Like all keen gardeners we are always on the look out for plants that work hard in the garden. 'Sofia' is an unusual recently introduced cultivar of arctic raspberry from Sweden. Very hardy, it is a scrambler producing low stems of lavender-pink flowers and fresh green foliage in late spring/early summer. These quickly form an attractive mat of groundcover effectively suppressing the weeds and later turning deep red with the onset of autumn.

A veritable bee-magnet, if you would like to encourage the setting of fruit you will need to plant two or more plants as 'Sofia' needs to be cross-pollinated. Easy to grow and look after, it performs well in most soils including free-draining in a sunny position. Shunning the need for canes and training, the plant naturally dies back in winter only to reappear in spring. Perfect too for a hanging basket or raised bed.