This weekend saw Taunton hold it’s annual Flower Show.  Remarkably this is the oldest flower show in the country and as such is a must (I’m led to believe!) on the competition trail.   So, the boys and I braved the thunderous showers this Saturday in search of inspiration and advice.

We were all horribly distracted by a stunt motorcycle team who were entertaining the crowds in the main arena but when we’d had our fill of petrol fumes and terrifying acrobatics we hit the tents.  The boys, as to be expected, weren’t as awe inspired as me and to the ringing tones of Mummy-can-we-leave-yet I made a mad dash around.

For some reason I’d limited myself to seed buying only on this trip and having rejected some quite stunning lavenders I ended up at Kerton’s Sweet Peas.  The smell was breathtaking.

Kerton Sweet Peas was established over 20 years ago by Phil and Joyce Kerton when they were asked to grow a heady, fragrant, lavender-coloured sweet pea called Marion.  A Gold Medal at this year’s Bath and West Show and a Large Gold at the Royal Cornwall are testament to their skills and I was immediately hooked.  I managed to get my mucky paws on a mixture of seeds from their listed varieties but also Ripple and Fancy – the most beautiful striped and marbled flowers with a deep fragrance.

Having taken a great deal of advice from the lovely Phil about bringing on the seedlings I came home with my precious parcels amazed that so much beauty could be contained within a couple of manilla envelopes.   Not known for my patience the waiting until next summer will be pure torture  – I guess I should have taken the lavenders too!  The boys having been pacified with ice-cream also declared the afternoon a great success, the power of sugar is never to be under estimated.

To buy from Kerton Sweet Peas you can visit them at http://www.kertonsweetpeas.co.uk/

To find out more about Taunton’s Flower Show click here

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