The Everlasting Sweetpea  is a herbaceaous perennials unlike it’s annual cousins. Lathyrus latifolia is the latin name of everlasting sweet peas and there are several varieties including this ‘Pink Pearl’,  ‘Red Pearl’ and I also have an unnamed  variety that is a blueish white. I have grown mine from seed but you can also take cuttings in early summer.

If you can forget comparisons with annual sweet peas you will find these rapidly growing climbers a great asset in your garden. They will scramble over an untidy compost heap, grow up a tall shrub or twine over a specific frame. Ever popular, this plant is smothered in showy sprays of legume like flowers from June to September among grey-green leaves. A vigorous, perennial climber, it looks lovely scrambling over a sunny wall or through a hedge or evergreen shrub, although initially it needs to be tied into supports.

Growing Healthy Everlasting Sweetpeas

• Unlike the annual sweet pea, it has no fragrance.
• The flower stems are long and graceful and are good for cutting.
• Pinching out growing tips would encourage bushy growth but I find they get on fine if left alone.
• They like organic matter in the soil and will grow in light shade.
• In one season they will grow to 7 or 8 feet and then I cut them down to ground level in winter.
• They seem to be very accommodating plants with a good show of blossom in late summer until the first frosts

Seeds from Thompson & Morgan