Black Knight Sweet Pea Plants

• Variety: Black Knight
• Type: Heritage Grandiflora (Lathyrus odoratus)
• Colour: Deep maroon, almost black in shade
• Scent: 4/5 (Parsons) — powerful old-fashioned sweet pea perfume
• Flowers: Small Grandiflora form, 3–4 per stem
• Stems: Shorter than Spencers but good for cutting — 15–20cm
• Height: 150–180cm (5–6ft)
• Flowering: Late spring to early autumn with regular picking
• RHS AGM: No
• Bred: Henry Eckford, 1898
• Sold as: Jumbo plug plants, hand-sown by us
• Plant outdoors: After last frost
• Delivered: March to May by next-day courier

Black Knight — Eckford's Victorian Masterpiece

Black Knight is one of the oldest sweet peas still in cultivation and one of the most heavily scented. Bred in 1898 by Henry Eckford at his nursery in Wem, Shropshire, its flowers are so deeply pigmented the Victorians classified them as black. Hold a stem against the light and the petals glow with an inner warmth of plum and crimson; in shade they appear almost solid. A single stem will perfume a small room.

The flowers are smaller than modern Spencers — that's the Grandiflora trade-off. What you lose in size you gain in abundance, scent, and sheer character. This is a sweet pea that looks as though it was picked a century ago, because it could have been. Position it against a light background — pale stone, silver foliage, whitewashed timber — or the dark blooms will vanish.

Full planting and care instructions are in our sweet pea growing guide.

Goes Well With

Flora Norton (sky-blue Grandiflora) is the classic pairing — two Edwardian-era varieties with tremendous combined scent. Mrs Collier (primrose-cream Grandiflora) in a narrow-necked vase with Black Knight gives you the full heritage sweet pea experience. For something more contemporary, try it alongside Turquoise Lagoon — the blue-green sits against maroon like nothing else in the garden.

Beyond sweet peas, the dark flowers look striking at the base of a silver-leaved ornamental tree — a weeping pear or silver birch — where the contrast between dark blooms and pale bark is exceptional.

Why Buy Your Sweet Pea Seedlings from Ashridge?

We have been growing sweet peas in Somerset since the early 2000s. The seed - which we collect - is hand-sown at two seeds per plug and the weaker seedling is removed. Every plant is then pinched out to encourage bushy growth and hardened off before dispatch. What you are buying are sturdy, garden-ready jumbo plug plants that have had the best possible start.

We send your sweet peas out by next-day courier between March and May, packed in purpose-designed recycled cardboard packaging. The moment they arrive, they are ready to go into the ground or a container. If anything is not right, we have real people on the phone in Somerset who will sort it out. We hold a Feefo Platinum Service Award and have been named a Which? Best Buy plant supplier — endorsements that came from our customers, not our marketing team.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Black Knight actually black?

No sweet pea produces a true black flower. Black Knight is a very deep maroon that appears almost opaque in shade. In direct sunlight you can see plum and crimson tones through the petals.

How strong is the scent?

Among the most powerfully fragrant sweet peas we sell. This is old-fashioned Grandiflora scent — rich, honeyed, and heavy enough to fill a room from a single stem on the windowsill.

What's the difference between a Grandiflora and a Spencer?

Grandifloras are the older type: smaller flowers, shorter stems, stronger scent, and a more informal character. Spencers are the modern exhibition type with large, ruffled petals. Black Knight is a Grandiflora.

Can I grow it in a pot?

Yes — a half-barrel or large terracotta pot works well. Grandifloras are slightly less demanding than Spencers in containers because they're naturally smaller plants. Set up the support before planting and keep on top of watering once they're growing. Our growing guide covers containers in detail.

Does it come back each year?

No — sweet peas are annuals. Plant fresh each spring, from seed or from our jumbo plug seedlings.