Gardeners' Corner

Autumn colour might look spectacular on trees, but if you don't have room for them, Gardeners' Corner has some suggestions for smaller plants that are also stealing the show at this time of year. David visits Maurice Parkinson at Ballyrobert, where autumn interest is always a consideration when choosing plants. Not far from Ballyrobert is CAFRE's Greenmount campus, where students are learning the skills to become great gardeners. David meets some of the current intake and explores recent work in the walled garden with instructor James Ross. Near Portrush, a factory is producing handmade greenhouses and orangeries that are shipped around the world. These luxury structures were the brainchild of Mervyn Montgomery, who started the business many years ago after being made redundant from his job in joinery. Anna Hudson also joins David in the studio to answer gardening questions. Contact the programme on [email protected].

On Halloween weekend, Gardeners’ Corner heads to Colin Glen allotments on the outskirts of Belfast, where pumpkins are among this year’s harvest. In County Monaghan, David visits the food forest at Siólta Chroí, where Gareth Conlon is teaching others how to grow food, including nuts, for the long term while restoring ecosystems. Before Halloween there was Samhain, and this week Nicola Kenny visits the National Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin, Dublin, to discover the plants associated with this ancient festival. Also on the programme, Neil Porteous joins David in studio to answer listeners’ questions and offer some seasonal gardening inspiration. Contact the programme on [email protected].

With autumn colour all around, David visits the dazzling collection of rare and exotic trees in the arboretum at Castlewellan Forest Park. Head gardener Alwyn Sinnamon picks out some of his highlights, including a slow-growing tree that could become a family heirloom. Nearby, Marc Johansen is considering the future of the tree collection, propagating new plants from seeds and cuttings, while Aidan Murphy is putting autumn prunings to good use by creating a dead hedge. Despite the sunny summer, Mollie Cunningham's pears haven't ripened on the tree, but she knows how to turn them into a tasty treat in just minutes. David visits her at Ballytrim for sweet and savoury ideas to ensure the fruit doesn't go to waste. Also on the programme, Ann FitzSimons joins David in the studio to answer listeners' questions, including one from two Year 7 pupils puzzled by their strangely shaped carrots. Contact the programme on [email protected]

With autumn colour all around, David heads to an artist's garden in County Wicklow. TJ Maher has spent decades creating Patthana with his partner Simon. With an artist's eye, TJ paints with plants and particularly loves the rich, warm colours of autumn. As they explore the garden, David gets a masterclass in combining colours and discovers how they can influence the way we feel. Also on the programme, Barrie Quinn tells the story of Portnoo Market Garden, while Rosie Maye joins David in the studio to answer listeners' questions and explain why now is the perfect time to make leafmould and compost. Contact the programme on [email protected]

As autumn arrives, David heads to two very different gardens in County Donegal. His first stop is Cluain na dTor in Falcarragh, where expert plantsman Seamus O’Donnell has created an exotic garden full of hidden treasures, just a few hundred metres from the wild Atlantic Ocean. David discovers an Ethiopian banana plant and learns about the importance of slow gardening.Further north, herb expert Columbia Hillen tends Anamcara Healing Herb Garden, where native and exotic plants thrive on a hillside with dramatic views. The former journalist explains how her upbringing in Romania taught her to appreciate the healing properties of the plants growing beneath our feet.Also on the programme, Adam Frost chooses Crocus goulimyi as his bulb of the month, Katy Bell joins David in the studio with her autumn wildlife update, and gardener Claire McNally answers questions from listeners.Contact the programme at [email protected]