Sweet peas are the flower people ask about more than any other. When are they in? Why are they finished already? Can I get them in September? This is the honest answer to all of those questions.

When sweet peas actually flower in Britain

In most of England, outdoor sweet peas are ready to cut from late June through to mid-August, depending on the weather. A warm May speeds things up. A wet June can delay them. At Wren Farm in Herefordshire, where we source ours, the season typically runs from the last week of June to the first week of August. That is roughly six weeks. Some years it is five. Occasionally it stretches to seven if the weather cooperates.

Why the season is so short

Sweet peas are what growers call a cool-season annual. They thrive in the mild temperatures of late spring and early summer but decline quickly once the heat of July sets in. Once the plant starts setting seed, it stops producing flowers. Commercial growers deadhead constantly to extend the season, but there is a natural limit. The plant is done when it is done.

Which varieties have the best scent

The old heritage varieties are almost always more fragrant than modern ones. Cupani, the original bicolour sweet pea first grown in Sicily in the 1690s, has the deepest scent of anything we have worked with. Matucana is similar. Painted Lady, a pale pink heritage variety, is extraordinary. Modern varieties bred for larger flowers or longer stems often have very little scent at all. If scent is what you are after, ask specifically for heritage varieties.

How to make sweet peas last in a vase

Sweet peas are shorter-lived than most flowers, typically five days in a vase. The scent is strongest on days two and three. Keep them in a cool room, change the water daily, and recut the stems every other day. Do not put them near a radiator or in direct sun. They are worth the attention.

What to order if sweet peas are finished

If you have missed the sweet pea season, the closest thing in terms of delicacy and scent is scabiosa, which runs from July through September. Cosmos is another good option: loose, airy, and very much in the spirit of a summer garden. Both are available from our growers through the late summer.

We update the shop listing as soon as sweet peas are finished for the season. If you want to be notified when they come in next year, sign up to the mailing list and we will let you know.