Mr Fothergill’s newly published list of its top ten best-selling sweet pea varieties in 2016 reveals the top three varieties are all rated 5/5 for scent, while two of them are more than 275 years old.
We round up the top 10 best-selling sweet pea varieties and highlight what makes each stand out from the rest.
1st The modern and well-named Hi Scent, a white with mauve edge ‘New Zealander’
2nd The pink and white bicolor Painted Lady, which dates from 1731
3rd Cupani, a maroon and violet bicolor and generally regarded as the ‘original’ sweet pea, having been first grown in Britain in 1699
4th Spanish Dancer, a veined picotee in cream and pink – rated 3/5 for scent
5th Arthur Hellyer, lavender 4/5
6th Blue Velvet, dark blue 3/5
7th Emilia Fox, a larger flowered Cupani-type 3/5
8th Percy Thrower, lavender 5/5
9th Mumsie, crimson 3/5
10th Pandemonium, red flake 4/5
The company’s technical manager and sweet pea expert Alison Mulvaney commented “We often hear that modern sweet peas have lost their scent, which is simply untrue. For example, Hi Scent is a relative newcomer, while we introduced Spanish Dancer, Emilia Fox and Pandemonium all in this decade”.
Mr Fothergill’s wide range of sweet pea seeds is available from many garden centres and other retailers throughout the UK, and from its 2017 seed catalogue. To request a copy, please go online at www.mr-fothergills.co.uk, telephone 0845 371 0518 or write to Mr Fothergill’s, Gazeley Road, Kentford, Suffolk CB8 7QB.
Find out how to sow sweet peas with our informative video guide.
