Who’s Dissin’ the Sweet Peas?

I adore sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus). As a child, I buried my nose into a bouquet of the highly scented flowers and breathed in their sweet fragrance.  I don’t remember the vines growing in my family’s garden, but when I became an adult and cultivated my own garden, I grew them often. The vines are easy to grow in our mild climate, the flowers come in an assortment of colors, and their fragrance is divine.  I assumed everybody loved them.  So when plantsman, Christopher Lloyd (1921-2006) came to town on a lecture train, I was surprised when he spoke with disdain about my favorite, fragrant annual.  He’s dissin’ my little beauties, I thought, as I sat listening to him speak to an enthralled audience.  He definitely was an opinionated man, who didn’t appear to hold back voicing any of them.

I don’t remember why he disliked them.  It’s possible I blocked out his reasons by silently chanting, La la la I can’t hear you, under my breath.  Since he’s from England , where they have competitions growing exhibition quality sweet peas, perhaps they are so commonly grown that they regard them the same as I do petunias.  Later in Lloyd’s talk, he spoke fondly of the marigolds he grew at Great Dexter. He doesn’t like sweet peas, but adores marigolds? They are at the bottom of the pile of plants I dislike; I regard them as nothing more than slug food with a funny odor. 

I realize that just because I admire or respect a gardener doesn’t mean I agree with all his/her opinions or even like the same plants they tout as the best to grow. Besides, plants fall in and out of favor all the time. Like fashion, in one era they are everybody’s favorite and plant breeders irrupt into a hybridizing frenzy; the next era they’re unfashionable.

We gardeners can be a fickle lot; nevertheless, I refuse to despise the sweet peas, no matter if they are fashionable or not.  Now I grow selected hybrids, changing year to year as I strive to grow every single one that captures my fancy. Many of the exhibition quality cultivars have nice long stems that make them the best choices for cutting. Even though the flowers last only three days in a vase, they are worth it when their fresh sweet scent fills a room. Obviously, with the great selection of seed available, I am not the only one who finds them irresistible.

Comments

[Les]

Sweat Peas were one of the first plants I can remember asking my parents to buy me seeds for. I planted them on a chain link fence next to a telephone pole. They thrived there for years, reseeding themselves. When I was a teen and was not concerned with such things, I was crossing over the fence at the same spot and slipped wedging my leg between the fence, the Sweat Peas and the telephone pole. I still carry the scare to show it.

[DebbieTT]

The question is did this sweet pea incident swear you off of them?

[Dee]

I have absolutely fallen in love with sweet peas and am anxiously awaiting their fragrance. thanks for the article.

[JeanneK]

I totally agree. We can admire someone without having to agree with everything they recommend or like. Agree to disagree.

Having said that, sweet peas are not one of my favs. My mother loves them. Maybe it is a generational thing or reminds you of your past/family time etc.

[Poppy]

My dearest memory of sweet peas is when my neighbor across the street---who had a baby 24 hours before I did--made her husband cut a jarful and run across the street with a congratulations bouquet for me. (As if the poor man didn't have enough to do with a post-partum wife, an 18 month old baby and a newborn!!!) Twenty years later, when the smell of sweet peas catches me off guard, I am immediately transported back to that day and all the magic of giving birth to my first child. What a gift that scent is to me!

[Bonnie Story]

I think it must be Petunia Syndrome! Otherwise, I agree that sweet peas are just too good to 'dis... Also a big childhood favorite of mine! Walking to and from school in Santa Monica, CA, passing by great billowy droves of sweet peas and being bathed in the sweet aroma.

Some folks around here think that Scotch Broom is just great... IMAGINE. A truly horrific plant. But there I go again. Thanks for the great blog! Bonnie