Sensational Sweet Peas: Easy, Fragrant, and Versatile

Aside from being beautiful and giving off a powerful perfume that's quintessentially spring, sweet peas are super easy to grow from seed. With types ideal for cutting, hanging baskets, pots, or trellises, there's a sweet pea for virtually every sunny garden space.

Colors

With tissue paper-like petals, sweet peas come in white, lavender, blue, red, shades of pink, purple, salmon, orange, and mixes. Each bloom has one upright petal, two side petals, and two lower petals. (Foliage isn't noteworthy.)

Size

Vining types reach 5 feet or taller; bush varieties reach roughly 1 to 3 feet tall.

Care

Grow in full sun, water regularly but avoid wetting foliage.

Planting

In mild-winter areas, plant seeds in September or October for spring bloom; in cold regions, start seeds indoors in February or March and transplant seedlings outdoors as soon as the ground can be worked. Plant in rich, well-drained soil, 1 inch deep and 1 to 2 inches apart. When seedlings reach 4 inches tall, thin to 6 inches apart. Remove faded flowers to discourage seed setting.

Companions

Plant sweet peas with sweet alyssum, lobelia, roses, lavender, and catmint.