Bright & bold sweet pea collection
sweet pea collection
- Position: Full sun
- Soil: Moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: Fast
- Hardiness: Frost tender (will need winter protection)
Revel in a symphony of rich, dramatic colours and heady fragrance with this trio of large-flowered, long-stemmed sweet peas, ideal for cutting. This vibrant collection contains three cultivars in deep, vivid shades perfect for brightening borders and arrangements.
In this deeply vivid, scented collection of spectacular sweet peas, you will receive one packet of approximately 20 seeds of each of the following cultivars (approximately 60 seeds in total).
- Lathyrus odoratus 'Top Hat': A stunning sweet pea with hints of deep purple, lilac and mauve,this marvellous floriferous modern grandiflora variety has large, fabulously fragrant blooms and long flowering stems - perfect for cut flowers. Grows to 1.8m.
- Lathyrus odoratus'Beaujolais': Lightly perfumed flowers, which are so dark they almost look black, appear throughout the summer and gradually become a little paler, but still maintain a deep burgundy hue. The lower lip of the flower is a more distinct shade of purple. Their bold colouring teams up well with lush purples and plums. Grows to 1.8m.
- Lathyrus odoratus 'Winston Churchill': Dark crimson red, wavy-edged, velvety blooms with superb scent smother this Spencer-type sweet pea from June to August. The large flowers, carried on strong stems of a good length, are well suited for cutting. Grows to 1.8m.
Gradually harden off the seedlings before planting them out into well-prepared soil, enriched with lots of well-rotted organic matter. Pinch out the growing tips of the young plants as they grow to encourage bushier growth, and provide support for the stems. Apply a balanced liquid plant food every two weeks while in growth. Removing the faded flowers before they set seed will encourage even more to form - which makes them perfect for adding to vases or posies.
From October to late February, sow seeds into deep pots or root trainers filled with good-quality seed compost and place them in a cold frame. Then, after the worst frosts have passed, the seedlings can either be planted out or potted up for the patio. Alternatively, direct sowings can be made in October, or March to April.
- Humans/Pets: Pods and seeds are not edible