Heaven Scent Sweet Pea Plants

• Variety: Heaven Scent
• Type: Spencer
• Colour: Apricot-pink on a cream ground
• Scent: 3/5 (Parsons) — many growers rate it higher in practice
• Flowers: Large, lightly ruffled Spencer form. 3–4 per stem
• Stems: Long and strong — excellent for cutting
• Height: 200–220cm (7ft+) with support
• Flowering: Late spring well into autumn — noted for a long season
• RHS AGM: No
• Sold as: Jumbo plug plants, hand-sown by us
• Plant outdoors: After last frost
• Delivered: March to May by next-day courier

Heaven Scent – Apricot-Pink and Longer-Flowering Than Most

Apricot-pink is one of the most versatile shades in the sweet pea palette. It bridges the gap between warm and cool: it sits happily beside blue without clashing, complements cream without disappearing, and warms up purple without competing. This makes Heaven Scent a natural connector in a mixed planting — the variety that smooths the transitions between neighbours.

The colour deepens slightly as the flowers age, moving from a paler, more salmon tone towards a richer apricot-pink. A vase that has been standing for two or three days will show a lovely graduated range of tones from fresh to mature, which is one of the quiet pleasures of growing sweet peas for cutting.

The plant is vigorous, reaching about 200–220cm (7ft or more) with support, and flowers generously. Heaven Scent continues to bloom well into the later part of the season when other varieties are winding down. This is partly because it sets seed reluctantly — an unusual quirk that works in the gardener's favour, since fewer developing pods mean less deadheading and a longer display.

Picking for Scent

If you are growing Heaven Scent primarily for its fragrance — and many people are — the best time to cut is early morning, when the essential oils in the petals are at their most concentrated. Cut when the lowest bloom on the stem is freshly open and the upper buds still show colour. Stand the stems in water immediately and bring them indoors within the hour. The scent carries especially well in a small room and is strongest in the first day or two after cutting.

Planting Partners

The apricot-pink warms cooler companions without overwhelming them. Brook Hall (cream-to-white, AGM) is a natural pairing — two warm-toned Spencers that together create a soft, glowing display. For a scent-focused planting, add King's High Scent (intensely fragrant Grandiflora) — the two together will perfume an entire garden corner.

The warm peach tones also work beautifully at the base of a fruit tree — an old apple or pear on a post-and-wire system, with Heaven Scent threading up through the lower branches. The combination of blossom, fruit, and sweet pea is about as kitchen-garden-romantic as it gets.

Full growing instructions are in our sweet pea growing guide.

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

What colour is Heaven Scent?

Apricot-pink on a cream ground. The salmon blushes concentrate at the petal edges, while the recesses remain a warm cream. The overall effect is a soft, glowing peachy-pink that deepens as the flowers age.

How fragrant is Heaven Scent?

The fragrance has a lemony freshness underneath the typical sweet pea sweetness — a distinctive scent that some growers compare to roses. Cut in the morning for the strongest perfume.

Does it flower for a long time?

Yes — Heaven Scent is noted for continuing to produce well into the season when other varieties are winding down. It sets seed reluctantly, which keeps the plant in flower mode longer than most.

Is Heaven Scent good for cutting?

Excellent. Long stems, large lightly ruffled flowers, and good scent. Expect four to five days of vase life with fresh water.

Does it come back each year?

No — annual, one season. Fresh seedlings each spring. Seed from Heaven Scent is notoriously tricky to produce, which is one reason the variety is often in short supply — another good argument for ordering early.