Mary Keen, children who are keen and everything in between

Mary Keen, children who are keen and everything in between

Author: BBC Radio Ulster November 22, 2025 Duration: 56:23

This week, David visits Rosie Maye’s garden near Slane and hears about her love of Inter-planting and underplanting.

Prolific Irish garden designer Mary Keen chats about new autobiography, Diary of a Keen Gardener, and why even with her long career and expertise, she’s always learning and experimenting as a gardener.

Pupils from Hezlett Primary School and National Trust volunteers help plant ferns and unveil a new water bowl at Downhill Demesne, Castlerock.

Gardening expert Neil Porteous joins David in studio to help caller John, who’s worried about cutting his holly tree and Pearl, who’s wondering how best to overwinter potted gladioli.

Email the programme at gardenerscorner@bbc.co.uk


Tune into Gardeners' Corner from BBC Radio Ulster for a weekly dose of practical wisdom and quiet inspiration rooted in the soil of the province. Host David Maxwell guides each episode with the ease of a knowledgeable friend, sharing the latest horticultural advice and seasonal news you can actually use. This isn't just theory; the podcast actively explores, taking you on audio visits to thriving plots and personal havens, from expansive estates to modest backyards, revealing the unique stories they grow. You'll hear firsthand from those who tend them, gathering tips that work in real gardens. It’s a consistent resource for anyone with a trowel and a bit of earth, whether you're nurturing a windowsill herb box or planning a perennial border. The conversation is always grounded, focused on the tangible joys and challenges of growing things. Listen for a genuine connection to the gardening community and a deeper understanding of your own patch, all delivered with the trusted quality of BBC Radio Ulster. Each episode feels like a welcome break, a moment to think about what's possible just outside your door.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Gardeners' Corner
Podcast Episodes
Colourful displays, sensory gardens and saving a Sarcococca [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:36
Helen Mark visits Kay Rainey at her garden near the foothills of the Sperrin Mountains, where herbaceous borders and repeated bursts of colour create a stunning display throughout the seasons. In south Belfast, Helen cal…
Gardeners' Corner summer special with Dan Pearson and Jekka McVicar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:06
After one of the hottest summers on record, David travels to the west of England to explore the private gardens of two renowned plants-people. Acclaimed designer Dan Pearson has spent the last 15 years creating his ‘Hill…
Summer inspiration from the Gardeners’ Corner archive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:29
Join David Maxwell and Rosie Maye as they dig into the archive and look back at garden visits from past summers on the programme. From long-flowering perennials at Kilcoan Gardens in Islandmagee to producing delicious or…