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Sweet Peas like their vegetable namesakes are a cool weather plant that likes plenty of room to climb.

Trellises, chain link fences, long stakes or poles are the preferred method by most gardeners. There are also dwarf varieties that require no staking, and can be sown and scattered around the garden in wild abandon.

There are over 1,000 varieties of sweet pea, but don't let the innocent name fool you: these sweet peas are not for eating since all parts of Lathyrus odoratus are decidely poisonous - including seeds, leaves & flowers!

Perennial varieties - in blue, purple, pink or white - are sown directly into the ground in early spring and are very hardy and easy to grow, surviving frosts and even a light spring snow cover.

No need to replant year after year since, like wildflowers, sweet peas reseed themselves and once established may threaten to abudantly overtake the entire garden ...

On the Web - How to plant & grow sweet peas

BBC Gardening - Lathyrus odoratus, Sweet pea - Step-by-step growing guide with related tips & advice, an overview of popular and dwarf varieties along with causes, symptoms and remedies for common pests & diseases, including mosaic virus and bud drop.

Culture of Sweet Peas - Complete how-to over six pages of pictures & instructions on sowing, germination, transplanting, staking, common pests & diseases and sweet pea container gardening.

National Sweet Pea Society - UK association promoting the growth of sweet peas with a complete description, how to grow them, photo gallery, suggested reading, related links & resources.

Sweet Peas - Historical information from Texas Cooperative Extension, along with advice on sowing by U.S. geographic region, general tips on care & feeding, transplanting, and cutting and arranging for indoor bouquets.

Detailed information on Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus) - Fact sheet on height, spacing, sunlight requirements, average water needs, propagation methods and seed collecting, plus member-submitted growing tips.

also see in Flower Gardening -> Asters | Bellflowers

Candytufts | Carnations | Chrysanthemums | Geraniums

Lavender | Violets