Lathyrus Odoratus - The Sweet Pea

There is something about Latin plant names that seems quite magical and romantic. When I first became interested in gardening, the Latin was quite daunting, but over time I have become more familiar with it and I can recognise it, and pronounce an increasing number of plant names.

Lathyrus odoratus is an easily recognisable name, and it is a plant that is very versatile and forgiving. More commonly known as the Sweet Pea, it is a staple of many summer gardens for the amateur and professional gardener alike.

The sweet pea is a hardy annual, which means it can tolerate lower temperatures, and has quite a wide window of time available for sowing. Some prefer to sow their sweet peas in the Autumn to ensure earlier flowers and strong plants, whilst others sow their sweet pea seeds in the Spring.

As the sweet pea germinates quite easily, I have often just planted the seeds with very little thought. This year I decided to put a little more effort and research into the needs of this beautiful plant, so I could be sure of getting the very best results.

My decision to do this reaped rewards very quickly, although not how I had anticipated. In the past, I have purchased my seeds from a local garden centre, and then more recently, from Roger Parsons who holds the National Collection of sweet peas, and who has a huge choice of variety - well over 1000 in total.

This year, whilst doing my research, I stumbled upon Easton Walled Garden and, in their own words, this is a "Sweet Pea Lovers Dream". Easton has been owned and run by the Cholmeley family since 1561 and is steeped in history.

They grow 40 different sweet pea varieties in their Walled Gardens, ranging from highly scented heritage and antique sweet peas to more modern and trial varieties. Their sweet pea season runs from late June through to July, and this is the perfect time to visit and take a wander through their display beds.

Having found Easton Gardens by chance I then discovered that as the flowers fade and seed pods form, they harvest and dry the seeds before selling to the public. Not only that but the seeds are also packaged and presented in the most delightful way, in stunning keepsake tins with matching ribbon. The packaging of their Walled, Heritage and Modern mixes is beautiful, and I couldn't resist them, so purchased all three.

Like anything that is done well, Easton really does pay attention to detail. I was so delighted when the sweet peas arrived with me that I arranged for more to be sent out to my friends. Not only are the gorgeous tins wrapped in matching tissue paper, but they were accompanied by colour co-ordinated compliment slips, and a leaflet introducing Easton and explaining some of its history. Straight away Easton was added to my garden visit wish list.

Having received these beautifully packaged seeds, I really did have to do them justice. I picked up one of my treasured Arthur Parkinson books and took note on his recommendations for planting and growing. I like Arthur's gardening style, as he is very relatable and explains how to give your sweet peas the best start, even if you have very little space and just a windowsill for growing.

I duly followed his instructions and soaked my seeds overnight before planting them a thumbnail deep into a windowsill propagator unit. The compost was watered from beneath and, just before planting I was sure to label each variety together with the planting date. As soon as the seedlings were approximately one inch high, I followed Arthur's advice, took them off the heat, and began to acclimatise them by taking them outside when there was a milder weather day.

After only a few weeks I pinched out the tops to encourage more bushy growth and moved my small plants to the cold frame. It is now the end of April, and they are strong and ready to be planted outside. I have just taken on an allotment which already has a makeshift flower frame and so, for this year, I will use this for training my plants. Next year I plan to use something more rustic - perhaps some jute netting and hazel tepees.

For anyone who wants to delve further into the history of sweet peas, as well as the many different varieties and tips on growing, I would recommend "The Sweet Pea Book", written by Graham Rice. I spotted this book some time ago and couldn't resist adding it to my garden book collection. It's a very inspiring read with plenty of beautiful pictures, written by a horticulturist who trained at the Royal Horticultural Gardens, Kew.

Garden Writer | Guineveres Garden