Noel Sutton Sweet Pea Plants

• Variety: Noel Sutton
• Type: Spencer
• Colour: Rich violet-blue with a lilac cast
• Scent: 3/5 (Parsons) – pleasant, noticeable from a bunch
• Flowers: Large, gently ruffled Spencer. 3–4 per stem
• Stems: Long and sturdy – excellent for cutting and exhibition
• Height: 1.8m (6ft) with support
• Flowering: June to September with regular picking
• RHS AGM: Yes (2010)
• Show class: Spencer — NSPS Class 9a, Blue (Mid)
• Bred by: Unwins
• Sold as: Jumbo plug plants, hand-sown by us
• Plant outdoors: After last frost
• Delivered: March to May by next-day courier

Noel Sutton – A Show-Bench Blue with Garden Manners

Good blue sweet peas are harder to find than you might think. Most of what passes for blue in the catalogues is really violet, lilac, or lavender, pretty but not blue. Noel Sutton does not pretend to be true blue either, but it sits closer to it than most: a rich violet-blue with a lilac cast that reads as blue in a garden setting, especially when surrounded by greens. The colour is deep without being dark, saturated without being heavy.

The flowers are large, gently ruffled in the Spencer style, and carried on long, sturdy stems, three or four per stem is standard. Unwins bred it, and it was awarded the RHS AGM in 2010. Since then it has become one of the most reliably popular blue-toned Spencers in the UK. The plant grows to about 1.8m (6ft) with good support and flowers generously over a long season provided you keep cutting.

Exhibition and Garden

Noel Sutton is good enough for the show bench: the stem length, flower count, and form all meet exhibition standards. But it is equally good as a garden plant, where what you want is not perfection on a single stem but a mass of rich violet-blue flowers over several months. It does not need exhibition conditions to look its best. Ordinary soil, full sun, and something to climb will produce a display that belies the effort involved.

Scent is pleasant, a 3 on the Parsons scale, which is typical for a Spencer of this colour class. You will notice it from a bunch in a vase, and in the garden it carries on a warm evening. Not a powerhouse, but enough to enjoy alongside more strongly scented varieties. The colour holds well through the life of each bloom, darkening just slightly as the flower ages.

Pairing Ideas

Violet-blue plays beautifully against warm pinks and creams. Jilly (ivory-cream) alongside Noel Sutton is a simple, elegant pairing – the cream calms the violet, and the violet gives the cream depth. Add Anniversary (soft pink with a lavender flush) for a three-variety wigwam that covers the full cool-toned range.

For a bolder contrast, try Restormel (cerise-pink) – the warm pink against deep violet-blue is vivid without being garish. In the wider garden, a border of silver-leaved ornamental grasses at the base of a sweet pea support makes a handsome backdrop – the grey foliage sets off the violet-blue flowers and adds movement on windy days. Full growing advice 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

Does Noel Sutton hold the RHS Award of Garden Merit?

Yes – awarded in 2010 after the RHS trials. That independent endorsement confirms what most growers already knew: it is a reliable, well-performing variety for UK gardens.

What colour is Noel Sutton?

Rich violet-blue with a lilac cast. The exact tone depends on the light; it reads as a strong blue in the garden, especially against green foliage, but close up the violet and lilac notes become clearer. The colour holds well as blooms age, darkening just slightly.

How scented is Noel Sutton?

Pleasant and noticeable, a 3 on the Parsons scale. You will catch it from a bunch on the table and in the garden on a still evening. For a stronger hit of fragrance alongside the colour, mix Noel Sutton with a Grandiflora like Lord Nelson. The two blues together, one scented and deep, the other showy and tall, make a fine combination.

Is Noel Sutton good for cutting?

Excellent. Long, sturdy stems and large well-formed flowers make it one of the most dependable Spencers for the vase. Cut in the morning, strip any leaves below the waterline, and change the water every couple of days for the best vase life.

Do sweet peas come back every year?

No – they are annuals. Noel Sutton flowers for one season, from late spring to early autumn, and then dies back. The perennial sweet pea is a different species with no scent. For this year's scented annual varieties, see our sweet pea collection.