I began spring planting today, and the first thing to go in was my beloved sweet peas - 10 varieties all told. I must have sweet peas, the more the better. On offer this season: 'Streamer Chocolate', 'King Size Navy Blue', 'Rhapsody in Blue', 'Horizon Mixed', 'Tall Mixed', 'Mollie Rilestone', 'Nellie Viner', 'Zinfandel', 'Blue Ripple' and my all-time favorite, 'April in Paris'. 'April' is without a doubt the most fragrant sweet pea I've ever known, and it's lovely to look at, too. A bicolor, it's vanilla cream with a lilac-colored edge. I won a blue ribbon in horticulture at a flower show a few years ago for this sweet pea. In fact, some of my garden club were so infatuated with it that we grew it for our club hort project last year.
My love of sweet peas led indirectly to an opportunity to have a brief conversation with the late illustrator Tasha Tudor. In the summer of 2002, I attended a "Day With Tasha Tudor" (or something like that) in Vermont, at the Adams Family Farm. The big event of the day was afternoon tea with Tasha herself. There was a reception line, and there she sat (she was beginning to be frail by then) with a huge bouquet of flawless white sweet peas. When my turn came, I admired her sweet peas and said that mine were just beginning to bloom at home. She smiled and said how much she loved the flower, and asked me how many varieties I planted. I don't often get worked up over the great and famous (unless they do something asinine, of course), but I have to say, that was a thrill for me. And all because of a love of sweet peas.......
No comments:
Post a Comment