January

There’s a Sweet Pea renaissance happening in the cut flower market and among the most sought after by florists and flower farmers alike is the dramatic Nimbus. A spencer type with big, prolific flowers on long stems, Nimbus wears its stormy dark-blue-violet highlights sprayed against a cream background.

A blended mixture of outstanding quality. Composed of over 40 colours and shades of the Spencer Waved sweet peas. Large flowered and fragrant with an excellent colour range - with so many having such a beautiful scent … who could resist?

Dr Keith Hammett has bred many incredible new varieties, now referred to as the 'Modern Grandiflora's', they feature larger petal sizes and longer stem lengths and, importantly, their scent has been retained. 'Moody Blues' combines three of Keith's most popular varieties.

Lathyrus odoratus 'Midnight' is very special variety of sweet pea, seed of which is seldom available.Beautifully formed scented blooms of dark crimson, almost black. An amazing colour. The flowers are almost twice the size of a regular sweet pea and its stems are almost twice the length and so are perfect for cutting.

‘Erewhon’ is a captivating sweet pea, the standards are pinkish lilac, with darker veins, and the wings are an amazing piercing blue. Developed by Dr Keith Hammett, this Modern Grandiflora type provides the best of all worlds for the gardener. They have exceptional scent, combined with larger petal size and longer stem length.

Lovingly nicknamed the 'unicorn sweet pea', 'Enchante' is an amazing tri-colour variety in blush pink, white and soft mauve or lavender. Raised and introduced by Dr Keith Hammett, this fabulously feminine sweet pea will produce fist fulls of demure little blooms for a gorgeous display.

The original ‘Painted Lady’ sweet pea arose as a sport from 'Cupani' in about 1730. It was the very first named sweet pea cultivar. Recently reselected, this modern form produces larger, more numerous flowers and retains the distinctive colour combination of lotus-pink and white petals with a rich, old-time sweet scent.

Originally bred and introduced by a Mr Viner in 1901, Sweet Pea 'Nellie Viner' produces long stemmed blooms that have nicely rounded clear pink flowers. In the vase it is a very useful pink, that blends beautifully with more delicate shades or can be used as a contrast displayed with the darker tones. The long-stemmed sprays produce an irresistible medley of fragrances and make exceptionally fine cut flowers.

Named for the ‘Father of the Sweet Pea’ this stunning heirloom grandiflora type has dramatic orange blooms and is fantastically fragrant. 'Henry Eckford' is one of the original Antique or Heirloom varieties, use for cut flowers or plant where their scent can be appreciated.

Mammoth Sweet Peas belongs to a type of sweet pea called an 'Early Multiflora Gigantea'. Marked by the longest stems, and large fragrant blooms, they are very popular with commercial cut flower growers. 'Mammoth Salmon Cream' produce large flowers that are borne on beautifully long stems.

Extra early, extra large blooms are the feature of this award winning sweet pea, an excellent choice for early spring colour and the best strain for producing early cut flowers. If you have never seen this kind of sweet pea on long stems before, and don’t quite understand what all the fuss is all about…they are marvellous …guaranteed to make you fall completely in love with them.

Mammoth Sweet Peas belongs to a type of sweet pea called an 'Early Multiflora Gigantea'. Marked by the longest stems, and large fragrant blooms, they are very popular with commercial cut flower growers. 'Mammoth Crimson' produce large crimson-red flowers that are borne on beautifully long stems.

'Kermesina' is an attractive and popular cultivar of Iris versicolor. Flowering from May through to July with claret-purple flowers with ruffled petals and bold purple veining. It may be grown in shallow standing water or moist shoreline soils and suitable to be grown in constantly moist humusy soils of a border.

Iris versicolor is one of the few species in garden cultivation. Although happiest at the waterside the plants will also perform well under average to moist border conditions. Flowering from May through to July, each stalk produces up to five violet-blue flowers with ruffled petals and bold purple veining.

Yellow Flag Iris is a common and widespread native plant in Britain. This good-looking plant is a wetland plant that is especially showy in bloom and has been transplanted into well-watered gardens all over the world.

Iris bulleyana is a classic species Iris from western China. It belongs to a small group of oriental species which are entirely hardy and are of great value to the gardener. The plants are successful in any moist garden soil. Flowering from June to July, the blooms with mid purple flowers and dark purple veins.

Ipomoea 'Kniolas Black' is one of the darkest of all Ipomoea varieties available. It blooms with the most stunning dark velvety purple-black flowers, each with cerise throats. Very easy to grow, this extremely carefree and free-blooming climber will bloom early and load itself with masses of attractive dark purple-black flowers all summer long.

Ipomoea pennata is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful of all annual vines. The feathery foliage with thin, thread-like leaves give the plant a light, airy texture. In summer the plants burst into flower and are covered with hundreds of scarlet red, star shaped flowers.