The Best Quick and Easy Sweet Pea Flower Arrangements

The sweet pea flower is one of my favorite flowers, and today I will share with you a few easy ways to create sweet pea floral arrangements. 

Today is the Handcrafted Society Monthly post. Michelle @thistlekeylane took the lead this month and she chose flowers for our medium to create with, the perfect choice for May. Our flowers could be faux, fresh, dried or living plants.

If you came over from Jennifer’s blog @cottageonbunkerhill, Welcome! I have no doubt that you enjoyed Jennifer’s beautiful shadowbox project. You will want to see all of the projects this month. Be sure to check out all of the links at the end of my post.

Handcrafted Society pinterest pin with 8 flower projects all hand made

What is a sweet pea?

The sweet pea, scientifically known as Lathyrus odoratus, is a delightful annual flower that can thrive in various locations such as cutting gardens, border gardens, and woodlands or is trained to climb on trellises and arches.

With an extensive assortment of colors ranging from pearly whites, and pastel shades reminiscent of ice cream to more elaborate hues like vivid magentas and deep purples, this flower is guaranteed to add a pop of color to any garden.

Party planning with sweet peas

In my book, fresh flowers are a must for any special occasion, big or small. I love planning parties and designing birthday flowers, Mother’s Day flowers, and wedding flowers.
Flowers for all events. My husband would say that I live for the next occasion.

Sweet Pea flower arrangement
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My mother was a floral designer who taught me much about floral design. We could have used a local florist, but that was not how it worked in our household. 

We were hands-on and would create a wide selection of flower arrangements together.

My mom taught me about seasonal flowers and how to choose the freshest flowers.

We chatted about composition, color, and space regarding floral design and what vase life meant.

 I often wonder why we never opened a floral shop. That would have been so much fun.

The Best Quick and Easy Sweet Pea Floral Arrangement-Colors of pin and white sweet peas up close

Come springtime, we not only loved to grow sweet peas but would purchase them at the local flower market to make sweet pea bouquets and arrangements.

Not only are these delicate flowers beautiful, but they smell heavenly too.

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Types of sweet pea flowers for floral arranging

If you’re wondering which sweet pea to buy for arrangements, the good news is that the decision is easier than you might think! To get started, decide on the sweet pea that suits your needs.

  • Spencers: Beloved by florists, these sweet peas offer magnificent blossoms and long stems.
    Old-fashioned forms: These sweet peas burst with charm, flower power, and an incredible fragrance – although their stems are shorter.
    Grandifloras: The perfect combination of Spencer and old-fashioned types, Grandifloras offer a little bit of everything for sweet pea enthusiasts.

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Watch the video here!

How to make simple sweet pea flower arrangements

The quickest and easy way to make a sweet pea arrangement is to create a floral bouquet in your hands and place it in a glass vase. 

  1. Choose the colors of sweet peas you want to use. 
  2. Cut the stems at different lengths to create dimension in your arrangement.
  3. Put them together in your hand.
  4. Place them into a vase.
  5. You want to fill the vase so it is full.
Simple sweet peas arrangement n a glass vase. Color are pink, red and purple
Sweet Pea flower arrangements-Pastel shade of pink sweet peas fill a clear glass vase sitting on a dining room table with pink glassware
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The Best Quick and Easy Sweet Pea Floral Arrangement-Assorted colors of sweet peas in a white pitcher

Or you can create something a little more spectacular for a special occasion.

Supplies need to make the MOM Sweet Pea arrangement

  1. Purchase the letters to spell out MOM. I used three wooden letters, which you can find here.
  2. Purchase test tubes, I used approx—fifty-six tubes for the three letters. You can find them here. I used two different heights of test tubes, but this is not necessary.
  3. Pick your flowers out of the garden or purchase your flowers at a local market or florist.
  4. 14- 1″ wood blocks to use for feet on the letters.
  5. White spray paint.
Sweet Pea flower arrangements-Test tubes sitting in front of a green wooden bucket
A wooden letter M
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Directions to make the sweetest Mother’s Day centerpiece

  • Choose your flowers. (I wanted to create an ombre look with my sweet peas, so I used the White Supreme and the Mollie Rilstone flowers.) You can use one color or a variety of colors.
  • You want to drill holes in the letters to put the test tubes all the way through, so plan how to lay out your test tubes. For example, I drilled eight holes in the “O” and 23 holes in each “M”‘.
The Best Quick and Easy Sweet Pea Floral Arrangement-Drilling holes in the wooden letters
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  • Ensure you have the correct drill bit to drill the appropriate size hole for your test tubes.
  • Once everything is laid out, drill the holes in all three letters.
  • Spray paint the three letters and the 14 blocks for the feet.
The Best Quick and Easy Sweet Pea Floral Arrangement-Spray paint the letters white
  • Hot glue the feet onto the back of the letters
  • 4 per M, one on each corner
  • For the O, I glued two blocks together  (make three sets)  to create three feet which I hot glued to the back of the O in between the holes drilled for the test tubes.
Sweet Pea flower arrangements-Mom letters with test tubes ready for flowers
Sweet Pea flower arrangements-Mom letters with test tubes filled with water
  • Fill your test tubes three-quarters full of water and place them in the holes. ( I used a runner under my letters to help keep the glass test tubes straight).
  • Cut your flowers to various lengths to place them in the test tubes.
  • I started with the white sweet peas for the first “M”, using the light pink for the “O” and finally the darker pink for the second “M”.
Sweet Pea flower arrangements-The Best Quick and Easy Sweet Pea Floral Arrangement-Mom centerpiece filled with sweet peas
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I paired my sweet pea flower arrangement with soft pink and white dishes, floral placemats and cranberry vintage glasses for our Mother’s Day celebration.

Sweet Pea flower arrangements-Mother's Day Sweet Pea Centerpiece

Looking to grow some sweet peas on your own? Here are some essential tips and tricks you need to know:

Tips and tricks to grow sweet peas

  • Start with the right soil – Sweet peas prefer soil that is rich in nutrients and well-drained. A soil pH of between 6.0 and 7.5 is ideal.
  • Choose the right location – Sweet peas thrive in a sunny, but cool spot. Make sure they get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day, but avoid planting them in direct sunlight during the hottest parts of the day.
  • Plant properly – Plant sweet pea seeds about 1 inch deep and 2-3 inches apart. Water well after planting.
  • Feed regularly – Sweet peas are heavy feeders and require regular fertilization to thrive. Use a balanced fertilizer every two weeks.
  • Provide support – Sweet peas are climbers, so they will need some type of support. Trellises or stakes work well.
  • By following these simple tips, you can grow beautiful, fragrant sweet peas right in your own backyard. Happy gardening!

For some more great tips, you can visit Martha Stewart.

Sweet Pea flower arrangements-Bright pink Sweet peas growing in the garden

Types of sweet pea flowers to grow in your garden

There are many to choose from, but here are a few of my favorites for cut flowers.

  1. Matucana- is an old-fashioned flower bearing strongly scented maroon and purple flowers.
  2. Dynasty- Pink sweet peas that are a relative of the Matucana sweet pea family.
  3. White Supreme- White sweet peas that are intensely perfumed and feature large clear-white flowers on long, sturdy stems.
  4. Mollie Rilstone-Very fragrant cream-colored blooms are edged with the softest apricot-pink.
  5. Just Julia- This is an excellent mid-blue/purple sweet pea bred by Roger Parsons, National Collection holder of sweet peas. It has a strong scent and growing habit.

Facts and questions about sweet peas

How do you use sweet peas as a centerpiece?

Are you planning a wedding or party? 

Enhance your elegant reception table by combining fresh greenery with sweet peas in various colors. For a pop of color, use mason jars or simple vases. 

Adding sweet peas to a floral arrangement creates a soft and supple aesthetic that will leave your guests in awe. 

Sweet Pea flower arrangements-mom table center piece with pink and white sweet peas

Try this stunning centerpiece idea for an easy and sophisticated touch to your wedding decor. ( you could use the initials of the bride and groom instead of the word MOM)

Do sweet peas make good annual flowers?

Few flowers can rival the timeless charm and countryside elegance of sweet peas. These delicate blossoms gracefully climb rustic trellises with ease. 

 The irresistible fragrance of sweet peas makes them an excellent choice for both garden beds and bouquets.

Cut a few stems, bring them in the house and enjoy the lovely and fragrant sweet pea bouquets. These arrangements make the perfect addition to any home or party with their beautiful appearance and pleasant fragrance.

Give Your Garden Some Vintage Flair with @savedfromsalvage

Join my friend Regina as she demonstrates how vintage containers can add a charming touch to your garden. And don’t forget to check out the rest of the creative projects from Handcrafted Society’s talented members.

Until next time,

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Sweet Pea flower arrangements-Pinterest pin with images of a mothers day sweet pea flower arrangement

https://rstyle.me/+a-XoUdwDqnPWdvopfz_xHg

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22 Comments

  1. This is so clever Wendy! I love the smell of sweet peas… divine! My Maw-Maw was a self-taught florist, and I used to love helping her. She passed when I was 16, so I didn’t get to use her for my wedding flowers or to ask the in-depth questions that I would’ve asked as an adult. Her talent was just stunning. Reading about you and your mom brought back sweet memories to my mind and tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing on Crafty Creators. I’ll be featuring your post on tomorrow’s party. If you’d ever like to add a guest to the Handcrafted Society, I’d love to join!

    1. Hi Niki, thank you so much. I loved reading your sweet story about your Maw-Maw. Those are the moments we cherish every day.
      You were so young when you lost her. I am sure that was very hard. My mom lived with us in our backhouse for 15 years after my dad passed, so
      I miss seeing her every day! We take turns to invite guests, so when it is my turn again, which I believe is October, I would love to invite you to join us.
      Next year. Thank you so much for the feature. I look forward to reading your post.

  2. What a beautiful and unique way to display flowers Wendy. I like sweet peas, but have never tried to grow them. Flowers do not seem to like it here much which I wish they did.

    1. Thank you, Cara. Sweet peas are rather easy to grow, you have to be sure to soak the seeds ahead of time. I’m sorry you have not had much luck growing flowers in your area, that has to be hard.

  3. Oh how I love sweet peas! Never thought about amassing them like this. I can only imagine how heavenly that table smelt. And those stunning shades of pink and white. Fabulous!

    1. Thank you so much, Diane. It sure did smell heavenly.

  4. what a fun idea!!! I love this and sweet peas are just that, the sweetest! This was a lovely post. Great info. Thanks for the inspo. XO- MaryJo

    1. Thank you so much, Mary Jo. I am glad you enjoyed it. It sure did smell good.

  5. I think you would make an amazing florist! Who are we kidding? You already are! The sweet peas are so pretty with all of their colors. Your project is so creative…any mom would love to see this at a table dedicated to her! Beautiful!

    1. Thank you Missy, you are so kind. I only wish my mom was still here to enjoy it.

  6. Well, how pretty is this, Wendy? I love the sweet peas and this is so clever! What beautiful addition to any Mother’s Day celebration!

    1. Thank you Jen, so sweet of you to stop by to visit. I am glad you liked it.

  7. I’m giving sweet peas one last chance, I don’t have very good luck growing them here. Such pretty ideas.

  8. Gorgeous tablescape Wendy! I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this, but wow what a stunning centerpiece! I love sweet peas too!

    1. Thank you, Michelle. I had fun dreaming this one up. It certainly got my creative juices flowing.

  9. Wendy,
    This is such a great idea. I love how it turned out. Thanks so much for having me along this month.

    1. Thank you for joining us, Rachel. It is always a pleasure to have you.

  10. All so beautiful Wendy. Sweet peas are one of my favorites. I love that you shared the love of flower design with your mom. What a great memory!

    1. Thank you, Susan! We sure did have a lot of good times preparing flowers together. I sure miss those days.

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