Lately I've been dreaming of sweet peas.  Sweetpink1Perhaps it is simply a longing for warmer weather or a need to breathe in the wonderful scents of spring and summer. Then again, maybe it is a result of many evenings spent paging through seed catalogues and vividly imagining my back fence covered in delicate sweet pea blooms.

Sweetpred1For many years, I have tried growing sweet peas and have not met with much success. Last year, even though I didn't do anything differently, several sweet pea vines appeared laden with blooms. It was great fun taking photographs of

them.

As the days grow longer, I am itching to get out in the garden. It won't be much longer. I'll be planting many more sweet peas this coming spring with the hope of having a fence covered with them just like in my dreams. Sweetpfaded`1

I have been away from blogging for almost

one year now. Time passes by quickly. I've missed my blogging friends and hope to post more often. Reading Anna Maria's post here gave me the impetus to step right back into blogging. So here I am again. 

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50 responses to “Beginning again”

  1. Kylee from Our Little Acre Avatar

    YAY! Welcome back, Kate. You have been missed.

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  2. OldRoses Avatar

    I’ve never been able to grow Sweet Peas successfully. Wish I could. They are so beautiful.

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  3. VP Avatar

    Welcome back Kate!
    It’s been good to see you over at mine lately ๐Ÿ™‚

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  4. Karen - An Artist's Garden Avatar

    Kate – how lovely, I was only thinking about you the other day – and mentioned you in one of my blog posts
    – and here you are, I have missed you.
    K

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  5. Rothschild Orchid Avatar

    Hi Kate,
    I’m relatively new to blogging so I’ll be following you for the first time. I love your header photo, absolutely gorgeous. Very much looking forward to reading your new posts.
    RO ๐Ÿ™‚

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  6. Magic Cochin Avatar

    Welcome back Kate, I remember your’s was one of the first blogs I found.
    The first little Sweet Peas shoot is through the soil in my greenhouse ๐Ÿ™‚
    Celia

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  7. Miranda Bell Avatar

    Dear Kate – so glad you’ve started up your blog again – I must admit I love sweet peas – you might enjoy my recent posting – re using toilet roll cardboard tubes to plant the seeds in… that way you can just plant them straight out without disturbing the roots!
    Do hope you’re having a good week – keep dreaming of sweet peas – summer sun will be here soon Miranda x

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  8. Shady Gardener Avatar

    Look at your fans, Kate! (me, incl.) All you did was create a post! It’s a Sweet post of sweet peas, and I hope they grow even more beautifully than those in your dreams. Have a great day! ๐Ÿ™‚

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  9. Helen at Toronto Gardens Avatar

    Beautiful photographs. Adore sweet peas — the scent is like a primal memory to me. And they’re pretty besides. Welcome back. Just think of your time away as a fallow period. I’m sure you’ve returned with new flowers in the mind’s garden.

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  10. Suzi Q Avatar

    Good to have you back! I can just smell those sweet peas now – they’re one of my favourites! I think I too may have to grow a few more this year.

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  11. Layanee DeMerchant Avatar

    So glad to see you back and with a sweetly scented post at that. I just planted some sweet peas and agree that the scent is sublime.

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  12. Nicole Avatar

    Welcome back-I’ve missed you. Hope your spring gardening gets off to a great start.

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  13. Diane Avatar

    welcome back. It’s really great taking a break from it though isn’t it?

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  14. gail Avatar

    Kate, I love sweet peas and have wanted them in my garden for a long time~I ordered seeds and have hope they like C&L! Just wanted to say how delighted I’ve been to read your twitters and comments~gail

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  15. The Garden Ms. S Avatar

    Kate, Yay! I am so pleased to see you blogging!
    I have never grown sweet peas but the blossoms are one of my favourite little bouquets in the world. I will try growing them at some point (now that I know a lack of trying is the route to success :))
    Your photograghs do these sweet little blooms justice. Lovely ๐Ÿ™‚

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  16. dinahmow Avatar

    Good to see you again, Kate!Sitting here, tropical deluge washing down the drive, reading about sweet peas…

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  17. Judith Avatar

    You see how much you were missed? Lovely to have you back.

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  18. Greenthumb Avatar

    Welcome back dear Kate! You have been missed sorely. I had been checking the link to your blog constantly for any sign of you and when finally I saw your comment on my previous post, I was thrilled.
    Lovely sweet peas of a very sweet you.

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  19. Estrella Avatar

    Welcome bach, my dear friend.
    Cheers from Barcelona

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  20. Selma Avatar

    It is such a treat to have you back. I have missed your beautiful observations of life and your wonderful images. The colours you capture brighten my life!

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  21. Annie in Austin Avatar

    Good morning, Kate – what a lovely way to restart in spring, with photos of sweet peas, especially the violet colored blossom.
    I also keep planting them with slight success. In 2008 Cupani made flowers, but the vines frizzled in last year’s heat & drought. I tried again and now have just a few small plants that survived our unusually cold winter. If this is a lucky year and they bloom, I’ll think of you!
    Annie at the Transplantable Rose

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  22. our friend Ben Avatar

    Hooray! As you can see from the outpourings of relief at your return, nobody writes posts like yours. Keeeping up with it is rather in the mode of the old monk’s comment on enlightenment: “Achieving enlightenment is not hard. One has only to begin, and then continue.” Have you checked out Renee Shepherd’s sweet peas (online at Renee’s Garden)? She’s specialized in them for years. Yours are already beautiful; now let’s hope this year for abundance! Welcome, welcome back.

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  23. Luiz Ramos Avatar

    Beautiful flowers and shots.
    Luiz Ramos

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  24. Sarah Laurence Avatar

    Welcome back to blogging! Iโ€™ve missed your voice and lovely photos. Your sweet peas are worthy of dreams.

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  25. Liisa Avatar

    Kate,
    Welcome back! Your sweet pea portraits are beautiful, and I look forward to seeing more as they grace your garden with their vivid, scented blooms. Your blog is lovely, and such a treat to visit. ๐Ÿ™‚

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  26. entangled Avatar

    Hmm, tried to leave a comment yesterday, but it seems to have evaporated…
    Anyhow, Anna Maria’s post really struck a chord with me; I feel just the same about my accumulation of stuff.
    But back to sweet peas, I have no luck with them either. One year – the first year I tried to grow them – I had a few flowers and then never again. I wish I knew what I did differently that first year.

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  27. Janet Metzger Avatar

    Good Morning Kate,
    Thanks so much for stopping by my little blog. I really enjoyed this post. I have a beautiful sweet pea plant that pops up all on it’s own every year. It is not in the best location to enjoy and I have tried to move it with no luck. Any ideas about propagating? My seeds never seem to sprout either ;-( Your flower photos are lovely.
    your friend,
    Janet

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  28. Andrea Avatar

    Welcome back, Kate. You’ve been missed a lot!
    I love sweet peas myself! I already have my seeds ready and waiting to be planted.
    I haven’t blogged much this year either and I have decided that I will do it, when the spirit hits me and I have something to share with my blog friends. Take care! Andrea

    Like

  29. anna maria Avatar

    Oh my goodness! I just returned from An Artful Journey retreat and discovered that you have come back to blogging. This is great, and I am so happy that had a little something to do with it!
    I can’t wait to hear about to hear about your garden adventures.

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  30. Barbara Avatar

    So good you are bloggging again! Looking forward to see your sweet peas blooming in summer. I love this wonderful and fragrant flower too and I am trying to grow them every year. But often I fail as the tiny seedlings are also loved by snails. This year I want to have a new go !
    Have a great Spring start in your garden!
    Barbara

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  31. Urban Green Avatar

    Hurray! Welcome back Kate. I know what it means to get back to the blog-land. All the best, and you will see me around…:)

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  32. joey Avatar

    Yippee! So happy to see you back posting your beautiful stuff, Kate … love your sweet pea photos ๐Ÿ™‚

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  33. Sandy Avatar
    Sandy

    Good to see you posting, Friend! I didn’t know peas had to be in early. Saw it yesterday on Layanee’s site, too.
    Lovely photos!

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  34. kerri Avatar

    So lovely to hear from you, Kate, and see you back to posting.
    Sweetpeas were the first flower I ever grew..in my mother’s garden and I’ve loved them ever since. I can’t wait to plant more in the spring.
    Your photos are so soft and beautiful!
    The lovely shades of blue in the Bluejay do make them look rather exotic. Their cheeky personalities make them great fun to watch.

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  35. Lynn Avatar

    Kate, it’s wonderful to see you and know we’ll have your images and voice in the blog world again. Last year was my first Sweet Pea success, too, and I so look forward to that cool wet March day that is coming when their seeds can go into the ground. Thanks for you sweet comment on my doggie post ๐Ÿ™‚

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  36. Lisa at Greenbow Avatar
    Lisa at Greenbow

    Good to see you back in the fray. I too love sweet peas. I don’t have very good luck with them either. This year I am trying a new way to start them. I am saving toilet paper rolls to start the seeds in. Here’s to Sweet Peas.

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  37. Dee @ Red Dirt Ramblings Avatar

    I’m really glad you’re back. I ordered some sweet peas too although I have trouble growing them. I missed you.~~Dee

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  38. kate/high altitude gardening Avatar

    Hi, Kate;
    I stopped over about a week ago but couldn’t leave a comment. Some weird computer glitch, I guess.
    Anyhoo… I was inspired by your post and planted some sweet peas by seed. They are percolating in my sunny window. I’m looking forward to pretty flowers draping over the old fence. Good to see you back in the blogosphere. Thanks for visiting mine this morning.

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  39. Kristi Avatar

    These shots are gorgeous, you must have the magic touch because I find sweet peas to be temperamental. Love all of the shades or red and pink.

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  40. naturegirl Avatar

    Kate it is wonderful to see you blogging once again! It has been a difficult year here with me but all things pass and now we all look forward to the promise of Spring and YES I too love sweetpeas! I have not planted them in my garden but this is the year of NEW beginnings for me so I have pink sweetpeas in my dreams.I can’t wait to plant the seeds..a gift from a blogger friend in Germany!love and light ..welcome back. aNNa xo

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  41. sandy Avatar

    Glad to see you back! I use to stop by here and there to look at your flowers. Now I can see your new ones again.

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  42. Pam Avatar

    It’s nice to hear from you again – and to come here and visit and see that you have joined us once again.

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  43. Deborah at Kilbourne Grove Avatar

    Kate, thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. It is truly appreciated.
    It is wonderful that you have returned to blogging and were so warmly welcomed back. I am a fairly new blogger, so have not read your blog before, but what glowing reviews all your comments have been. It is great to know that you can “take a break” from blogging, and come back, wheter it is for winter, or just to recharge the batteries.

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  44. Gotta Garden Avatar

    Kate, I’m glad you’re back in! Love the sweet peas…actually I planted sweet peas (the eatin’ kind!) just today. We will see how they do. Last year I got just enough to make me want more…
    Now that you’ve dipped your toe back in, don’t stop! Come on in…the water’s warm and all your friends are waiting for you!

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  45. Naomi Sachs Avatar

    Nice to see that you’re blogging again! These sweet pea images are so beautiful…yum!

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  46. tina Avatar

    I wanted to say when I began blogging 2.5 years I remember seeing your name and thought wow, what an awesome blog and blogger. Then you dropped out of sight and now I know why, you took a break. Everyone needs a break every now and then. Welcome back and take care.

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  47. seedparade Avatar

    Hi!
    Yes, your blog is inspiration for all of us.
    And yes the sweet peas are amazing, we grow at least 10 different varieties each year, the big cut types and the really scented ones too. Let us know what varieties you have ๐Ÿ™‚

    Like

  48. orchid lights Avatar

    Hello Kate,
    I enjoyed reading your blog and your pictures of your sweet peas flowers are so lovely. They look so beautiful and how I wish I got one like that too in my garden. Next time going to plant sweet peas flower and hopefully it will look the same as yours. ๐Ÿ™‚

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  49. mm Avatar
    mm

    Your pictures are romantically lovely. I keep hoping you will have added more to your blog when ever I return your visits to mine. But at least I can leave a note.

    Like

  50. kate smudges Avatar

    MM,
    You have spurred me on to blogging again … thank you.

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