Grandiflora sweet peas were created when Henry Eckford, a Scottish horticulturalist, selected certain strains for their larger than average flowers and better general performance, then bred them.
The more recent, modern grandiflora varieties combine the strong fragrance and colourful blooms of the original, heirloom grandifloras with the large flowers and long, straight stems of Spencer-type sweet peas. They make wonderful, exuberant cut flowers for the house.
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We choose some of our favourite grandiflora sweet pea varieties, below.
‘Erewhon’
‘Erewhon’ is a modern grandiflora sweet pea with bi-coloured blue-pink blooms held on long, straight stems – perfect for cut flowers. Highly fragrant.
Height x spread: 1.8m x 30cm.
‘Fire and Ice’
Like ‘Erewhon’, ‘Fire and Ice’ is a richly scented modern grandiflora variety. The petals are filled in with beautiful watercolour tones of lavender and fuchsia.
H x S: 1.8m x 30cm.
‘Matucana’
Intensely coloured ‘Matucana’ is an heirloom grandiflora sweet pea, often referred to as the most fragrant of all sweet peas.
H x S: 2m x 30cm.
‘Almost Black’
‘Almost Black’ is a modern grandiflora with intense flowers of the deepest purple. They have strong fragrance and a generous bunch used as cut flowers make a dramatic display.
H x S: 2m x 30cm.
‘King Edward VII’
Introduced during the reign of King Edward VII, ‘King Edward VII’ is an old variety with stunning ruby-red flowers that produce a rich sweet pea fragrance.
H x S: 1.8m x 30cm.
‘Captain of the Blues’
‘Captain of the Blues’ is an old variety with deep purple-blue flowers that contrast beautifully with pale-coloured flowers. Deliciously scented.
H x S: 1.8m x 30cm.
