Sweet Peas - do they trail well

celcius_kkw

Hi everyone 

I’ve got four window boxes that I intend to grow something that trails/cascades down the sides, and I would like them to be fragrant. 

So far I’ve come across certain fragrant begonias and also sweet peas. I know that there are some varieties which are supposedly bred to cascade but the choices are limited. I wonder if anyone here has had much experience in growing cascading sweet peas in window boxes? (Be it a specially bred cascading species or a normal variety that is ‘trained’ to cascade)

Fairygirl

I know they're are dwarf ones which are meant to be for baskets etc, but I have no experience of them @celcius_kkw.
I've grown ordinary ones in large pots in the past - and I mean huge pots about 3 feet + tall, and about 2 feet wide at the top, and I put no supports in them. They went up and then trailed down, but I doubt you'd get that fountain effect in a window box, mainly because they need a lot of food and water. 
I have what I call 'a window box' along my back fence, and I did some in there a couple of years ago, but that's the main problem - sufficient food and water for them. If you can do that, you could get the look you're after 

Fairygirl

I found a pic which might give you an idea

newbie77

Some petunias are also fragrant. I like cascading fragrant geraniums too

celcius_kkw

@Fairygirl Thanks, that gives me an ideal of what they’re like, I’m a bit of an obsessive gardener so if food and water are what they need I should have no problem providing them with just that. I tend to worry about OVER watering and fertilising my plants.

@newbie77 Great suggestions, I’ll also have a look at those options. One of the things I like about sweet peas is that they make great cut flowers and repeat flower. 

fizzwhizz

I grew dwarf sweetpeas last year to trail and they were a bit .... lame! Only a few flowers and they tangled up amongst themselves. However I had so much on the go that maybe did not give enough attention although my regular sweetpeas were triffid like an equal level of care! I think always worth a shot if it’s what you really want ... maybe be prepared to mother them a lot 😊 I have scented leaves pelargoniums on this years wish list as the smell is just fantastic but not sure if a trailing variety exists 

Fairygirl

I would just add that whatever else you put in the window box will have to like the same conditions, so things like pelargoniums may not appreciate the amount of water that sweet peas do.
Petunias would be fine.

BenCotto

While acknowledging Fairygirl’s contribution, if you do a Google image search for trailing sweet peas, the results show precious few that would encourage you to try this experiment. I’d give it the swerve.

celcius_kkw

@BenCotto Noted, I will tread very carefully indeed. I emailed one of the sellers called Sarah Haven and was told they do grow them in hanging baskets fairly well but one bears in mind that it could be biased given business is on the line. I shall post an update in summer  

Fire

Trailing scented-leaf pellies might be the compromise.

EmmieD

Hi Celcius, can I ask what the outcome was for your trailing sweet peas please? We have a low picket type fence across our little garden wall and I've sown some sweet peas with the idea that they will ramble along the fence and droop down with beautiful fragrant flowers. That's the plan at least! They're just emerging now so if yours failed then I might be tempted to add some supports as well. Mine are down directly into the ground though which might have different results to window box peas. 
Would love to see a photo if you have one? 😊