Peter Dowdall: Why I grow sweet pea in my garden every year

Lathyrus odoratus, or sweet pea, is native to the Mediterranean region, and is often given as a token of appreciation or farewell

Peter Dowdall grows the sweet pea in his garden every year from seed. File picture

I was  asked in an interview recently if gardens and plants go through fads, trends and changes in fashion — that is, would something be “in” this year and gone the next. I answered, yes, that plants do come in and out of fashion but those trends don’t change as quickly as described, plants may come and go but over several years, not weeks, that’s how trends work in our world!

All that being said, there is one plant that I grow every year in my garden and have grown it from seed ever since I was a small child and that’s sweet pea.