Two years ago, I planted sweet peas in the large pot next to our front door. It gets lots of morning sunshine so it's good for sweet peas and morning glories. When the blossoms were spent, I let the sweet peas go to seed and then collected the seeds into an envelope.This year, I found the seed envelope in the bottom of my seed tote. It had fallen down into the deep recesses of the bag, and I had promptly forgotten about them. Upon discovering them back in January or February, I decided to poke them in the soil and let them sprout.
I discovered the first blossoms from those sweet pea vines late yesterday afternoon. When I went to photograph them today, I realized that I don't remember the previous sweet peas (from which these seeds came) being a deep blue-purple. I remember them being in light pastel shades of white and pink.
Okay... I know the genetics and breeding of certain flowers often result in the seeds from a flower not producing the same color blossoms as the parent plant. Could this be what has happened with this batch?
Then I noticed another blossom on the vines that was even more puzzling. I know I didn't have any two-colored sweet peas in previous years--especially deep purple ones with delicate pale yellow edges!I don't know how it has happened. I'm certain that some horticultural expert out there could probably give me a more educated answer as to how.
But sometimes the "how" isn't as important as "it happened".
And for a lover of all blue and purple flower, this serendipitous delight is a real treat. So let the sweet peas have their secrets.
How great is that. They are so pretty. I love the way mine smell.
ReplyDeleteOh they are beautiful...very resourceful of you to save the seed and replant them!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
robin
They are special aren't they ?
ReplyDeleteI'm doing a red and white version for Canada Day .. I wonder if they will truly all be red and white ? LOL
Very pretty pictures !
Joy
Gorgeous, I love sweet peas but they don't like the garden we have at the moment. The smell is heavenly.
ReplyDeleteNot a plant expert but have a vague memory that if the original seeds were a certain type, eg, bred to be that colour, and then the seed from them is used, and then on to the next generation, it is likely the colours will change, or revert to the types previously bred to get the original species. This may be completely pie-in-the-sky, and irrelevent as the results are lovely anyhow!
My memory is that hybrid seeds will 'revert' back to the orginal type seeds that the hybrids came from.
ReplyDeleteI planted cosmos this spring, but the seeds evidently weren't good. No flowers. I think I'll look for sweet peas! You can't kill them!
However it happened,those blossoms are beautful! Save those seeds ;)
ReplyDeleteI love your Sweet Peas, so simple yet elegant. It has been a long time since I grew any, maybe I'll pick a pack up today. Could your rose be a Purple Passion, It does look a lot like Angel Face to me. Rosehaven is a beautiful place, thank you for allowing me to visit.
ReplyDeleteHugs, RoseMarie
Hi Cindy! Just trying to get caught up reading some of my favorite blogs!
ReplyDeleteI planted sweet peas for the first time this spring. They're coming up, but I guess it will be a little while until I see blooms. I can't wait!
I don't know the answer to your question about yours, though. Sorry!
This is lovely. My humans don't know the first thing about gardening. BTW, I’d like to tell you that my hilariously funny book, The World Is Your Litter Box, is in bookstores now and is also available on Amazon. The book is cleverly disguised as a cute cat book so humans will buy it, but is, in fact, a how-to manual FOR cats. Check it out on my website, www.theworldisyourlitterbox.com.
ReplyDeleteThey are my favorite color. Love the yellow edging.
ReplyDelete