It’s a perfect choice for gardeners with limited space or those who simply love low-maintenance, fragrant flowers. With its vibrant colours, charming size and sweet perfume, ‘Little Sweetheart’ is a joy to grow and a lovely reminder that big beauty can come in small packages!

‘Little Sweetheart’ is a dwarf variety of the classic sweet pea, known for its compact size and abundance of fragrant, colourful blooms. Unlike taller sweet peas that need trellises or fences to climb, ‘Little Sweetheart’ stays low and bushy, making it perfect for pots, borders and smaller garden spaces. It still delivers that old-fashioned sweet pea scent and charm, just in a more petite package.

Sweet peas themselves (Lathyrus odoratus) originated in southern Italy and the eastern Mediterranean, where they grew wild on rocky hillsides. Over the centuries, they’ve been bred into countless varieties for their perfume, colour range and flower form. ‘Little Sweetheart’ is a modern dwarf cultivar, developed specifically for gardeners who want all the beauty and fragrance of sweet peas without the need for staking or trellising.

‘Little Sweetheart’ is known for a cheerful mix of soft and vibrant colours. You’ll typically find shades of pink, lavender, mauve, red, white, cream and light blue all in the one seed packet. The flowers are small but plentiful, and they often appear in clusters that brighten up garden beds or patio pots beautifully.

What is it used for?

This variety is mostly grown for ornamental purposes. It’s ideal for small gardens, balconies, containers and edging, where taller varieties might be too unruly. The blooms are wonderfully fragrant, making them a favourite for cutting and displaying in small vases. While traditional sweet peas can be used in larger floral arrangements, ‘Little Sweetheart’ is perfect for miniature posies and adding charm to small indoor spaces.

How to Grow Sweet Pea ‘Little Sweetheart’ – Step by Step

Sweet peas prefer cool weather for strong growth and flowering. In warmer parts of Australia, it’s best to sow them in late autumn or early winter. In cooler regions, sow in early spring once the frost risk has passed.

Choose a sunny spot with rich, well-drained soil. Sweet peas love full sun but will tolerate a little afternoon shade in hot areas. If you’re planting them in pots, use a high-quality potting mix and a container with good drainage.

To plant, soak the seeds overnight in water to help soften their hard outer coating and improve germination. Then sow them about two centimetres deep and ten centimetres apart. If you’re planting in a container, you can place several seeds around the edge of the pot for a fuller display. Keep the soil moist but not soggy during germination and early growth.

‘Little Sweetheart’ doesn’t need support to grow, but it will benefit from regular picking. The more flowers you harvest, the more blooms it will produce. Feed every few weeks with a liquid fertiliser once the flowers start appearing to keep the plant vigorous and blooming for longer.