(L. odorata) Ella said it best: “I never knew the charm of spring, / Never met it face to face. / I never knew my heart could sing, / Never missed a warm embrace / Till April in Paris.” When it comes to sweet peas, we prize subtlety and elegance over the boisterous and what can often be somewhat gaudy. April in Paris is pure elegance: tall 5-6’ plants with large, gently frilled, creamy white blooms, the petals just blushing to a purple fringe at the edges. While much sweet pea breeding has focused on flashy looks, this represents New Zealand breeder Dr. Keith Hammett’s attempt to marry the old-fashioned scent to the modern sweet pea looks. The fragrance is an epiphany and will reduce you to mumbling gibberish as your body trips the fuse to your brain to focus more clearly on the olfactory bliss happening in the nose. By far the most arresting scene on the farm one year was the row of April in Paris flanked by two beds of “Bee’s Friend”, all against a backdrop of 5’ tall swaying golden “Terra” oats. This is why we grow things. Rare. (That's a link up there, folks, so click, sit back, and dream...)80 days. LS

Packet: 15 seeds

[split]

Growing Info

SOWING:

Sow indoors in late Winter (6-7 weeks before the last frost).

Transplant or Direct Sow in early Spring. If direct sown, it is crucial to maintain consistent soil moisture.

Note: For uniform germination, we like to soak seeds overnight prior to sowing. Nick any seeds that do not swell, and then continue to rinse and drain (twice/day) until roots just start to appear.

PLANTING DEPTH:

1/2"

SPACING:

6-8" in rows 5' apart.

EMERGENCE:

5-14 days @ soil temp 50-55F.
Sweet peas do best in cool soil and temperatures.
A lot of green growth occurs in the 30-55F range, and the plants can definitely handle temperatures down into the 20s!
70F is the optimal temperature for blooming. Sow early for early blooms, or we've found success planting in areas that will see some afternoon shade.

LIGHT:

Full sun to mostly full sun

FERTILITY:

Moderate-rich. Prefers rich, evenly moist, and well-drained soil.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Transplant gently to avoid root disturbance, and keep soil level at a similar height & evenly moist.

Stake or provide netting to keep them upright and tidy.

Although they will likely branch independently, to encourage branching, pinch at 6" tall to the third leaf node.

Deadhead to encourage blooms and discourage seed set.

Stiff cut stems, with 2 unopened buds, have a 4-5 day vase life.

Sweet Pea, 'April in Paris'