Grandiflora

When my great-grandfather started growing sweet peas before the First World War he probably grew 'grandifloras' like these. They were developed in the late 19th century by Henry Eckford and others and were called 'grandifloras' because they had larger flowers than previous varieties. Now their flower size is comparatively small and they tend to be referred to as 'old fashioned' or (worse still in my view) 'heirloom'. Many of these older varieties are still available. I've grown five types this year and plan to get more next season.