Annual

Sweet Pea Parfume Edith Flanagan

Lathyrus odoratus 'Parfume Edith Flanagan' — Spencer type

£2.40approx. 20 seeds

Vibrant coral Sweet Pea flowers on strong straight stems with traditional fragrance — the rare warm-toned Spencer Sweet Pea for warm cottage cutting palettes.

Sowing months
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Height
1.8-2.4m
Spread
30cm
Spacing
20-30cm
Position
They perform best in full sun, ideally receiving at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day.
Soil
They demand moist soil to support their thirsty root system, but the roots must not become waterlogged or they will rot.
Grow guide
How to grow Sweet Pea Parfume Edith Flanagan
Read the full guide →
About this variety

A true coral, sitting between salmon and warm peach, which is a genuinely uncommon colour in sweet peas and the reason to grow this one. Large ruffled Spencer-type blooms on strong straight stems, with the traditional scent.

Coral is a particular colour and it wants thinking about. It sings alongside apricot, peach, soft orange and warm pink, and it looks slightly wrong next to the cool blue-pinks and lavenders that most sweet pea schemes are built from. Plan the row accordingly rather than mixing it in and hoping.

It climbs to about two metres and flowers June through October on a decent support. Sweet peas are hungry and thirsty, and this is the one place in a cottage garden where you should not stint on the muck; dig plenty of well-rotted manure or compost into the trench before planting.

Pick every flower as it opens. Let one pod form and the plant treats the year as done.

Plant alongside

Sweet Pea Parfume Edith Flanagan pairs beautifully with these cottage garden classics