SUMMER BERRIES

Amelanchier lamarckii

A gorgeous tree with spring blossom, tasty berries that appear in June (hence its common name, juneberry) and wonderful autumn colour. Sweeter than blueberries, the berries are rich in calcium and iron, too.

How to grow: Grown as a single or multi-stemmed tree, amelanchier is a good tree for a small garden. It likes fertile, well-drained soil and will cope with full sun or partial shade.

Uses: Berries are delicious in cakes, pies and jam, as well as to flavour gin.

Supplier: £66 for a 15-litre pot, chewvalleytrees.co.uk

Rubus phoenicolasius

Native in Japan, Korea and China, the Japanese wineberry is a cross between a blackberry and raspberry. While the red stems are eye-catching, it’s the small, strangely sweet-and-tart tasting crimson fruits, packed with vitamin C, that make this shrub so enticing.

How to grow: Best grown in a sunny, sheltered spot and well-draining soil. Tie fresh growth on to wire supports, ready for them to fruit the following year, and cut back fruited canes at the end of the season.

Uses: Eat berries freshly picked, or use in jams, jellies and desserts.

Supplier: £10.50 for a three-litre pot, james-mcintyre.co.uk

Lonicera caerulea

Another shrub widely used as an ornamental, this variety produces delectable sweet-tasting berries too.

Nicknamed the honeyberry, the summer fruits contain high levels of vitamin C and five times the antioxidants found in blueberries.

How to grow: Hardy and drought tolerant, this shrub is easy to grow. Prune the tips in spring to encourage plenty of flowers and fruit.

Uses: Berries can be eaten raw or cooked in pies, jams and jellies.

Supplier: £12.95 for 60cm-tall plant, victoriananursery.co.uk

Rubus chamaemorus

This superfruit is widely grown in Sweden, but hard to find in the UK. Known as cloudberry, it is a compact shrub that makes useful ground cover. The apricot-coloured fruits are rich in vitamin C.

How to grow: Cloudberry requires boggy, acidic soils. Sow outside in autumn, in gritty ericaceous soil. When large enough to handle, pot on until ready for a big container, with mycorrhizal fungi and leaf mould. It needs a cold snap to flower.

Uses: Eat berries raw, cooked in desserts or jams, or to flavour spirits.

Supplier: £5.56 for 10 seeds, rarepalmseeds.com