Gardeners' Corner

It's the March phone-in and David Maxwell is joined in the studio by gardening experts Ann Fitzsimons and Neil Porteous. Neil and Ann also talk about their favourite plants for March and give gardening tips for the week ahead.

In this week's Gardeners' Corner there's lots of work to be done in the garden at the beginning of March. Time to sow seeds, Brendan Little is sowing lettuce, beans and peas and Barbara Pilcher is sowing her favourite tomatoes. Also in the programme help with pruning wisteria and roses for a good summer show and Ann Fitzsimons is on hand with advice on planting up David's new pond. That's Gardeners' Corner with David Maxwell this Saturday morning just after the nine o'clock news on BBC Radio Ulster.

It's the Gardeners' Corner phone-in this Saturday morning with David Maxwell and joining him in the studio are gardening experts, Barbara Pilcher and Jim Bradley. Jim and Barbara will also be talking about their favourite plants for February and giving their gardening tips for the week ahead.

In this week's Gardeners' Corner snowdrops are lighting up gardens around the province and we visit Springhill and Ballyrobert Cottage Gardens to see them growing under trees and shrubs and find out how to propagate them. Also in the programme how to sow chilli seeds successfully, Ann Fitzsimons joins David Maxwell in the studio to talk about sowing sweet pea, and Jim Bradley talks about his favourite winter plants and how to look after them through the winter months.

This week in Gardeners' Corner, David Maxwell has a masterclass with Averil Milligan on pruning a pear tree, Barbara Pilcher is busy in her greenhouse sowing seeds for spring and summer, Charles Dowding explains his theory on no-dig gardening and Helen Mark finds out what plans are in place in the small village of Ballyvoy by sowing a wildflower area and planting low-maintenance shrubs. Also in the programme a visit to Castle Espie as part of the Big Garden Birdwatch weekend.

In this week's Gardeners' Corner David Maxwell joins Reg Maxwell in his garden to find out which gardening jobs need done before the end of January. David Love Cameron gets baby leeks off to a good start in the walled garden at Helen's Bay, the RSPB visits David's garden to talk about the birdlife there and how we can all get involved in the Big Garden Birdwatch and Keith Crawford is in the studio to talk about the effect of the cold weather on plants and what we can do to brighten up the January garden.

This week in Gardeners' Corner in the first roadshow of 2018 David Maxwell is joined by experts Averil Milligan and Reg Maxwell as they answer gardening questions from members of Drumbeg Gardening Club. Amongst the problems dealt with by the panel are how to manage box blight, mare's tail and sooty mould on rhododendrons along with lots of other tips including when is the best time to sow sweet pea. Lots of good gardening advice to start the new year.

In the first programme of 2018, David Maxwell looks ahead to a new gardening year and he also looks back at some highlights from last year. David visits Maurice Parkinson to talk about shrubs with winter scent. Cherry Townsend gives advice on getting ahead when it comes to raising home grown cut flowers. Also in the programme, Matthew Jebb, Director of the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin on why it's the perfect place to visit in the winter. And he's joined by Maeve Bell of the Irish Garden Plant Society on why the new year is the perfect time to consider joining a group for those interested in all things gardening.

As the new year approaches Gardeners' Corner goes out winter walking. David Maxwell visits Castle Ward and Belfast Castle while Helen Mark heads to Brackfield wood. Gardeners' Corner experts, Neil Porteous, Brendan Little, Barbara Pilcher and Reg Maxwell give their own insights on the varied flora and fauna as well as some seasonal gardening tips.

David Maxwell is joined by Ann Fitzsimons and Brendan Little in the studio. Over festive fare they chat about Christmas plants, presents and plans for the garden in the new year. With Christmas music, mince pies and mulled wine the team are getting in the mood for Christmas day. Also in the programme, a masterclass from Bonsai expert Bjorn Bjorholm.

In Gardeners' Corner this week join David Maxwell for a festive programme filled with ideas for gifts for gardeners, how to look after your Christmas tree whether cut or in a pot, why robins are our favourite bird especially at this time of year, unusual veg and herbs from the garden for the Christmas table, ideas on how to decorate your house with foliage and a book review with Wendy Austin from Lisburn Road Library.

It's the Gardeners' Corner phone-in this Saturday morning with David Maxwell. Answering your gardening problems are Barbara Pilcher and Brendan Little. Lots of good gardening advice from the experts and a chance to hear about some seasonal plants that are looking good even in mid-winter and what jobs need to be done over the next week or so.

In this week's programme David Maxwell visits the arboretum at Castlewellan Forest Park where the famous Castlewellan Gold was born. He's joined by Averil Milligan from the National Trust's Rowallane Garden and by John Watson from the NI Forest Service. David explores the unique flora and also encounters some rather special fauna as the gardens are home to a thriving population of Red Squirrels. Also in the programme, Helen Mark is in Donegal where Gareth Austin is taking hardwood cuttings and growing pea shoots as a winter salad.

In Gardeners' Corner this week, David Maxwell visits the orchard at Glenarm Castle with Reg Maxwell and hears how to grow medlars, trees which give spring flowers, fruit and autumn colour. Also in the programme Helen Mark pays a return visit to Wendy Austin's garden in Donegal with Brendan Little who helped Wendy create her orchard last year. Neil Porteous and gardener Alan Ryder show David how the restoration of the old rose garden is coming along, tucked away in a hidden area behind Mountstewart and Cherry Townsend is this week's studio guest with lots of ideas on plants and flowers to brighten up the house in the lead up to Christmas.

Ann Fitzsimons clears out her pond and Keith Crawford suggests various types of hedging.

It's the Gardeners' Corner phone-in this Saturday morning with David Maxwell. Answering your gardening problems are Reg Maxwell and Averil Milligan. Lots of good gardening advice from the experts and a chance to hear about the plants they have growing in their gardens and what jobs need to be done over the next week or so.

David Maxwell visits gardens in Islandmagee, Holywood, Killinchy and County Fermanagh at one of the busiest times for gardeners before the cold months set in. Cherry Townsend explains the best way to plant bulbs in a wildflower meadow. Creating a seaside garden from scratch with Barbara Pilcher and some advice on propagating oriental poppies from Ann Fitzsimons. Also in the programme, Helen Mark makes a return visit to the wildlife friendly garden of Bob and Rosemary Salisbury and the programme also visits the two-acre kitchen garden at the National Trust's Florence Court where David Corscadden explains the benefits of green manure.

In Gardeners' Corner this weekend, pumpkins, apples and nuts, produce of the season and associated with Halloween - how to grow them well. Also in the programme, how to protect tender plants from the wet, wind and cold, and a step-by-step guide to growing your own apple trees.

This week the Gardeners' Corner roadshow heads to the west of the province where experts Brendan Little and Jim Bradley answer questions from members of the Fermanagh Gardening Society. Also in the programme there will be seasonal tips for the week ahead, and garden writer and designer Stephen Lacey shares his thoughts about the importance of using scented plants in the garden.

In Gardeners' Corner this week, David Maxwell visits Helen Dillon's new garden by the sea and finds out why the plants are looking so happy and thriving within her walled garden. Also in the programme Helen Mark visits Sir Bob and Rosemary Salisbury's wildlife friendly garden in Co. Tyrone and enjoys an autumn walk through the many shrubs and trees providing a blaze of colour. Jimi Blake at Huntingbrooke Gardens in Co. Wicklow shows David his collection of salvias and dahlias and talks about jobs for the autumn garden.