Seed List
Duke of Albany
This ex-commercial, maincrop variety has been grown and saved by our donor since 1971. Described by Vilmorin-Andrieux (1885), it is tall (>2.1m), thick-stemmed and vigorous, requiring sturdy supports. White flowers are followed by long, dark green pods. Carters Tested Seeds catalogue of 1888 states, “A very handsome new wrinkled pea, with a profusion of extra large, well-filled pods containing 9-12 peas.”
Epicure
Thought to have been introduced in 1893, this vigorous pea can grow to 2-3m tall and carries large foliage, so will need sturdy supports. The large, blunt pods can be eaten as mangetout when immature, but are best when the pods are just full, yielding large sweet peas that freeze well.
Frueher Heinrich
Syn. 'Early Henry’. Grown by our donor successfully in Northern Germany before it disappeared from commercial catalogues. She saved her own seeds and continued to grow it when she moved to Devon. A tall, white flowered, round-seeded, mangetout type growing up to 1.5m in height. A hardy variety which produces its tender, delicious pods over a very long season
Harold Idle
This variety has been grown by our donor and his family since the 1940s. It was passed to them by a grower on Desborough Allotments, Northamptonshire; a Mr Harold Idle. A tall pea (more than 2m), it requires early sowing (March) to provide vigorous and productive plants. White flowers give way to large, well-filled pods, borne singly on the vine. The peas are delicious when eaten fresh, but tend to lose their flavour if frozen.
Holland Capucijners
Traditional pea unique to the farm communities of the northern Netherlands. The name is derived from the Capuchin monks, who are said to have developed this type of pea in the 1500s. This compact variety (approximately 1m) has pretty, fragrant bicolour pink and violet flowers and large, starchy peas, perfect for drying and using as mushy peas.
Hugh's Huge
This variety was given to our donor in the 1980s by Hugh Cutting, a representative of the local water authority. Hugh had been given the seed from an old gentleman's garden whilst undertaking a well survey and it is thought to date back to before 1920. A very tall, sturdy variety (1.8-3m) producing green-veined, white flowers. Exceptionally productive, it lives up to its name with huge pods packed with huge peas!
Jeyes
Thought to have originated in Gayton, Northamptonshire and developed from Knights Tall Green Marrow. According to Peas of New York (1928) some seeds made their way to Northampton-based seed merchant Messrs Jeyes, who marketed the variety as Jeyes Conquerer. The Gardeners' Chronicle and Agricultural Gazette for 1859 published a selection of glowing testimonials, and a long list of growers willing to support these. A tall pea (1.8-2.1m) producing white flowers and a heavy crop of large, sweet, solid peas tightly packed it their pods. Delicious fresh, but will also freeze very well maintaining their flavour.
Latvian
Called 'peleks zirnis' in Latvian, meaning 'grey peas', this type of pea is grown across Latvia and traditionally eaten with fried fatty pork and onions. Our sample was brought back from Riga on a tourist coach! After soaking overnight use the dried peas as an alternative to chickpeas. The bicoloured flowers are particularly large and as attractive as ornamental sweet peas.
Llanover
This is a tall variety that needs strong pea sticks to support the large pods produced. They were grown for many years on the Llanover Estate in Wales from seeds brought to the UK by a German prisoner of war (WWI). Once the war was over he returned to marry a Welsh girl and continued to work on the estate. Produces white flowers and pods filled with small, sweet peas.
Mr Bethell's Purple Podded
This vigorous, tall pea (>2m) produces bicoloured pink and maroon flowers followed by large purple pods, easy to find amid the light green foliage. If picked young the pods are delicious as mangetout; when mature the peas, up to 8 of them per pod, taste deliciously sweet straight from the pod, retaining their flavour when cooked.