When Sweet Peas were introduced in England from Sicily over 300 years ago, the first blooms were small, highly fragrant and grew well in the warm summer sun. Since then, flower growers have selected and bred their favorites for different characteristics. They got larger flowers on longer stems for cut flowers and exhibition. Today we find that sometimes scent has been lost in the quest for larger flowers. Fragrance seems to be related to colour with the lavender and light pink flowers the most fragrant and the scarlet shades the least fragrant. Here on the West Coast, our usual cool summer weather allows us to grow all the types and enjoy more fragrance than in hot summer areas.
Flowering is triggered by day length. Mammoth Series flowers when the days are 10 hours long, (from sunrise to sunset) whereas Late
This superb blend of striped and mottled Spencer varieties is incredibly delicate-looking with a fine perfume. Flowers are borne on long stems and almost every one is unique. Pale colours invite close inspection of the wavy petals and their fine markings. The plant grows as a vine to heights of 1.8 meters (6ft).
From
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$ 3.00 CA
Late Spencer Blend
This blend has all of the beautiful, bold colours that we love in these reliable Late Spencer performers - red, pink, white, rose, purple and blue in one convienient package. Tip: Sweet Peas must be cut every 2 to 3 days to keep the blooms coming! If any seed pods form cut them off to keep the plant blooming.
From
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$ 3.00 CA
Mammoth Blend
Earliest to flower, Mammoth has big, bold blooms, making this an excellent choice for early spring colour. Striking shades of crimson, lavender, deep rose, navy blue, rose pink, and salmon, these climbers are 1.6m (6ft) and perfect for that first table bouquet.
From
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$ 2.95 CA
Matucana
These most unusual ITALIAN HERITAGEsweet peas are bi-coloured violet and deep maroon. Matcuna is thought to be one of the first sweet peas to be introduced to Britain in 1700 by a Sicilian Monk, Franciscus Cupani. Matucana sweet peas have an intoxicating scent and smaller flowers than many modern varieties that bloom over a long period. Grow some history. This sweet peas is sure to please!
From
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$ 3.20 CA
Old Spice Blend
This wonderful collection of extremely old HEIRLOOM varieties have extraordinary heat resistance and highly fragrant flowers. These are the best types for hot summers. Old Spice Blend is very fragrant and heat tolerant. This vining 1.8m (6ft) plant produces blooms in shades of white, cream, pink, rose, scarlet, and purple.
From
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$ 3.20 CA
Royal Family Blend
Royal Family Sweet Peas bloom after Mammoth and before Late Spencer. These outstanding graceful and elegant plants have more heat resistance than the Spencer Series, very large flowers, and long stems. Blooms of crimson, lavender, mid-blue, navy blue, rose pink, salmon pink, scarlet, white are large-flowered and of the long-stemmed variety. Excellent cut flowers, perfect as fence huggers, Royal Family Sweet Peas thrive in cool weather.
From
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$ 3.00 CA
Scentsation Mix
Intense scent announces this Late Spencer variety. These tall plants 2.5m (8ft) will bloom from June through to September and flourish in cool summers. The long stems have 4-5 flowers on each making them superb cut flowers. The darker colours in this blend include deep creams, apricots, mauves, reds and deep purples.
From
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$ 3.00 CA
Snoopea
Snoopeas are a unique, bushy sweet pea that forms mounds of colour and requires no support. These plants have no tendrils for climbing, so the plant's energy goes into producing flowers. Perfect for the patio or containers. Scarlet, blue, pink, rose and white flowers blush on long stems.
From
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$ 3.40 CA
Supersnoop
Growing to heights of approximately 60cm (24"), Supersnoop wends its way through the garden or drapes over a planter just beautifully. Lightly-scented flowers on long stems are ideal for cutting. Its impressive vibrant colour range includes scarlet, rose, blue, white, and pink. This is a lovely addition to your patio containers or as a balcony accent.
From
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$ 3.60 CA
Sweet Pea Book
The Sweet Pea Book is for anyone interested in growing these most exquisite of fragrant flowers and using them in the garden. It covers the colorful history of the sweet pea, provides detailed practical advice on seed raising and cultivation, offers ideas for using the plants effectively in the garden, and discusses dwarf sweet peas for small gardens and patios. A comprehensive descriptive list of species and varieties will prove useful to all sweet pea enthusiasts. 144 pages, 7.5" x 10"
From
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$ 19.95 CA
Unwins Striped Butterfly Blend
Fragrant, beautifully ruffled flowers have a mottled effect. Each creamy white petal is edged with a darker colour - scarlet, blue, salmon-rose, lilac, purple, and chocolate. Unwin's Striped Butterfly Blend is one of our most unique and beautiful varieties.
From
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$ 3.20 CA
White Ensign
White Ensign is as pencer-type sweet pea and is a half-hardy, vining, 1.8m (6ft) tall plant characterized by wavy, frilly petals and a lovely fragrance. Developed in England in 1901, White Ensign has enormous snow-white ruffled petals on long stems. They flower in mid-summer and prefer cool summer areas such as Coastal BC. White Ensign sweet peas makes a wonderful addition to any garden.
