When I was a little girl, I spent summers in the country and a lot of time with my great-grandparents. One of my jobs was to keep fresh flowers by my Grammy’s bedside table. She had a number of beautiful bloomers growing in her garden, but the ones I remember most are the tangle of rainbow-colored sweet peas climbing up her carport posts.
When we bought our first house, the very first thing I planted was a huge tunnel of sweet peas right in the center of the garden. That spring, as the first flowers opened, their scent transported me back in time to the summers of my youth and the happy memories of picking flowers in Grammy’s garden.
Over the years I have conducted numerous sweet pea trials, growing and testing close to a hundred different varieties, including both heirloom and hybrid types. While all have been beautiful, I do have favorites, and there are a handful I just can’t live without.
This post lists my current favorites, including many new varieties we’re offering for 2020, grouped by color.
In warmer regions (zone 7 and above) where winter weather is relatively mild, sweet peas can be sown in fall. Everywhere else, sow in late winter/early spring.
Soak the seeds in water for 24 hours before sowing. This softens the seed coat and speeds up the sprouting process. For specific seed sowing information see our resource, How to Grow Sweet Peas.
Once the vines begin producing flowers, keeping up with the harvest can be tricky. I comb the rows every other morning so I catch flowers at their prime.
For the longest vase life, pick stems that have at least 2 unopened flowers at the tip. While they can be picked when more open, their vase life won’t be quite as long. Sweet peas are a short-lived cut flower, lasting at best 4 to 5 days in a vase. Adding sugar or flower preservative to the water makes a big difference and will add a few extra days.
Please note that unlike garden peas, sweet pea seeds are poisonous if ingested. Use caution around children and pets.
WHITE
One of the most fragrant white
s we grow, ‘Memorial Flight’ (pictured above, left) boasts large, ruffled creamy-white flowers with a green undertone. Great for wedding work.
A reliable performer and one of the very best whites you can grow, ‘White Frills’ (above center) has thick, robust foliage and a strong growth habit. Large, clean white flowers are ruffled and especially fragrant. A true garden workhorse!
Winner of numerous awards for good reason, ‘Jilly’ (above right) is a lovely shade of soft cream and is one of the finest varieties available. Long, strong stems and a wonderful fragrance make it an excellent cut flower.
BLUSH PINK
vancouver florist has a lovely feminine quality and is one of the most fragrant varieties we grow. Creamy flowers are edged in a warm candy-pink. Great for wedding work.
‘Pearl Anniversary’ (above right) features creamy white petals with cerise-pink streaking. Fantastic for wedding work. Unfortunately, this variety did not produce enough seed for 2020; it will be available for the 2021 growing season, and we’re excited to offer it.