Monty Don has said it’s crucial to plant one English garden favourite by the second week of April, warning it’s ‘almost not worth it’ if you leave it any later
Katie Oborn Audience Writer
08:51, 14 Apr 2026
Now is the time to plant one fragrant bloom – and it’s not lavender
Gardening legend Monty Don is encouraging green-fingered enthusiasts to get one particular flower planted before April draws to a close – praising it for having “the best scent”. This classic English cottage garden gem thrives even in compact outdoor areas, rewarding growers with a profusion of eye-catching flowers from as early as June.
The beloved sweet pea is a quintessential British garden plant, prized as a cut flower for its powerful fragrance and striking colour range.
Seeds can be germinated indoors using trays, though Monty has cautioned that delaying beyond the second weekend of April means it’s “almost not worth it”, with now being the best time to start off sweet peas.
Additionally, once the initial leaves emerge on sweet peas, there’s a crucial step to take that will guarantee far more blooms come summer.
During an episode of the Gardeners’ World podcast, Monty outlined his sweet pea approach: “The sweet pea regime, we grow a lot of them.
“We grow a lot of them because I think they’re beautiful, they make one of the best cut flowers you can have.”
Despite confessing to a “bad sense of smell” on the podcast, Monty revealed he “loves the fragrance” of sweet peas, emphasising that these blossoms deliver “one of the best scents” any garden can offer, reports the Express.
Purple sweet peas (Lathyrus odoratus) on garden canes(Image: Getty Images)
For those seeking a burst of colour and fragrance on their patio or in their garden, now is the ideal moment to sow sweet pea seeds, with blooms expected to emerge from June through to August.
There are several handy pointers worth bearing in mind when cultivating this charming, aromatic flower, which boasts a wealth of varieties including the classic Painted Lady, renowned for its distinctive bi-colour petals.
Speaking on the Gardeners’ World podcast, Monty revealed: “The secret of sweet peas is to keep the flowering period going as long as possible and that starts from sowing. I sow in at least two if not three batches.”
Monty also stresses the significance of giving each seed ample room to flourish, recommending no more than three seeds per three-inch pot when starting off seedlings.
He further noted that sweet peas favour “rich, moisture-retentive soil” and that each plant will require a support structure as it develops and climbs upwards.
Pink Sweet Peas (Lathyrus odoratus) known as ‘Miss Wilmott'(Image: Getty Images)
In an earlier Gardeners’ World episode, Monty recommends planting sweet peas deep into moisture-rich soil, with supports such as a trellis already in position for when the shoots emerge.
During this segment, he advises sowing “two or three” seeds per pot before “planting them out” once the seedlings appear.
He also reassures viewers that ready-grown seedling plants are available at garden centres for those who may have missed the key sowing window.
Should you find yourself with sweet peas featuring “12 in a pot”, Monty advises that you’ll need to “break them up” to foster “strong plants” that will ultimately reward you with “lots of flowers”.
Among Monty’s other pearls of wisdom are giving your sweet peas a “good watering in”, as well as pinching off the initial sets of leaves once the plant reaches approximately 10cm in height.
This pinching-out technique will similarly stimulate a more abundant display of fragrant blooms as the year progresses.
Fans can catch Monty dispensing further gardening wisdom when he returns to screens this Friday, April 17 at 8pm on BBC Two for the next instalment of Gardeners’ World.
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