Light and delicate, sweet pea flowers (Lathyrus odoratus) were discovered in the 17th century by Italian monk Father Francis Cupani who was traveling through the Sicilian countryside. Sweet pea flowers’ pronounced yet delicate fragrance means that they are excellent for perfuming a room, and are often prettiest when placed in a simple mason jar. If you had any wonder of their scent, just think of honey sometimes with a dash of freesia, hyacinth or orange blossom.
Sweet Pea Gardens You Can Visit in California
Because the flowers prefer cool climates, any sweet pea garden or farm is best visited in early spring. Photographed here is the sweet pea maze at the Carlsbad Flower Fields where bold colors are intermingled with pastels and the fragrance is remarkable from ten feet away. This particular sweet pea maze is quite old fashioned, being comprised of the twenty-three original sweet pea varieties still available today called the “Old Spice Mix”. You can also find a sweet pea garden at Summers Past Farms near San Diego, or at the Enchanting Sweet Pea Farm in Santa Rosa. The latter opens their doors to the public for one day a year and they’d love to see you.
How sweet they are… so I thought you would enjoy some sweet peas in your day!
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I thought it impressive that seeds of the very first sweet pea variety named ‘Cupani’ can still be found today, colored with deep shades of maroon and violet purple. I think my garden is going to get a sweet pea make-over next year. Thank you for reading!
