Pruning and Potatoes for St Patrick’s

Pruning and Potatoes for St Patrick’s

Author: BBC Radio Ulster March 13, 2021 Duration: 56:24

Join David Maxwell for another spring edition of Gardeners’ Corner. This week, with St Patrick’s day just around the corner, David explores the art of rose pruning which traditionally should be done by this date. It’s also the day to put potatoes into the ground, but what conditions do they need and what are the best varieties for the back garden? With seed sowing well and truly under way, Barbara Pilcher is in her greenhouse sowing some of her first herbs of the season and Colin Agnew is knee deep in mud, excavating his back garden as he tries to recreate a Victorian fernery. Joining David for this week’s programme are experts Cherry Townsend and Maurice Parkinson. They will be answering listeners’ questions live. If you have a questions email 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: 685

Gardeners' Corner
Podcast Episodes
Sunken gardens, city sanctuaries and sodden shoes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:24
On a very wet week, David visits Mount Stewart to see how storm-felled trees are given a new lease of life in the sunken garden. Urban spaces are reimagined with innovative native meadow cubes and Maurice Parkinson expla…
Must have maples, tulip time and making gardeners’ gold [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:07
Autumn is far from over, as David Maxwell discovers with Maurice Parkinson at Ballyrobert Cottage Garden. A fine collection of maples—perfect for a cold climate and heavy soil—thrives there, putting on quite the autumn s…
Gardeners' Corner special: The wonder of trees [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:08
In this autumn special, Gardeners’ Corner celebrates our relationship with trees. David Maxwell returns to his childhood home to revisit the trees he grew up with. Tree expert Tony Kirkham introduces some of the trees gr…
Jane Austen’s gardens: A Gardeners' Corner special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:34
Where did the world-famous author Jane Austen find inspiration for her classic novels? Two hundred and fifty years after her birth, Gardeners’ Corner presenter David Maxwell explores the outdoor spaces closely linked to…