Lathyrus odoratus 'Beaujolais'

spencer sweet pea seed Beaujolais

• Position: full sun
• Soil: fertile, humus-rich, well-drained soil
• Rate of growth: average to fast-growing
• Flowering period: June to September
• Flower colour: darkest burgundy
• Other features: scented flowers
• Hardiness: hardy annual
  
  Flowers, which are so dark they almost look black, appear throughout the summer and gradually become a little paler, but still maintain a deep burgundy hue. The lower lip of the flower is a more distinct shade of purple, and these create a great contrast. Their bold colouring teams up well with lush purples and plums.
  
  In our (not very scientific) sweet pea trial on the nursery, we found that the flowers of this variety had a slight scent and were held on 6" stems. There were not too many left in August though.
  
  All the sweet-peas in our trial produced significantly better plants when the seeds were sown in autumn rather than spring.
  
  
• Garden care:From October to late February, sow seeds into deep pots or root trainers filled with a good-quality seed compost and place them in a cold frame. Pinch out the tips as the plants grow to encourage them to become bushier and produce more flowers, and harden off before planting out in early April. Direct sowings can also be made in October or March. It is important to remove the faded flowers before they set seed, so picking them to fill a vase inside will only encourage more to form.
  
  
• Sow: October-February or April
  
  
• Flowering: June-September
  
  
• Approximate quantity: 20 seeds.