Rubus fruticosus 'Adrienne'

Unlike their wild relatives, cultivated blackberries are more productive, less thorny and less likely to grow out of control. They can be trained to ramble over fences, arches and pergolas, and there are also more compact forms, which can be grown in containers.

For best results and the sweetest berries, grow blackberry plants in full sun in rich, well-drained soil. Prune annually and top-dress the soil with a mulch of well-rotted horse manure or garden compost, every autumn.

Rubus fruticosus 'Adrienne' is a thornless blackberry, bearing firm, conical berries with an sweet, aromatic flavour from mid-July onwards. Eat berries straight from the plant or use them in pies, crumbles, jams and jellies.