What a summer for sweet peas it’s been – who’d have thought that the late start due to the cold spring would lead to a summer packed with sweet pea blooms, the scent filling the garden. There’s something so irresistable about sweet peas – colours, scent and sheer flower power. This particular beauty is ‘Matucana’ – a heritage variety from 17th century and one of the strongest scented varieties, it’s provided us with vases of flowers through the summer and continues to do so.
Serious sweet pea growers sow theirs in the autumn, over-wintering young plants in an unheated greenhouse or cold frame until next spring when they’re planted out. If you fancy having a go you can use deep pots or the cardboard inner from your loo roll as they like a long root run. Simple instructions for growing sweet peas are available here.
This is the perfect time to be selecting and planting for next year.
I have always adored the sensational scent form my mother-in-laws sweet peas and this year I took the plunge and planted my own. I made a trellis of sorts with the legs of old bamboo patio chairs. Not the prettiest looking sight in the beginning but when the sweet peas started growing and blooming it looked magnificent. Every garden should have them!
Worth the wait Mary and as you say every garden should have them. And there are varieties that are suitable for every situation in the garden (from hanging baskets to pots to lovely climbers)