Bristol Sweet Pea Plants

Bristol . A Somerset-Bred Show Winner

Bristol is a pale blue Spencer sweet pea bred in Somerset - practically a local for us at Ashridge, which is just down the road. Phil Kerton raised it in the early 1990s, and it has been collecting awards ever since: the RHS Award of Garden Merit, the Award of Merit of Exhibition, the FC Harris Memorial Award for Best Seedling at Wisley and Harlow Carr, and the Clay Cup for the best vase at the National Sweet Pea Society National Show. That last one tells you everything about its quality as a cut flower.

The colour is a soft, uniform blue - the standards open with a cream rim and become gently waved, while the wings are a slightly paler shade that gives the whole flower a watercolour quality. The National Sweet Pea Society classifies it as Pale Blue, which is accurate but does not quite capture how pretty it is in practice.

Scent and Cutting

Bristol's fragrance is strong, rated 3-4 by Somerset Sweet Peas. This is a variety where the scent greets you before you reach the plant. Combined with long, strong stems and well-spaced florets, it is one of the finest cutting sweet peas in our range. If you grow sweet peas primarily for the house rather than the garden, Bristol should be on your list.

Cut in the morning when the lowest bloom on the stalk is just about open. The soft blue shows beautifully in simple glass - a clear jam jar or a plain tumbler lets the colour speak for itself. Avoid mixing Bristol with too many strong colours; it is at its best with whites, creams, or other pale blues. A single variety bunch of Bristol in a clear glass vase, set on a white tablecloth, is one of those arrangements that looks effortless and costs nothing but a walk to the garden.

Growing Bristol

Full sun. Rich soil. Consistent moisture. Bristol is not a demanding plant. Its Somerset breeding means it is well adapted to UK conditions, and the thick-petalled, strongly waved flowers stand up reasonably well to rain - better than some pale varieties, though not as tough as Just Julia in truly foul weather.

Grow it over a pergola near a seating area. The combination of overhead colour, scent drifting down, and the gentle shading of the pale blue flowers through sunlight is the kind of thing that makes you wonder why anyone grows anything else in June.

Full growing instructions are in our sweet pea growing guide.

Companions for Bristol

Bristol's pale blue lends itself to several approaches. For a tonal blue scheme, grow it with Ballerina Blue (mid blue Spencer, AGM) and Noel Sutton (violet-blue Spencer, AGM) - three blues at different intensities, all strongly scented.

For a classic blue-and-white cottage garden display, pair with White Frills. For heritage contrast, try Bristol alongside Flora Norton (sky blue Grandiflora) - one old, one modern, both blue, and the difference in flower form is itself part of the interest.

Why Buy Your Sweet Peas from Ashridge?

All our sweet peas are grown from seed on our nursery in Castle Cary, Somerset, and we increasingly use our own saved seed to ensure named varieties come true to type. We use only jumbo plugs, which are deeper and better suited to root development than standard plugs. Every seed is hand-sown at a rate of two per plug, and these are grown on in our polytunnels until the seedlings have fully rooted through. Each one is then pinched out at least once to produce a bushier, multi-stemmed plant that will carry more flowers.

On the day of dispatch, your plants are hand-selected in our polytunnel, packed into purpose-designed recycled cardboard packaging, and sent out the same day by next-day courier. They arrive hardened off and ready to be planted directly into the ground. No greenhouse acclimatisation is needed.

We've been growing and selling plants since 1949, and by mail order since 2003. We hold the Feefo Platinum Service Award and were named a Which? Gardening Best Plant Supplier; both are independent recognitions of the quality and service our customers receive. So, if anything at all is wrong with your seedlings when they arrive, contact us within five working days, and we'll put it right.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who bred Bristol?

Phil Kerton, from Somerset. He raised it in the early 1990s (some sources say 1993, others 1994). It quickly became one of the most awarded sweet peas in the UK, collecting the AGM, the Award of Merit of Exhibition, the Harris Memorial Award, and the Clay Cup.

Does Bristol hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit?

Yes. It also holds the Award of Merit of Exhibition and won the Clay Cup at the NSPS National Show — a triple endorsement that very few sweet peas can claim.

How does Bristol compare to Ballerina Blue and Just Julia?

All three are blue Spencers with the AGM, but each has a different character. Bristol is the palest and softest, with a watercolour quality and cream-edged standards. Ballerina Blue is a clearer mid-blue with a lavender tone. Just Julia is the darkest of the three, leaning more towards violet. Growing all three gives you three distinctly different blues.

Is Bristol good for exhibition?

Outstanding. Its well-placed florets, long stems, and consistent colour make it a perennial favourite on the show bench. The Clay Cup win at the NSPS National Show confirms its exhibition credentials.

Can I grow Bristol in a pot?

Yes. Give it at least 4 litres per plant and a sturdy support. Bristol in a large pot on a sunny patio, where the scent accumulates in the warm air, is a simple pleasure. Water daily in summer and feed regularly.

Will Bristol come back the following year?

No - hardy annual. One glorious season, then you start again in spring with fresh seed or our jumbo plug seedlings. The roots left behind add nitrogen to the soil for whatever comes next.