The lavender they grow around here for the farmer's markets is almost exclusively Lady. I grew it for years. I started it from seed. The seed came from Burpee's because at that point they were the only source. Germination was quite good, as was winter hardiness. I lost it during the open winter a couple of years ago which killed all the lavender and achillea locally. It survived the brutal winter of -30, though. I have slightly alkaline clay soil, and find it a very easy plant to grow.

Sweetpeas don't like hot, humid weather. Like edible peas, they are mostly a cool weather crop. During a summer like last summer (2004), they did well almost the whole time. This summer, they dropped out in June. I start them under lights in the basement, because the direct sown ones don't have time to do much in the brief space that it is warm enough for them to grow, and not too warm so they are unhappy. There are dwarf varieties that might do better. I've never tried those since I specifically want climbing plants.

I'm near Rochester, but we probably have similar conditions. I'm growing sweet peas in my unheated greenhouse this winter. The vines are about 2 feet tall at this point. They're planted in rich compost and I've used Mammoth, which is recommended for greenhouses, prpbably because it can tolerate some heat for those sunny days when the greenhouse temps soar. Can't tell you how it will turn out, as this is the first winter we've had a greenhouse.

I've grown them outdoors, too. I start the seeds indoors, then move them outside early in the spring. I've also direct seeded them outdoors. I have a 6" deep trench with lots of compost in the bottom ready in the fall. I have a 2x8 board supported horizontally on edge along each side of the trellis which makes sort of a long planting box, and keeps the critters from nibbling on the seedlings. Then as the plants grow, I fill in with more rich soil. Sweet peas like to have cool feet. You can keep them going into warm weather pretty well this way, although they peter out when the temps get up into the high 80's. They need daily watering and daily picking to keep seeds from forming.

I don't like to mix sweet peas with other flowers in a bouquet because their amazing frangrance gets lost with other flowers. Their delicate texture can be overpowered by sturdier flowers, too. There's nothing like a vase full of sweet peas. Good luck with them.

MJ

Sweet Peas and LavenderÂthere's a song there somewhere (or could be).

I can't give you much advice on the charming Sweet Pea, but maybe I can on Lavender. I garden, too, in zone 5a (low last winter of -18°) and have never lost a Lavender plant. But I have had some that have not weathered our Catskill winters well. Those that come through best are cultivars of L. angustifolia: 'Munstead,' 'Hidcote' and 'Hidcote Pink.' ('Lady' is of that species, too.) These have shown themselves to be rugged plants. Those that have not fared as well are L. x intermedia; they don't die, but they sure are scraggly looking by Spring, with many of their branches killed over winter. Although they recovered, I finally dug up my L. x i. 'Provence' plants and gave them to a zone 6 gardener. (Yet I might try L. x i. 'Grosso' at some point.)

The L. angustifolia plants are heavy bloomers with blooms lasting 4Â6 weeks. The 'Munstead' is particularly fragrant (as was, alas, the lighter blue 'Provence'); the 'Hidcote Pink' is not as attractive a bloomer, though, as the blue ones. All require poor to average soil (fertility) and a fast draining site. Mine grow in terraced beds in a mix of soil, sand and pebbles. No organic mulch, but pebbles or gravel work great. Full sun is best, but 'Munstead will take a bit of light shade (with a slight but noticeable diminution of bloom and growth) and will even self seed (a bonus).

I cover my Lavenders with evergreen boughs once the ground freezes. In late March or early April, I cut them back hard, to below the point of previous year's flowering. And then, in late May, I sometimes see that I have to cut them back again (to live wood), but this can happen even in zone 6. The plants recover quickly and bloom well.

None of my Lavenders have grown beyong 2' tall, but their spread is greater. Even at their diminutive sizes, they make good hedges, groupings or specimens and are good companions for heathers or low-growing grasses that require same soil/site conditions.

Good luck. The combination of Sweet Peas and Lavender intrigues me.

MadGallica, MJ and BruMeta,
I printed off all the info you gave me...boy, sounds like sweet peas take a lot of patience, and maybe a greenhouse of some kind (which I don't have). Maybe I could winter-sow if I'm ambitious enough. I will have to rethink this. I am definitely going to try lavenders again...Hidcote and Munstead and Lady (someone else mentioned this). This time I'll do raised beds with some gravel or pebbles. All I have is full sun really. Thanks again! I love these forums! Phyl

I direct sowed and Wsed some sweet peas this past growing season. I never saw them in person before, so I should have sown more seed than I did, but they did bloom (and boy, their scent is fantastic...the blooms are deceptively small for the scent they give off!)
I had them in a bed that got direct sun, but they were also shielded by other things in the bed.
The ones I wintersowed did okay. I think the best method for WSing them would be to use a container that you can sink right into the ground so you don't have to disturb the roots (ie, styrofoam cups).

I do have lavender plants. One is called "Twinkle Purple" and the other is a regular English Lavendar. The first ones are a year old, and up the their height and width (about 12-15 inches tall and almost a foot wide each). The English lavender (with silver leaves)is about three years old and not as big. It doesn't seem to grow as quickly. They are all in an area that gets sun all day and are in pretty dry, poor soil that I haven't amended much at all.
I did WS some lavender this past winter(I have to dig out the packets to see which type it was). It sprouted, but I neglected it and it was a dry spring, so it all fried before I transplanted it.

I live north of Syracuse, so, it's colder, and really open. But the Lavender might get some protection from being against the house and in a southern exposure.
This is only my third year gardening, so I say, both Lavender and Sweet Peas are worth a try...but sow WAY more sweet peas than you think in order to get enough. They really are small (but powerfully and pleasantly scented).
(Hope this helps :-)