WHITE AND REDCURRANTS

White Grape Whitecurrant. Also known as White Dutch. A very cold-hardy variety with large cream berries in long clusters. Scott in ‘The Orchardist’ in 1872 reported that, if grown against a north wall and protected from birds, the berries would hang on the bushes until the New Year. Heavy crops.

White Versailles Whitecurrant. White Versailles was originally raised in 1843, but not introduced until a few years later. It has long bunches of fruit (actually very pale yellow) which is very sweet, when fully ripe. The bushes are large and upright in habit.

Laxton’s No. 1 Redcurrant. Bred and introduced by Laxtons of Bedford. Heavy crops of very sweet fruit on compact bushes. Strong growing and a reliable cropper.

Red Lake Redcurrant. Red Lake was introduced in about 1920 by the experimental station attached to the University of Minnesota. The bushes are upright and compact, with long trusses of bright scarlet fruit. The skin is transparent and shiny. They can be eaten raw and freeze very well. Roy Genders, who wrote many books for the home gardener, said ‘if only one variety is to be grown, this must be it’. Unfortunately there were very few old varieties left, when he wrote in the 1960s.

BLACKCURRANTS

Baldwin Bunyard claimed it was the original Black Naples, as growers in Kent said that the new variety, Baldwin, was simply the old Black Naples with a new name, although Hogg said that Black Naples could have a diameter of ¾ inch, which Baldwin does not. The name Baldwin became generally adopted. Other writers (especially Hedrick in America) said that they were distinct and gave different descriptions. Compact bushes with medium-sized, sweet fruit early in the season. Very productive and supposedly the best variety for light soils. It appreciates a warm spot.

Boskoop Giant Syn. Prince of Wales, Hoogendyk’s Black. Introduced by Hoogendyk of Boskoop, Holland, and introduced to England in 1895 by Bunyard’s nurseries. Large, spreading bushes with long bunches of thin skinned fruit. Large, sweet berries. Good for amateur gardeners, though the thin skin meant that it was a problem for commercial growers as it did not travel well.

Laxton’s Giant Unusual in that it is very pleasant to eat raw and produces large fruit if grown in rich soil. Large bushes with heavy crops, and early - sometimes ready by the end of June.

Wellington XXX Introduced in 1913 by Captain Wellington, the first director of East Malling Research Station. Boskoop Giant X Baldwin. It soon became popular for its heavy crops on most soils. Vigorous, spreading bushes, which produce thick-skinned fruit, excellent for freezing.

RASPBERRIES

ALLGOLD A pale golden coloured sport of Autumn Bliss, which ripens in August and continues to produce well through September and often into November, in mild autumns. Sweet and juicy, with full flavour.

AUTUMN BLISS Raised at East Malling Research Station in 1974, and introduced in 1984. The red fruit, ripe in late summer (and over the autumn, when mild) is rich and juicy.

BERNWODE A chance seedling that turned up in a hedge, at our nursery around 1990. It might have some blackberry in its parentage because the stems and leaves are darker than usual, and it seems to have a greater vigour. It begins its fruiting a bit earlier than most, in late July, and continues well into early autumn. The fruit is large, very sweet and also agreeably tangy. *

NORFOLK GIANT A raspberry, dating from at least the 1960s and now hardly to be found. We were given cuttings of it by Kate Collins of Ingham, Norwich, in 2007 (she also gave us Apple Norada). A vigorous variety with large berries and a full, rich flavour.*