My Five Favorite Sweet Pea Books

I've put together a selection of my very favorite books about sweet peas. Chosen for their informative content and pretty pictures, I think that any sweet pea grower and gardener will love to take a look through this selection of sweet pea book reviews.

"The Sweet Pea Book" by Graham Rice

An inspiring and comprehensive guide for anyone interested in growing these wonderful fragrant flowers and using them in the garden or vase. It covers the colorful history of sweet peas, provides detailed practical growing advice and includes a descriptive list of many varieties. Buy the book

"Sweet Peas" by Cecilia Wingård

This is by far my favorite sweet pea book even though I cannot read a word of it! Written by Cecilia Wingård, a Swedish sweet pea grower, it is truly the most beautiful ode to sweet peas on paper. Worth getting just for the photos alone. Unfortunately there isn't an English version available yet. Buy the book. I also put a short video of it on Instagram.

"Sweet Peas: An Essential Guide" by Roger Parsons

This is a comprehensive book written by British sweet pea expert Roger Parsons. I love this book because it contains all that the sweet pea grower will want to know about the history and evolution of the lathyrus odoratus species as well as detailed growing information. Thoroughly recommended if you already grow sweet peas and want to know more. Buy the book

"The Complete Guide to Sweet Peas" by Bernard Jones

A lovely book written quite some time ago by the breeder of my favorite sweet peas. Bernard Jones is responsible for 'Mrs Bernard Jones Sweet Pea' which I adore. Written back in the 1960s it is now sadly out of print but you can sometimes pick up a second hand copy. Very useful for describing sweet pea ailments which can be hard to photograph and sometimes have not been photographed at all. Buy the book

"Cool Flowers" by Lisa Mason Ziegler

While this isn't a book solely about sweet peas, I included it because it is a book about 'hardy annuals' to which sweet peas belong. Depending on climate, sweet peas and other hardy annuals can be started in the autumn months This book documents what seeds to start and when for an early spring garden. I refer to this book again and again. Truly a 'must have' for any gardener who wants more flowers earlier in the year. Buy the book