All for the Love and Beauty of Sweet Peas.
We are now at year 15 of growing on this plot of land and after twelve years of trial, error, picking through research articles, and a hand injury slowing me down, I’ve finally had great success growing Sweet Peas in my own microclimate. Everyone I spoke to about my Sweet Pea struggles gave the same answer: why bother. But, my husband and daughter said the opposite. They kept encouraging me and saying "grow Sweet Peas because you love them so much; there doesn’t have to be another reason." They are so right. Some people travel or collect shoes or trinkets or dinner sets or fishing rods or art. Me, I love the experience of meeting different Sweet Pea varieties and welcoming some back year after year like old friends. To stand amongst the Sweet Peas in full flower, to marvel at their beauty. Sometimes Michael puts a chair in the rows for me to sit on. Besides being with my family, these are some of the most beautiful moments in my life to date. A dog or two at my feet, Honeybee close by, and, if I am lucky, the Silver Eyes, Fairy Wrens or Fantails skip through the Sweet Pea tendrils with the lightest touch peering over at me in between the flowers.
All for the Love and Beauty of
Sweet Peas.
We are now at year 15 of growing on this plot of land and after twelve years of trial, error, picking through research articles, and a hand injury slowing me down, I’ve finally had great success growing Sweet Peas in my own microclimate. Everyone I spoke to about my Sweet Pea struggles gave the same answer: why bother. But, my husband and daughter said the opposite. They kept encouraging me and saying "grow Sweet Peas because you love them so much; there doesn’t have to be another reason." They are so right. Some people travel or collect shoes or trinkets or dinner sets or fishing rods or art. Me, I love the experience of meeting different Sweet Pea varieties and welcoming some back year after year like old friends. To stand amongst the Sweet Peas in full flower, to marvel at their beauty. Sometimes Michael puts a chair in the rows for me to sit on. Besides being with my family, these are some of the most beautiful moments in my life to date. A dog or two at my feet, Honeybee close by, and, if I am lucky, the Silver Eyes, Fairy Wrens or Fantails skip through the Sweet Pea tendrils with the lightest touch peering over at me in between the flowers.
Garden Journal entry 7th February 2024
My Sweet Pea growing comes from my heart and to love. To share their love. To stand amongst their beauty is one of the loveliest privileges of my life.
Early evening. Eyes closed, face to the setting sun. Stillness.
Midday. Sitting under the Sweet Peas that naturally arch, tendrils reaching out to join up with the Sweet Peas growing in the other row. Dog at my feet. Another dog under my chair. We sit and watch ever so calmly. A single Fairy Wren flits about and peaks down through the flowers at us.
Morning. Watering, Honeybee pottering about with me.
The click of the scissors as I pick a bunch to take to the Garden Studio. Colour combinations change.
It all feels like a wonderful dream.
Garden Journal entry 7th February 2024
My Sweet Pea growing comes from my heart and to love. To share their love. To stand amongst their beauty is one of the loveliest privileges of my life.
Early evening. Eyes closed, face to the setting sun. Stillness.
Midday. Sitting under the Sweet Peas that naturally arch, tendrils reaching out to join up with the Sweet Peas growing in the other row. Dog at my feet. Another dog under my chair. We sit and watch ever so calmly. A single Fairy Wren flits about and peaks down through the flowers at us.
Morning. Watering, Honeybee pottering about with me.
The click of the scissors as I pick a bunch to take to the Garden Studio. Colour combinations change.
It all feels like a wonderful dream.
When I sow Sweet Peas.
Australian gardeners swear by sowing Sweet Pea seeds on St Patricks Day (17th March), which means that the Sweet Peas grow outside during the rest of Autumn, all of Winter, and then flower in Spring. At Fairy Wren Cottage, I did this for years and epically failed. Planting on St Patrick’s Day works in warmer climates with a milder Winter because planting on St Patricks Day beats those hot summer winds and powdery mildew. Hot Summer winds = Sweet Pea flowers wilting.
But here at Fairy Wren Cottage there is a different microclimate and summer weather comes later.
The wind is my biggest garden enemy, especially those cold, south westerly winds.
Tender Sweet Pea shoots get blown about and often fall off the wire trellis flopping onto the ground and the roots become unsettled due to the blustery winds that can whip through our garden, knocking the Sweet Pea stems about.
I now sow my Sweet Peas indoors in late August, September, and even early October.
I plant Sweet Pea seedlings outside after the Autumn, Winter, and Spring winds, especially the winds from September to early October.
Planting this way results in my Sweet Peas being much more robust, better flowering, and outgrow any St Patrick’s Day plantings.
* Just like many flowers, every part of the Sweet Pea (plant/flowers/seed pods/seeds) is toxic and poisonous to humans and animals. I'm cautious with our dogs, ducks, chickens and visiting children, making sure they don't come into contact with Sweet Peas. I also wash my hands with soap after handling Sweet Peas. I never use Sweet Peas to decorate food, e.g. a cake.
Heirloom Sweet Pea Varieties vs Modern Sweet Pea Varieties.
When it comes to Sweet Peas, I believe that heirloom varieties and modern Sweet Pea varieties can compliment each other - there is space in the garden for both. They often have different characteristics, and different uses. Both being able to co-exist in the market place for commercial use and the home gardener.
What is important is the ongoing and continual popularity of Sweet Peas. Low demand = low supply = low amount of farmers growing Sweet Peas for seed to sell to the wholesaler, who sells to the retailer, who sells to the consumer (you and I). Apparently, there is a worldwide shortage of Sweet Pea seed at the moment.
High demand for Sweet Peas equals high supply in the market place. Look at dahlias, for example: 15 years ago I walked into a garden nursery and asked the owner where she was hiding the dahlias. Her reply was that they weren’t popular, they didn’t sell, her wholesale suppliers rarely stocked them, and therefore she didn’t stock them. Fast forward to now and every flower grower, nursery and wholesaler has dahlia tubers, seeds or plants available. There is an abundance of varieties flooding the market place. Why? Because dahlias became popular.
When the demand is there, the supply chain strengthens.
Without a doubt, it is of utmost importance that all heirloom seed varieties are saved and as many as possible be available for growing, both commercially and for the home gardener.
Where can you squeeze more Sweet Peas in to your garden?
And what colours would you choose? Heirloom or modern varieties or both?
My hope is that by sharing my love of Sweet Peas you fall even more in love with them.
“We protect what we love.”
- Louie Schwartzberg, Filmaker.
Heirloom Sweet Pea Varieties vs Modern Sweet Pea Varieties.
When it comes to Sweet Peas, I believe that heirloom varieties and modern Sweet Pea varieties can compliment each other - there is space in the garden for both. They often have different characteristics, and different uses. Both being able to co-exist in the market place for commercial use and the home gardener.
What is important is the ongoing and continual popularity of Sweet Peas. Low demand = low supply = low amount of farmers growing Sweet Peas for seed to sell to the wholesaler, who sells to the retailer, who sells to the consumer (you and I). Apparently, there is a worldwide shortage of Sweet Pea seed at the moment.
High demand for Sweet Peas equals high supply in the market place. Look at dahlias, for example: 15 years ago I walked into a garden nursery and asked the owner where she was hiding the dahlias. Her reply was that they weren’t popular, they didn’t sell, her wholesale suppliers rarely stocked them, and therefore she didn’t stock them. Fast forward to now and every flower grower, nursery and wholesaler has dahlia tubers, seeds or plants available. There is an abundance of varieties flooding the market place. Why? Because dahlias became popular.
When the demand is there, the supply chain strengthens.
Without a doubt, it is of utmost importance that all heirloom seed varieties are saved and as many as possible be available for growing, both commercially and for the home gardener.
Where can you squeeze more Sweet Peas in to your garden?
And what colours would you choose? Heirloom or modern varieties or both?
My hope is that by sharing my love of Sweet Peas you fall even more in love with them.
“We protect what we love.” - Louie Schwartzberg, Filmaker.
Sweet Pea varieties that have (so far) been grown at Fairy Wren Cottage, some more successfully than others:
Painted Lady. Nimbus. Streamer Chocolate. Streamer Blue. Blue Shift. Elegance Mid Blue. Erewhon. Spencer Mix. America. Bijou Mix. Enchante. Piggy Sue. Turquoise Lagoon. King Size Navy. Wiltshire Ripple. Old Times. High Scent. Elegance Rose Pink. Old Spice. Little Sweetheart Mix. Mammoth Choice. Cupani. Mollie Rilstone. Tiller Girls. Bix. Maloy. Mammoth White. Elegance Salmon. North Shore. Lilac Ripple. Matucana. Spring Sunshine Nancy. Spring Sunshine Champagne. Spring Sunshine Peach. Spring Sunshine Cream. Miss Willmott. Spencer Mars. Flora Norton. Spencer Icecream. Apricot Sprite.
I love getting to know each variety and am especially fond of the heirloom Sweet Pea varieties and modern Sweet Pea varieties bred by Dr Keith Hammett in New Zealand.
For me, it is impossible to choose a favourite Sweet Pea. Each variety has its own unique characteristics, from bold and bright to shades of antique lace and the palest of pastels.
What are your favourite Sweet Pea colours?
