Large deeply waved flowers like crushed silk in a clear rich lavender-lilac, four to a stem, on stems long and straight enough for the show bench. It holds an RHS Award of Garden Merit and has been a competition staple for decades.
Colour stability is why. Lavender is one of the shades that most often goes bleached and washy in strong sun by July, and this one holds, which matters as much in a garden as on a bench. It is also one of the exhibition-quality Spencers that kept its scent, and that is not something you can assume; a good many varieties bred for size and form gave the fragrance away.
It is vigorous, to about 2.4m, so give it a proper support rather than a few canes. Sweet peas are hungry and thirsty, so dig plenty of well-rotted manure or compost in before planting. This is the one place in a cottage garden where lean soil is the wrong answer.
Keep picking. A single pod allowed to set stops the plant.
