In the past two days we have sowed an unbelievable amount of Sweet Peas and more are on their way from England. Nearly every color of the rainbow will be represented in the patch this year including a variety called Orange Dragon that very closely resembles its name.
After trailing dozens of varieties I have finally settled on growing the collections offered by English Sweet Breeder Owl Acres. The past two seasons their Winter Sunshine Series beat our older groups like Winter Elegance and the Mammoths by nearly double. The results were absolutely amazing!
In addition to being highly productive and very healthy, the Winter Sunshine Series boasts incredible stem length too.
Of all the places in the world, I’d argue that smack dab in the center of the Sweet Pea patch might be one of the most incredible places to be.
So filled with life, vitality and fragrance, the air feels as if it is humming!
When I get too frazzled by all of the to do’s that fill early summer, a quick trip into the Sweet Pea patch and I’m instantly grounded.
What a heavenly sweet pea patch, it must be intoxicating in there! Is there a secret to keeping them perky in a vase for more than a couple of days?
ReplyDeleteholy moly- that looks like heaven! when i was little my parents grew sugar snap peas in a tunnel shape and i can remember crawling inside and hiding out for hours plucking peas off the vine. that patch you have gives me a similar feeling.
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful! Makes me miss Washington! We live in Houston right now - so our crazy hot springs and summers make growing a lot of my WA favorites a little tricky. Maybe I'll try starting some with our fall/winter lettuce crop next year...
ReplyDeleteJust found your blog last week - and I love it! Thanks for sharing your flowers and your family!
Belinda, the best trick is to cut them young, when just the bottom flower is open so they can do their blooming in the vase. A little flower food in the water does wonders as well. But even with these little tricks…they are still fleeting. But, oh so worth it!
ReplyDeleteS*Choo, wow, what a beautiful memory! I hope my littles have similar , magical memories of their childhood.
Kjstrom~ Oh, it is possible to grow them there in the winter. Farmers I know down your way have them blooming for Christmas!So glad you are here.
one of my favorite flowers ! love your photographs.
ReplyDeleteHi Erin-
ReplyDeleteThanks for the little glimpse of heaven! When I got married, I carried (three--it was so hot and I had to switch 'em out as the day progressed) bouquets with just sweet peas. We grew them at home, and I picked them at 6 am on the misty morning of our wedding. My mom and I had always cut sweet peas and put them by each other's bedsides all summer every year, so I figured sweet peas at home were the perfect simple bloom to carry.
On another note...I keep meaning to email you back about your "hogwart's tables" (as I call them) pricing question. I don't have a good answer for you, though I'd be glad to share it if I did. I always flounder on this one. I also just found out that you may be asking me in relation to a wedding that we both are working on with TCE, which makes it a little odd. But I seriously never know how to price these.
I'd love to get together sometime when you are south, or I'd still love to bring my guys up to the farm. Maybe April's spring break?
--Alexa
Am so glad that Flower Jane sent me to visit your site. How lovely. I've never grown sweet peas, but you can bet I will add them this year. How lovely! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeletei'm so jealous that you're already sowing seeds! you must be a good 1.5-2 months ahead of minnesota's spring. i LOVE sweet peas, and one day will perfect growing them! i'll have to keep Owl Acres in mind for the future.
ReplyDeleteI'm short of breath just reading this and looking at your photos. -Sweet peas provoke feelings and memories like no other flower can. It looks like a dream. I wouldn't be surprised if I broke down into tears seeing a sweet pea field in real life.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad to have found this info, and your pictures are heavenly! I grow for a small market and the church altar. I've seen a photo of your planting beds (either online or in GFM) and the young plants look as if they are planted quite far apart and far from the trellis. How do you train them to the trellis if they are so far away it? Also, can you tell me when you pinch them back?
ReplyDeleteI'm now on a hunt for that vintage book about planting SPs!
Martha