Sweet Pea on a trellis 5Ltr

Sweet Pea on a trellis 5Ltr

The classic annual climbing sweet pea, Lathyrus odoratus, is ideal for clothing trellises, obelisks and fences with a summer display. It climbs by tendrils, so this climber requires a suitable support to establish and grow. Plant in fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil in full sun, keep well watered in dry spells, and deadhead or pick regularly to encourage continued flowering through summer. Expect an eventual height of around 1.82m, with an approximate spread of 5060cm across a support when well grown. As a hardy annual, plant out once the risk of frost has passed and provide strings, mesh or twiggy branches for the young shoots to twine around.

This climbing plant has been trained onto a supporting frame to create a neat, well-shaped specimen that is ready for planting. As it grows, new shoots can be guided and secured to continue developing its natural shape.

To help give a clear sense of scale, the stone wall shown in our photos measures approximately 265cm in height. We also use familiar garden tools as visual references: a digging fork (110cm tall) and a hand fork (30cm tall). These are included purely as size guides to help you better judge proportions when viewing the images.

Position: Full sun Rate of Growth: Fast Soil: Fertile, humus-rich, moist but well-drained soil Hardiness: Hardy annual; plant out after the risk of frost Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Plant at a Glance

light:sun
facing:south
facing:west
soiltype:moderate-fertile
soilmoisture:normal
foliage:deciduous
flowering:june
flowering:july
flowering:august
leafcolour:green
size:90cm-2m
gardenstyle:cottage-garden