 Our fondness for the sweet pea dates back a long way. They were first offered for sale in 1724 and the very first recorded cultivar was 'Painted Lady' in 1731. The earliest description of the sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) was by Francisco Cupani in 1695 who was in charge of the Misilmeri botanical garden in Sicily.
Intense breeding programmes to increase the size, colour, fragrance and growth habit mean that the individual cultivars we can grow today bear little resemblance to those early plants. The first of the Spencer varieties was exhibited for the first time in 1901. This was the result of Head Gardener noticing a chance seedling that produced a much more vigorous plant than usual with much larger, frilled blooms. This led to a new generation of plants with colours ranging from pure white to every shade of pink orange red (light to almost black) and purple (pale lavender to deep royal shades).
In order to grow well, sweet peas need a fertile, humus-rich soil that is well-drained and full sun or light shade. For the very best results, dig a trench and put plenty of well-rotted manure or garden compost in the base before you sow the seeds. This will help the plant grow well and enable it to survive periods of lower rainfall if we get a dry summer. In the United States, breeding emphasis has been on creating plants that will survive intense summer heat, and varieties that grow to flowering quickly so they mature in the short period between spring thaw and summer. These tolerant varieties may become more popular here if our summers become warmer.
Exhibition blooms may be grown as single stems or cordons, up canes or rustic poles. This allows tendrils and side shoots to be removed with ease and the increased airflow reduces the chance of mildew taking hold. In the garden, they can be grown against a fence, on wire or on a wigwam made of willow or canes.
More recently lower growing types that are perfect for growing in containers have been introduced such as Sweet Pea Cupid. These are an ideal choice for keen gardeners who no longer have a garden but still long for the colours and fragrance sweet peas have to offer. Just keep them fed and watered and remove any dead flowers to prevent seeds forming, as this will always reduce the quantity of blooms once seed has set. |
