Sweet pea sowing for summer scent

Nothing says summer scent to me like Sweet peas

i've grown Matucana (syn Cupani) for years in my Allotment and veg patch at home. A jam jar of cut flower stems in the kitchen is fantastic for lifting your spirits as you prepare meals when you'd prefer to still be out planting a few more seeds. I've kept my own seeds for years as well, - and there's nothing better than growing from those little black balls you've kept in an envelope since last September.

But this year, as I want to grow lots of Sweet peas, to be able to give the scent of summer with lots of my Bouquets, i've grown rather more than my usual couple of pots.

In October I started off my normal Matucana, and some Blue Velvet, - which i'd grown at the allotment last year, and had a wonderful rich colour even though it flowered really late due to all the rain.

These October sowings are now potted on,- they've not had any heat all winter, and have just been in my cold greenhouse. Some are in deep 1 litre pots, and some in a large container i'm going to make a wigwam over.

Then, when I went to the lovely @Theflowerfarmer 's course in November- Georgie told me that Matucana doesn't produce long enough stems for bouquets. So I went straight to the Kings catalogue, and chose a whole load of other (new to me) varieties. - I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Beaujolais (burgundy), White Ensign (white) , Noel Sutton (sky blue) and Mrs R Bolton (pink) come out.

These are now growing very healthily.But it's not enough, - I want more, - so i've now done another tray which include more Blue Velvet, Chatsworth (pale blue), and Midnight (purple red)  The names are wonderful too!

With a bit of Sunshine, these should be flowering in June (if my polytunnel planning permission comes through, it might even be sooner).

Have I missed any I really should be growing? - What colours will I need to make fantastic scented bouquets this summer?

 

Comments

[Sarah]

Sounds like you're growing a really good collection of sweet peas already. I really like 'Cream Southbourne' - it has lovely long stems, a nice cream colour that goes well in bunches, and good fragrance.

[Claire, Plantpassion]

you're the 2nd person to suggest that Cream variety, so i'm off to scour the catalogues tomorrow. I wonder whether Wisley do it?