The Coming of the Modern Sweet Pea 



For ten years, 1883 to 1893, he was identified 

 with new varieties of Sweet Peas. Among the 

 better known varieties introduced by him were 

 Invincible Carmine, Invincible Blue, Etna, Madam 

 Carnot and Princess May. 



I now come to Mr. Henry Eckford who has 

 been termed " the father of the Sweet Pea." 

 His name will be for ever associated with the 

 flower. Born in Scotland in 1823, he as a young 

 man migrated to England. While gardener to 

 Dr. Sankey, of Sandywell, Gloucester, he began 

 cross-fertilising Sweet Peas, with a view to their 

 improvement. This was about the year 1870. 

 Mr. Eckford relinquished private service and it 

 was from his gardens at Wem, in Shropshire, that 

 the new Sweet Peas were sent out, which made 

 his name famous wherever flowers are grown, 

 and which gave such an impetus to Sweet Pea 

 culture in America. Beginning in 1882 with 

 Bronze Prince, Mr. Eckford produced a series 

 of new Sweet Peas year by year, which were the 

 wonder and admiration of everyone, until the 

 advent of the waved or Spencer type in 1904. 



Mr. Eckford's varieties all belonged in these 

 days to the hooded or erect standard type so 

 wel illustrated in the engraving of " Dorothy 

 Eckford." 



