There is something very special about the taste and aroma of the gourmet strawberry varieties originating from the south of France. They are so fragrant that when in season they perfume the markets in Provence with the most heavenly scent and taste sublime! Supplied as coldstored plants, this collection consists of 18 strawberry plants, 6 each of the following:
Strawberry 'Gariguette' (early)
This very old and much-loved French variety is prized by leading chefs for its wonderful scent and outstanding flavour. The elongated orange-red fruits are soft and juicy and have the most intense, sweet, aromatic flavour. They are so fragrant that when in season they perfume the markets in Provence with the most heavenly scent and simply taste fantastic! The only downside is that compared to today's modern varieties, the plant lacks vigour and yields are low.
Strawberry 'Manille' (mid)
Raised from a cross between Gariguette and a selection with Mara des Bois in its pedigree, it is little surprise that this new French variety has outstanding flavour. The berries have a distinctive aroma and the flavour is incredibly sweet. The plants are heavy cropping and have good resistance to powdery mildew, verticillium wilt, crown rot and red core.
Strawberry 'Mara des Bois' (perpetual)
This very special perpetual fruiting strawberry is the only variety to combine the aromatic flavour of the wild alpine strawberry with the fruit size and yield of the modern cultivars. When fully ripe, the medium sized berries are extremely fragrant and develop an intense flavour and aroma similar to the woodland strawberry. Highly sought after by top chefs, if you travel to France and visit the local markets you will see fruits of this wonderful variety on sale when in season. Resistant to powdery mildew.