Sweet Pea Phantom Of The Opera

For that rather special monochrome look, you'll not beat our new 'duo pack' Phantom of the Opera.

We've paired Sweet Pea Almost Black, a variety with luxurious deep maroon, 'almost black' flowers together with Sweet Pea Royal Wedding, an elegant slightly ruffled variety with pure white blooms and just a hint of cream on long cutting stems.

Both are deliciously scented and an arrangement will make a rather stunning centrepiece. HHA.

(We will supply one packet of each variety with 20 seeds per packet - a total of 40 seeds).

How to Grow Sweet Pea from Seed

Lathyrus Odoratus, or annual Sweet Peas, are a cottage garden and cutting flower classic combining beautifully soft, simple blooms with a captivating fragrance.

Annual Sweet Peas are often blessed with a marvelous scent but last only one season, while Perennial Everlasting Sweet Peas return year after year but with considerably less fragrance than their annual relatives.

Heritage and heirloom varieties, the really old-fashioned types, are often blessed with the most fragrance, although their flowers are usually much smaller than the blooms found on more modern hybrid varieties.

Sweet peas can be sown anytime from September to March, but plants over-wintered in a cold-frame will be stronger when planted out the following Spring. Sweetpeas prefer semi-shade and will climb fences, netting or cane teepees.

Sow your sweet peas seeds two seeds to a pot, pushing the seeds to a depth of about one inch. Cover the pots with newspaper or a polystyrene tile to keep moisture and warmth in and light out. Germination will normally take place within 14 to 21 days.

Once the seedlings appear, keep them in a cool greenhouse or cold-frame to promote root rather than stem growth before planting out in the Spring.

Pinch out the growing tip when there are three or four pairs of leaves grown, this promotes encourage the formation of side shoots.

Sweet peas climb by twining their tendrils around the support frame, but it is helpful to guide them onto netting, climbing structures or support using sweet pea support rings.

Keep picking flowers throughout the season, flower production stops once seed pods are forming. The more that you cut your sweet peas flowers the longer you will be able to enjoy their fabulous perfume.