Lathyrus odoratus Bijou Mixed - Dwarf Sweet Pea Seeds

Bijou Mixed ("bijou" meaning "jewel" in French) is a dwarf sweet pea selection that flowers all summer long. The fragrant blooms appear in different shades of cream, pink or red. Great for borders and rockeries. These non-climbing annuals have a compact, bushy habit and are perfect for pots and hanging baskets. Just make sure to give them plenty of sunshine and good, fertile and well-drained soil.

Lathyrus odoratus is an annual herbaceous plant of the Fabaceae family originating from south-eastern Italy and Sicily. Bijou mixed is a non-climbing selection with a compact growth habit and a long flowering season. The bushy plants won’t exceed 50 to 60 cm in height and about 30 in width. Their quadrangular winged stems have stipules at their base, bear pairs of light-green leaflets and end in a terminal tendril. Flowering takes place from May-June to September-October. The papilionaceous flowers are not too large and only slightly ruffled. They are gathered in axillary clusters of up to 6 flowers. Flowers are composed of 5 petals: a standard, 2 free wing petals, and 2 fused petals. Colours are very varied: white, cream, soft pink, bright pink, lilac, dark purple and red. They give off an intense yet delicate fragrance, which has a sweet floral aroma with smooth honeyed and musky notes. The fruit is a flat pod that splits at maturity, forcibly expelling its seeds away from the plant. It is essential to regularly remove wilted flowers, as seed production stunts flowering. Sweet peas root deeply in the ground to find water and nutrients.

Sweet peas are irreplaceable, their charming and old-fashioned flowers make quaint bouquets, look stunning in hanging baskets and will soon cover up an old garden wall or fence. They are beautiful in summer flower beds, where they will use neighbouring plants or shrubs as a support. They can also form colourful carpets when grown as ground cover. Sweet peas are a must-have in cottage gardens alongside peonies, hollyhocks, fox gloves, peach leaved bellflowers, and columbines. They also do well in the fertile and well-watered soil of the vegetable garden, where they can be used as cut flowers. Dwarf varieties such as Bijou Mixed are perfect for colourful hanging baskets or window boxes.