one listener wants to use their £100 spend local garden on fruit trees and is looking for advice on the best apple and plum varieties and how to make a no dig bed with Cherry Townsend. Send your questions to gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk

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