Lathyrus odoratus Pink Pearl

Pink Pearl is an annual sweet pea in the prettiest, softest shade of pink. It opens from white buds with just a touch of pink to a lovely flower with delicately waved petals and a rich perfume, a classic Spencer type, on long, strong stems. If you fancy planting some stronger colours, or some of the old heritage varieties, there are plenty of options in our range of sweet pea seedlings. Like all sweet peas, Pink Pearl needs a good support network to clamber up. Provide this in the form of a wigwam of canes or hazel, a tall obelisk or a even a pergola. Do tie or wind in the shoots to begin with to help plants get a good hold, then they'll romp away. Pink Pearl will flower from June to September, or even later if you make sure it doesn't set seed. Pick the flowers to bring indoors – its long, strong stems mean it works well in vases. As the flowers on the plant fade, deadhead them and you'll be rewarded with an even longer display.

Strings of pearls

So what plants combine well with Sweet Pea Pink Pearl? Firstly, other sweet peas. A border full of colourful sweet peas is a sight to see, and the scent will knock your socks off, too. Pastel colours like Pink Pearl look great with other cool pinks, purples and blues, such as lavender blue Our Harry. Or try growing it with pale pink and lilac Turquoise Lagooon: it's a match made in paradise. Always find them a sunny spot, and keep them really well watered (this is the trick to avoiding mildew). In dry weather, a good soaking in the evening is the best way to do this. Of course sweet peas combine wonderfully with any of the classic English garden favourites, such as lady's mantle, roses, lupins, lavender and cosmos, to create a rich tapestry of colour and scent in beds and borders. You can grow annual sweet peas in pots, too. There are a few rules you need to follow, the first being to never let the pots dry out, and the second being to start off with good, rich compost, and feed during the flowering season. Obviously, they'll need supports to climb up. Finally, a wigwam of sweet peas in a vegetable bed is a good idea. It'll attract pollinators, look gorgeous and quite possibly fix nitrogen in the soil (see below).

Features of Lathyrus odoratus Pink Pearl Sweet peas

Colour: pastel pink
Stem: long
Height: 1.8m
Type: Spencer
Scent: strong
Flowering: June to September
Planting Months: March-April

Need a little nitrogen?

We've long believed that the root nodules in pea and bean plants 'fix' nitrogen in the soil. However, in an episode of Gardeners' Question Time a few years back, Chris Beardshaw said that in fact only about 3% of the plant's nitrogen remains once the plant has flowered. Not everyone agrees with this figure, but perhaps it's worth experimenting? Let us know what you discover…

Plant Pink Pearl 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 in to 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.

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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.

Misc	RHS AGM
Area	Coastal Areas, Frost Pockets, Scotland & The North
Colour	Pink (Light)
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£5.04	Available to order from early July - do come back then£4.80
	Prices include VAT

Pink Pearl Sweet Peas

Lathyrus odoratus Pink Pearl

​Lathyrus odoratus Pink Pearl

Strings of pearls

Features of ​Lathyrus odoratus Pink Pearl Sweet peas

Need a little nitrogen?

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

Lathyrus odoratus Pink Pearl

Features of Lathyrus odoratus Pink Pearl Sweet peas

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