Sweet pea Henry Thomas

A relatively new variety, sweet pea Henry Thomas has rewritten the book when it comes to dark and vividly coloured blooms. Too red for you? Then why not look at our range of root-trained sweet pea seedlings?

Unfortunately, lots of deep-hued sweet pea varieties don't stand up well to bad weather, marking in rain especially. Luckily, this rich, luscious, sultry deep crimson-red sweet pea will cope with whatever the British weather has to throw at it and still keeps looking good - no more rain spots!

The large, velvety blooms have beautifully frilled petals, typical of the Spencer varieties, held on strong stems. They look beautiful as a posy in a simple glass vase against a dark background so you can appreciate the intensity of the flowers.

Great in your garden...

Henry Thomas's rain-resistant properties means that people living in areas of heavy rainfall can now grow a sweet pea that won't be ruined by the weather. Its beautiful, glowing crimson colour will marry well with other paler sweet peas with a hint of pink, such as Pink Pearl.

It will also sit well within a hot-coloured exotic border or arrangement, alongside purple-leaved and orange-flowered cannas, daylilies (Hemerocallis) and large-leaved tender perennials, such as bananas and gingers.

On a more traditional note, let sweet pea Henry Thomas clamber up a trellis alongside repeat-flowering climbing roses, or combine it with tropical climbers, such as Spanish flag (Ipomoea lobata), the cup and saucer vine (Cobaea scandens), passion flower (Passiflora) or morning glory (Ipomoea purpurea).

Features of Sweet pea Henry Thomas

Colour: Bright crimson-red
Stem: Long and sturdy
Height: Up to 1.8m
Scent: Medium perfume
Flowering: June to September
Type: Spencer variety

Did you know...

Henry Thomas was bred in the UK by Derek Heathcote of Eagle Sweet Peas in 2012 and is named after his grandson.

Plant Henry Thomas Sweet Peas in well prepared, moist soil that ideally was enriched with organic matter the previous autumn (if you did not do it then, do it now!). Erect supports for the peas to climb up before planting. They can also be planted in pots of sufficient size - allow 6 litres per plant - and with an ideal planting medium of 50% compost, 40 %top soil and 10% well-rotted manure. General-purpose compost will do however but produces fewer flowers.

The principal requirement is enough water - Sweet Peas are thirsty and hungry plants. They can cope with a little shade but flower better in full sun.

Space each plant about 30 cm apart and about 5 cm from its support. The hole should be deep enough to accommodate the longest root and the soil should come up to the level of the first side shoot. Use wire/netting/twine between the supports so that the Sweet Pea can climb naturally. You will still need to tie them into the frame. They grow fast, so check every ten days or so.

Water well; the soil around sweet peas should never dry out. As the flowers develop pick them and then pick again, otherwise they start to form seedpods and will stop flowering altogether. Keep tying in and picking for as long as you can. Perfectionists will remove the curling tendrils which grip other stems and can result in flowers with wiggly stems and also will remove side shoots. see the website for more advice on training sweetpeas.

, By all means, apply a high potash and phosphate fertiliser during the growing season. (Sweet Peas actually fix nitrogen from the air into the soil so you don't need more of that.) Home-made comfrey liquid is perfect or Tomorite will do especially if you are on a sandy soil.

Read our full terms and conditions here.

Delivery: Our standard delivery charges are:

Small box (Orders containing only seedlings or rooted cuttings) £7.20 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £60 inc VAT)
Standard box (Bareroots up to 1.2m) £11.40 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £60 inc VAT)
Large box (Pots up to and incl. 7.5L) £15.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £100 inc VAT)
Trees & Hedging (Bareroots & trees 1.2m+) £18.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £120 inc VAT)
Pallets (Root balls, large pots, trees etc) £60.00 including VAT per order (FREE For ORDERS Over £240 inc VAT)

Because couriers sometimes experience delays, we schedule delivery by week, not by day. Therefore, please plan your planting day for the weekend at the end of the delivery week or for the week following delivery, at the earliest.
We will email you the day before your plants are due to arrive.

*Surcharges to the Highlands and Islands still apply.

Payment: We do not charge your card until we begin to prepare your order for packing.

Guarantee: If any plants die within a year, we will replace them. We only ask that you follow our planting & growing instructions and sent us clear photographs of the dead plants in situ, so we can help to make sure that the replacement plants succeed. You only pay for the delivery of the replacements.

Please note that our guarantee is void if there is a hosepipe ban in your area: your newly planted hedging must be watered in dry weather while it is establishing. The best way to water is very thoroughly every few days: at least once a week if there is no heavy rain.

Our nursery has been supplying container grown and bareroot hedging plants to gardeners, farmers and town planners since 1949. Our website started in 2003, so we do understand the concerns that you may have about buying hedging plants online. If any of your plants are damaged when they arrive or if you are otherwise not satisfied with your order after you inspect it, please repackage it and contact us. We will give you a refund or send replacements and send a courier to come and collect the unwanted plants.

Shade	Full Sun
Area	Coastal Areas, Frost Pockets, Scotland & The North
Soil	Good, Well Drained
Colour	Red/Crimson
Type	Rootrained, Seedling
Also Good	Fragrant, Repeat Flowering
Flowering	May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

	Buy 2 or more seedling packs and save

SIZES	1	2-5	6+
Pack of 4	Available to order from early July - do come back then £6.48	Available to order from early July - do come back then£5.28	Available to order from early July - do come back then£4.80
	Prices include VAT

Henry Thomas Sweet Peas

Lathyrus odoratus Henry Thomas

Sweet pea Henry Thomas

Great in your garden...

Features of Sweet pea Henry Thomas

Did you know...

Bareroot planting is best done between October and April
Bareroot and potted - what's the difference?

Henry Thomas Sweet Peas

Lathyrus odoratus Henry Thomas

Sweet pea Henry Thomas

Great in your garden...

Features of Sweet pea Henry Thomas

Did you know...

Bareroot planting is best done between October and April Bareroot and potted - what's the difference?

Bareroot planting is best done between October and April
Bareroot and potted - what's the difference?