Many hybrids occur naturally in the wild, a few have been planned crosses using hand pollination and other well known hybrids were selected natural crosses.
Although the National Collection is devoted to species, I also collect the hybrids. This is a list of the plants I have to date. I am experimenting with some hybridising of my own with the aim of breeding a plant that has large flowers, attractive foliage, no thorns and tasty fruits! Watch this space!
Barkeri(parvus x squarrosus)A beautiful, natural hybrid occurring often in its native New Zealand. Low ground cover, multi-colour leaves, doesn`t mind dry conditions. Rarely seen in this country.
Benenden (trilobus x deliciosus) Tall, woody, thornless stems, large white rose-like flowers. Popular old hybrid, a clone of the 1950`s hybrid 'Tridel'.
Betty Ashburner (rolfei x tricolor) Carpet forming evergreen, white flowers July. Shade tolerant. Excellent ground cover.
cockburnianus 'Golden Vale'(selection) Stunning white stems in winter, golden foliage, small pink flowers. Not as tall growing as the species. Displays an attractive arching habit.
Fraseri (odoratus x parviflorus) This hybrid goes back to 1918. Taking the best features from each parent. The profusion of flowers from R. odoratus and the huge palmate leaves and peeling bark stems from R. parviflorus. The fruits are raspberry red and quite flat, they have a good flavour.
fruticosus'No Thorn' (selection) Thornless variety of the species (native common Bramble). Good sized fruits.
fruticosus 'Variegatus' (selection) Variegated sport, not as vigorous as the common bramble. White flowers, delicious black fruits.
ideaus 'Aureus' (selection) Sometimes sold under the name "parviflorus 'Sunshine Spreader'", but has no relation to parviflorus and is extremely misleading. A golden leaf variety of the common Raspberry, but much shorter growing and used as a ground cover plant-a little invasive.
Jermyn`s Jubilee (rolfei x treutleri) A rare cross and a good example of what can happen when species that never meet in the wild are brought together in the garden environment. This recently discovered chance hybrid was found in the Sir Harold Hillier Gardens near Romsey, Hampshire. Small, palmate leaves, a low growing almost prostrate habit, pink flowers and the occasional orange fruit.
Kenneth Ashburner (rolfei x tricolor) The same parents as 'Betty Ashburner', but a quite different plant. Leaning more towards its tricolor parent, however leaves are alot bigger than the species and very glossy.
Margaret Gordon (trilobus x deliciosus) The same cross as 'Benenden'.A seedling from this cross with fringed petals and larger flowers was grown by Bob Gordon of Portglenone, Co Antrim in the early 1970's and named after his wife Margaret.
microphyllus 'Variegatus' (selection) Although occurring naturally in the wild, I list variegated sports under Hybrids no matter how often they are found in the wild. This small beauty from Japan has the most wonderful variegation, white and green and edged with pinky red.
parviflorus (double form) (selection) Almost exactly like the species, except for the wonderful double white flowers. Tends to be more floriferous than the species and young growth has a slight orange colouration in the center of the leaf.
spectabilis 'Flore Pleno' (selection) One of the prettiest flowers of any rubus! Large double, rose-like, deep pink flowers sometimes followed by orange fruits.A wonderful early flowering shrub, can start flowering as early as April!
Thibetanus 'Silver Fern' (unknown origin) A stunning fountain effect of silvery white stems in winter! The grey-silver, fern-like foliage develops in spring as do the small pink flowers. The origins of this plant are unknown, but as it differs greatly from the species, it seems to me unlikely that they are related and that this is probably a species in its own right.
ulmifolius'bellidiflorus' (selection) The foliage is very fruticosus-like, but don`t let that put you off, the flowers are very attractive. Pink double almost pom-pom -like flowers in June/July. Looks spectacular grown over a arch.
I have always been fascinated by hybridization and with such a diverse collection of species, its very exiting crossing them to create something new. Here are some of my most recent creations.
'Rushbrook Redleaf' (alceifolius x reflexus x swinhoei) A cross made by myself in 2005. This rubus has a climbing habit with tri-lobed leaves that have brown markings. The younger leaves are deep red. Flowers are pink. This is a sterile hybrid and thus produces no fruit. An attractive plant for mid to late spring colour.
'Georgina Clarke'(bambusarum x unknown species) This cross was made in 2006 and the resulting plant named in honor of my mother. The leaves are distinctly trilobed, similar to its seed parent yet has a ground covering habit like its pollen parent. Small pink flowers are followed by red fruits. An attractive feature of the plant is the deep red-purple stems and petioles.
'Elephants Ears'(henryi x unknown species) This cross was made in 2007. has a very similar habit to R.henryi, but with a rounded leaf. Flowers and fruits not yet seen.
