Sweet Pea Heaven Scent

Lathyrus odoratus 'Heaven Scent' Spencer Sweet Pea 'Heaven Scent'

Large ruffled blooms in creamy-salmon and rose-pink, on long sturdy stems with intense traditional fragrance that genuinely lives up to the variety's name. Sweet Pea 'Heaven Scent' is the cottage Spencer-Grandiflora hybrid bringing together the best of both worlds — modern Spencer flower size with heritage Grandiflora scent intensity.

If you want a Sweet Pea that smells like a Sweet Pea should, 'Heaven Scent' is one of the most powerfully-fragrant varieties available. This variety bridges the gap between two distinct Sweet Pea groups: the old "Old Spice" heritage types, known for their original wild-pea scent intensity, and the modern "Spencer" exhibition types, known for large ruffled blooms and long stems. 'Heaven Scent' delivers both — large ruffled cream-salmon-and-rose-pink flowers (the Spencer characteristic) with intense traditional fragrance that fills an entire room from a single small bunch (the Old Spice characteristic). Hybrid vigour means excellent UK climate performance, producing strong climbing vines reaching 2 metres providing a dense screen of fragrant pink blooms. Pollinator magnet — the intense fragrance draws bees from across the garden. Hardy annual.

A note on growing

Standard Sweet Pea cultivation:

• Autumn sow October–November in deep pots, overwinter in cold frame for strongest earliest plants
• Spring sow indoors January–March at 15°C maximum
• Soak seeds 2–4 hours before sowing
• Plant out April–May in full sun in rich fertile soil — Sweet Peas demand the richest soil
• Provide sturdy support immediately (trellis, wigwam, netting, twiggy hazel)
• Pick, pick, pick — daily cutting maintains flowering all season

⚠️ Toxicity warning: seeds toxic if eaten. Keep away from children.

Where it shines

In cottage cutting gardens as one of the most fragrant cutting Sweet Peas — 'Heaven Scent' is the variety to grow if fragrance is the priority. Against trellises and wigwams in cottage borders where the climbing scent garden can be appreciated. As a vase essential — a small bunch of 'Heaven Scent' in a jam jar scents an entire room and outperforms commercial scented candles for room fragrance. In children's gardens for the dramatic results combined with the unforgettable scent.

Plant alongside

The textural florist's favourite: pair 'Heaven Scent' with Ammi majus for delicate frothy white lace alongside the substantial pink ruffles. With Cornflower 'Blue Ball' for the timeless blue-and-Sweet-Pea cottage combination. With Gypsophila 'Covent Garden' for the matching airy filler that elevates any Sweet Pea bunch.