Oh dear - this editing lark isn't as easy as it should be - I put the two Dwarf Explorer pictures on first but looking at the pictures now I see that the Sugar & Spice is actually the first pot shown. However I agree David, that the S&Sp is a much denser collection of plants, the Explorer is living up to it's name & a bit unruly & all over the place - do you think I should nip these Explorer plants a bit more as they do seem to be all over the place, and I would prefer a more compact pot of sweet peas - what do you think?
David, your pictures/garden is stunning - what a lot of lovely prize winning plants you have. What is your secret to success? Did you learn all this from your parent or do you work as a paid gardener. Whatever helps you to grow such gorgeous plants you should be hugely proud of your garden.
Your very kind, GD, but I'm certain there are much better gardeners and gardens on this forum....for me Busy Lizzies's is amazing, especially as she maintains it herself with minimal support.
During my very long gardening life I've specialised (to show standard) in just roses & sweet peas, although my true interest is in growing fruit & vegetables.
Perhaps where I come to be where I am with gardening is for another thread.
As a timely reminder, I would just say that sweet peas are not intended to serve as a showpiece in any garden, their sole purpose is to provide beautiful, scented, cut flowers for the house.....in fact, their straggly growth makes them quite ugly for a flower-bed display (IMHO).
I say this because many people try to use them for display reasons and this results in the flowers producing seed pods and coming to a premature end...so cut frequently and don't allow them to set seed.
I grow mine in the veg patch and am always happy to see the rows devoid of open flowers.
That's a good point you make David. I would agree that they can look a bit of a jumble as a display in the garden. This is why I chose to put mine in my three foot long planter on my terrace this year. I should be able to smell them from the kitchen window! Last year my sweet peas were in my flower bed but I've expanded this year, so that bed is now a perennial boarder, and simply no room for the amount of sweet peas I want to grow!
One question David please, my terrace gets full sun until 2.30 pm, then falls into shade, will this be enough sun for the sweetpeas do you think? I do hope so as I think the planter weighs a ton now! thanks
Yes, I agree with you David - I grew s.p's for the first time last year - climbing up the front of our granite cottage and they did end up looking messy. In fact I could not grow anything else in the narrow bed alongside the s.p's. So this year I am planning to plant Cosmos, Rudbeckia and Hollyhocks - again a bit of a jumble but hopefully it will work out. At least the bees will love them.
Posts
Looking really vigorous, GD......you can see clearly the Sugar & Spice developing their trailing habit.
I did try to assure you that they were slow to get going....hopefully you will soon be unable to see the pots among the flowers.
Oh dear - this editing lark isn't as easy as it should be - I put the two Dwarf Explorer pictures on first but looking at the pictures now I see that the Sugar & Spice is actually the first pot shown. However I agree David, that the S&Sp is a much denser collection of plants, the Explorer is living up to it's name & a bit unruly & all over the place - do you think I should nip these Explorer plants a bit more as they do seem to be all over the place, and I would prefer a more compact pot of sweet peas - what do you think?
http://s27.photobucket.com/user/DavidKnapper/media/DSCN0693.jpg.html
Ignore me, I'm just experimenting with this posting pics business.
Btw, the selected link was of one day's cutting last year when I was running out of vases.
Last edited: 14 May 2016 20:12:14
I've never grown Dwarf Explorer, GD, But I wouldn't do anymore nipping at this stage.
David, your pictures/garden is stunning - what a lot of lovely prize winning plants you have. What is your secret to success? Did you learn all this from your parent or do you work as a paid gardener. Whatever helps you to grow such gorgeous plants you should be hugely proud of your garden.
Your very kind, GD, but I'm certain there are much better gardeners and gardens on this forum....for me Busy Lizzies's is amazing, especially as she maintains it herself with minimal support.
During my very long gardening life I've specialised (to show standard) in just roses & sweet peas, although my true interest is in growing fruit & vegetables.
Perhaps where I come to be where I am with gardening is for another thread.
As a timely reminder, I would just say that sweet peas are not intended to serve as a showpiece in any garden, their sole purpose is to provide beautiful, scented, cut flowers for the house.....in fact, their straggly growth makes them quite ugly for a flower-bed display (IMHO).
I say this because many people try to use them for display reasons and this results in the flowers producing seed pods and coming to a premature end...so cut frequently and don't allow them to set seed.
I grow mine in the veg patch and am always happy to see the rows devoid of open flowers.
That's a good point you make David. I would agree that they can look a bit of a jumble as a display in the garden. This is why I chose to put mine in my three foot long planter on my terrace this year. I should be able to smell them from the kitchen window! Last year my sweet peas were in my flower bed but I've expanded this year, so that bed is now a perennial boarder, and simply no room for the amount of sweet peas I want to grow!
One question David please, my terrace gets full sun until 2.30 pm, then falls into shade, will this be enough sun for the sweetpeas do you think? I do hope so as I think the planter weighs a ton now!
thanks 
Last edited: 15 May 2016 10:49:35
Sounds ideal, Wonky.....full sun but will tolerate partial shade is the ideal.
Yes, I agree with you David - I grew s.p's for the first time last year - climbing up the front of our granite cottage and they did end up looking messy. In fact I could not grow anything else in the narrow bed alongside the s.p's. So this year I am planning to plant Cosmos, Rudbeckia and Hollyhocks - again a bit of a jumble but hopefully it will work out. At least the bees will love them.