Gooseberries
A gooseberry bush will supply your kitchen with gooseberries from late spring and throughout the summer. But the great news is that because a gooseberry bush creates a permanent root structure, provided the bush is pruned a little each year, it's a definite kitchen garden keeper!
Plant your gooseberry bush in a sunny or partially shady position, in light but moist soil - cooler spots in the garden are best as the soil will stay adequately moist - and you can expect years of use from each plant.
The gooseberry bush provides fruits that can be enjoyed throughout the growing season, as soon as they reach full size. Although some gooseberry varieties produce fruits that are considerably less 'tart' - and subsequently favoured as dessert gooseberries - in most cases both the unripened and ripened fruits have various culinary uses, subsequently giving the gooseberry a longer than average 'productive' season. Earlier crops of unripened gooseberries thinned from the bush in May can be used in cooking and preserving, with only the sweetest varieties palatable as raw fruits. During the summer, later crops can be enjoyed straight from the bush or used in desserts.
Here at Victoriana, we have chosen gooseberry bushes that satisfy our small but strict set of criteria - excellent-flavoured fruits, vigorous growth, disease resistance and reliable, heavy cropping. All our gooseberries are self-fertile and are pollinated by insects or wind, so can be grown as single specimens in open ground, in containers, or trained as cordon or espalier plants thanks to their permanent root systems.
Plant your gooseberry bush in a sunny or partially shaded position, in a light but moist soil. Gooseberries need soil to be moist, so a cool but sunny spot is ideal as the soil is able to maintain moisture more readily. It's also important that a gooseberry plant is pruned with care, as they fruit on spurs from old wood, with tangled and overgrown bushes proving to be less healthy and less productive. Prune in winter and aim for a clear and well-aired middle to encourage new growth, discourage pests and prevent diseases such as mildew.
Gooseberry Bush 'Captivator'
Sweet red berries, this virtually thornless variety is extremely hardy, bred in Canada and well worth growing.
Available Now
Supplied as a bare root plant approximately 2 feet (60 cm) tall including roots.
Gooseberry Bush 'Hinnonmaki Red'
Eating / Cooking Gooseberry. Bright red berries are sweet and aromatic. Mildew resistant. Self Fertile. Mildew resistant.
Available Now
Supplied as a bare root plant approximately 2 feet (60 cm) tall including roots.
Gooseberry Bush 'Hinnonmaki Yellow'
Eating / Cooking Gooseberry. Sweet and aromatic golden yellow fruits. Excellent Winter hardiness. Mildew resistant. Self Fertile.
Available Now
Supplied as a bare root plant approximately 2 feet (60 cm) tall including roots.
Gooseberry Bush 'Xenia'
Sweet red gooseberry that is virtually thornless. Produces a lovely upright bush shape and is high yielding with good mildew reistance.
Available Now
Supplied as a bare root plant approximately 12" - 18" (30 - 45 cm) tall including roots.
Traffic Light Gooseberry Plant Collection
As the name suggests, a selection of Gooseberry plants that will fruit in all the colours of traffic lights (well nearly!). All three varieties are reliable croppers and have good disease resistance. Self fertile.
Available Now
Supplied as pot grown and / or bare root plants (subject to time of year).
Gooseberry Bush 'Invicta'
Eating / Cooking Gooseberry. Large yellow-green fruits have a really good flavour. Vigorous and reliable with good disease resistance. Self Fertile.
Currently Not Available To Purchase - Available from
Supplied as a containerised plant approximately 2 feet (60 cm) tall including pot.
More information...
Gooseberry Bush 'Pax'
A virtually thornless, vigorous growing gooseberry with amazing red fruit that is so sweet you can eat it straight from the bush! Can be trained if you wish.
Currently Not Available To Purchase - Available from - SOLD OUT UNTIL NEXT YEAR - 2025
Supplied as a bare root plant approximately 12" - 18" (30 - 45 cm) tall including roots.
