This genus of flowering shrubs, often scrambling and prickly or bristly, includes the well-known raspberry and blackberry (bramble). It includes some excellent ground-cover foliage plants - and one or two thugs!

Rubus nepalensis is a pretty trailing plant, rooting as it goes, with hairy leaves, known as the Himalayan creeping bramble. It is good for ground cover, even in shade, but the nodding, white flowers, followed by tasty, bright red bramble fruit, will be more prolific in sun. It grows in the wild on rocky ground along river banks, so reasonable drainage but not too dry a position will suit it. If it spreads beyond its allotted space, pull on one end of the stem, and up it pops.