Lathyrus odoratus Spencer Arthur Hellyer - Sweet Pea Seeds

The Lathyrus odoratus Spencer 'Arthur Hellyer' is a variety of Sweet Pea from the Spencer series, a series known for its powerful fragrance, floriferous nature, and vigour. 'Arthur Hellyer' presents large undulating flowers in a soft lavender shade, delightfully scented on long sturdy stems. It is an annual, climbing or creeping, vining plant that quickly covers a large area. It is easily sown and cultivated in sunny, fertile, and moist soil.

The Lathyrus odoratus Spencer 'Arthur Hellyer' is an annual herbaceous plant of the Fabaceae family, whose ancestors come from southeastern Italy and Sicily. Thanks to its tendrils, it can climb or creep to a height of up to 1.80 m and a width of 30 cm in a few months. It features large undulating flowers. The leaves are paired on quadrangular stems, with stipules at the base and extended into tendrils. They are a light green colour, somewhat greyish or bluish. Flowering occurs from June-July to August-September, depending on the sowing date. The papilionaceous flowers are large to very large, clustered in axillary clusters. They consist of 5 more or less frizzy petals, with the upper one, also the largest, forming a banner shape, while the others have an intermediate shape between a lip and a tube. They emit a powerful yet delicate scent, with a sweet floral aroma with hints of sweetness, honey, and musk. The fruit is a flat pod that twists as it expels its seeds at a distance. It is essential to remove faded flowers, as seed production immediately stops flowering. Sweet peas root deeply in the soil to draw water and nutrients. They thrive in warmth and rich, loose, and moist soils.

The Lathyrus odoratus Spencer 'Arthur Hellyer' is a variety dating back to 1942. As annual plants, sweet peas boldly cling their tendrils to numerous supports, covering them in a season, and their charming flowering is essential in the garden. Plant them at the base of a wire fence or a garden shelter. On the ground, in mixed varieties, they create beautiful colourful carpets. They are equally charming in summer borders, using neighbouring plants or bushes as support. By regularly removing the pods that form after the flowers, they generously bloom throughout the summer. In a cottage garden or vegetable plot, where they appreciate fertile and well-watered soil, they pair well with columbines, hollyhocks, or foxgloves. They make splendid bouquets. They are majestic in a large hanging basket, cascading into romantic garlands. Blend 'Arthur Hellyer' with pastel or deeper coloured flowers in shades of blue, pink, or yellow.