The last sweetpea

"We are the last of our kind" cry the sweetpeas, "the very last."

"You are the last for this year, yes, the season is almost over."

"No, no," the whimpering peas implored "we are the last, the very last, after us there will be no others."

"Indeed, indeed," was the soothing reply.  The sweetpeas having no eyes could not see that the gardeners fingers were crossed.*  It was a lie indeed, one that often labelled a white lie as the intention was not to deceive for harm but to soothe their last few days.
So farewell then, the last of the sweetpeas.  For some of you it will be indeed the last of your kind I will sow in the garden.  Each year the same favourites are sown (is it possible to not love Matucana? and I am also very partial to King Edward VII and Mrs Collyer).  This year Painted Lady made quite a good entrance and I shall definitely consider sowing her again.  Miss Willmott was quite good, a bit late to get going but carried on well.  Midnight** probably flowered the most and longest.  I think these unopened flowers are Midnight so they are a definite definite for next year.  As with all the sweetpeas I sow I demand good scent and these all performed well.  Next Spring I will be sowing again and the carousel will turn again.



*for the more observant of you, I appreciate that sweetpeas also have no voice, but if I was to be completely accurate/realistic in how I write this would be to misunderstand the purpose of this blog.

** this year for the first time I bought all my sweetpea seeds from Thompson & Morgan.  I do take part in trials for this company but these seeds  I bought as any other customer would.

Comments

  1. Although undoubtably a time of great sadness, all those sweetpeas can take a little solace from the seed sowing which is never far away, knowing that the next generation will carry on the good work of looking good, and smelling even better!

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    1. T'is true, as one cycle ends another begins.

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  2. My sweetpeas gave up early October (in soggy Salford) but my hardy fuchsias are still flowering despite the soggy weather which are cheering me up.

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    1. Similar here, though my fuschias look like they're shivering a bit.

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  3. My sweet peas are about to suffer the same fate*. They are still flowering away, but I need to get them out as they are covering a hellebore underneath that I want to flower. I don't think it is possible to not love Matucana.

    *just hoping mine don't beg like yours did ;)

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    1. I need to dig mine up as well, they just look messy now.

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  4. I've not ventured to the allotment of late but I think my second batch of sweet peas sown in late March must have given up the ghost now. I've grown 'Matucana' for years and would not be without it. Must look out for 'Midnight'. Would love to know where you got that lovely vase from Alison.

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    1. Thanks, Midnight has done really well for me. I bought the vase a couple of years ago from the Ship Shop in Portmeirion.

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    2. Thanks Alison. Funnily enough I've been sorting out the seed packets this weekend and have come across a packet of 'Midnight' seeds that were a freebie with a gardening magazine so I'm all set to grow them next year.

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