Fragaria vesca 'Semperflorens'

When I inherited the garden there were a few alpine strawberry plants in the high bank, long bank and growing in the bank at the side of the drive. They are good ground cover and the strawberries, albeit small, have so much flavour.

Over the last couple of years they have spread, taking over larger and larger areas. They are all along the bottom of the high bank now - easy to pick there. Another patch at the back of the buddleia in the long bank, and a couple of patches in LB2, top and bottom. The ones in the drive bank are now working their way into the trellis bed, having completely colonised the area by the sheds. I need to dig out some more footholds - not easy to pick there. There is even a large patch on the drive itself, having sent the tendrils out from LB2. There are a lot worse garden thugs...I will not easily forget the creeping buttercups that had a stranglehold when we first moved up here.

I started cropping them a couple of weeks ago, getting a good handful every day. I also pick/eat a few most times I walk past the high bank.

They have obviously enjoyed our recent weather of rain and hot, if not always sunny, days. I have just got in from picking them after a couple of missed days and have filled a punnet - over a pound in weight - and it looks as if I will get almost as many again in another day or two. I am hoping they will survive in the fridge until then so that I can get enough to try to make alpine strawberry jam.