Can I ask a question about brambles (might be very silly!)

[NKFell]

I have tried Googling but even Google can't help which makes me think I'm stupid!

For background, I grew up with wild brambles in my parents garden and I loved it. I have a space at the bottom of my garden where hawthorn is on the other side of fence but on my side, next to a you Laurel bush, could I plant brambles?

Or is that a really stupid idea and will my Laurel die?!

I really want to be a good gardener...with fruit.

*young Laurel bush, not 'you' (good start)

You can get a thornless BlackBerry. Takes a couple of years to grow in but then it fills out quick enough. Mine fills with fruit annually

Thank you very much, I'll look into that. My colleagues kept saying "you can't plant a weed" but I always thought of them as just being wild rather than a weed as such. Thornless sounds like the best plan for a garden though.

Keep the ground creepers under control as much as you can. But with routine cutting back no reason why you can't. They are deliberately cultivated on the PYO down the road from us.

I planned to plant blackberries but didn't in the end as there is a fair few spots locally where they grow that I can go and pick them. Instead I planted loganberries (half blackberry half raspberry I think) they're thornless, I only put them in the ground last year and got a nice amount of fruit from them. This year the canes are huge and there are loads of runners sprouting for next year already. Another option is you can get hold of blackberries already?

May I recommend a Japanese wineberry instead. Very much related to the Blackberry but so much more than a bramble. In fact I am digging one up soon which if you are anywhere near the M1 J22-25 you can have.

Yes definitely another option- I'll look into that too. Thank you!

Definitely recommend loganberries they make amazing jam

We have blackberries interspersed all the way down our hedge. You do have to keep on top of them, but they're easy to cut back/pull up suckers. I get about 3kg of fruit from them each year, so worth the small amount of effort imo as they take no looking after at all.

In comparison, the raspberries that we planted never took and the redcurrant seems to produce about 8 berries per year!

i hate the thingsm once they get hold they spread like wildfire however they are doing hanging basket blackberries now, I saw them in a catalogue so I'm going to get a couple of big hanging basketfuls.

If you're planting it next to a fence, be aware that whoever lives the other side will get it too, and they may not appreciate it...

Luckily there's no one on the other side and it's easily accessed to cut back- that was actually why I chose that side!

I think because I grew up with them it's quite nostalgic for me. I'm so pleased I posted, I thought I was being daft but now I know about thornless and loganberries so thank you very much.

I think it's a good idea - I don't think the bramble will get out of control if you manage it.

I am also planning on planting bramble in my garden my reason being to make my garden more wildlife-friendly. I am planning on keeping the bramble cut low and dense so that a hedgehog can use the thorns to hold a leafy/grassy nest in place. One of my neighbours had a hedgehog nest in her garden and the hedgehog had babies which was great. Hopefully one will nest in my garden!

I was going to put them at the bottom but then changed my mind to the side border where it's easy access so I can trim easily. I've been enjoying cutting the Laurel back and watch it change from skinny and tall to short and bushy!

One of the other reasons is actually for birds but I thought you gardeners might not approve! My parents seem to be able to pick plenty and the birds take the rest and I understand you keep them covered for first year anyway, I might do for 2 years so they can establish.

I'd love hedgehogs but I have dogs- good luck on the nesting, that would be amazing.