GARDENING

Join Gareth Austin live on the Mark Patterson Show every Wednesday after 4pm.

Gareth disputes listeners' suggestions that he's got a receding hairline and arthritis in his thumb. He has suggestions on how to make your parsley, sage, and other herbs tender and full of flavour.

Mark and Gareth nearly come to blows as Gareth picks the Radio Foyle courgette.

Mark takes pride in his six small stubby carrots.

Gareth has a suggestion for the rusty nails in your garage, and the old coins in Mark's pockets.

Grey peas, yellow tomatoes, and a green purple smoke bush. Colourful questions for Gareth.

Gareth reveals his lack of success in attracting hedgehogs to his garden.

After a couple of warm days, is it safe to go back in the garden?

Gareth suggests to Mark that his new friends on Facebook are less than impressed with his efforts in the garden.

The garden's springing into life, finally, and Gareth's got advice on smelly palm trees, asparagus, millipedes, and planting lettuce seeds.

Plenty of advice on fruit trees - what kinds of fruit will grow here, how much garden do you need, and do fruit trees need a friend to make sure they come into fruit?

Gareth answers queries on pansies, potatoes and corn on the cob... and suggests how to have lettuces to eat all through the summer.

Snow is still on the ground, but Gareth has some suggestions for getting those vegetables sprouting.

Gareth's on the lookout for the first daffodils of spring.

There's frost on the ground, but the first hint of Spring sees Gareth Austin back in studio.

HOW DOES HIS GARDEN GROW?
Track the progress of Mark Patterson's most loved plants.
How does his garden grow?...»

A GARDENING YEAR

Spring, summer, autumn, winter! All of Gareth's advice and counsel from 2009 is still available here!

GARDENING WEATHER

Check out the latest weather forecast here.