I was determined to grow sweet peas this year despite the challenges of growing them on a hot and sometimes stormy balcony in Portugal. I had a bit of a seed splurge this winter and the thought of these sweet peas helped to get me through the dark winter. I ordered heirloom varieties from Seedaholic . These are some of the varieties I’ve been growing:
Though I won’t have the yield or large blossoms of a flower farmer, these little fragrant jewels in the garden are precious to me nonetheless. Such a treat! It’s important to keep cutting the sweet peas and who can resist bringing these fragrant vines inside anyways! I like to keep them on the vine and include as much green as possible, as these sweet pea vines create such interesting shapes for flower arrangements. You only need a few stems in a small vase to make an impact. I used the recipe below and you can watch the video to see how I put it all together in this gorgeous vase from Tasco Tableware, which is sadly. now discontinued. If you are in Portugal, you may be able to still find some of their pieces at Depozito.
I am so excited to announce a new collaboration wtih VERONIKABLYZNIUCHENKO! As part of her summer programming at her art exhibit in the cloister garden of Basilica da Estrela, I’ll be holding a summer flower workshop. Make a loose, garden inspired, floral centric fresh flower arrangement in Portuguese ceramics. This is a great chance for anyone traveling to Lisbon to participate in a workshop in a historic space that rarely opens. Book your spot here! I never do one-off, in-person workshops so if a retreat is not your thing, this is a great chance to work with me in person.
We had a morning each in Lisbon and Sintra with rest and or exploring time for guests in the afternoon. First we walked the Monserrate gardens with Fernanda Botelho who taught us about the edible species in the garden. For our time in Lisbon we visited Veronika Blyzniuchenko’s exhibit, “The Beauty is a Choice.” Afterwards, we had a walk with Tomás Tojo through Principe Real to learn the history of the species in this area of Lisbon. Next, we stopped by Nuno Prates botanical library and cabinet of curiosity followed by a visit to Nuno’s awe-inspiring private collection of tropical plants. It’s hard to put into words or photos the full depth of all of these experiences!
