The first thing that strikes me about this book is the beautiful photos of sweet peas, both en masse within a garden and individual flowers. I only wish that photos would all contain labels of the varieties shown.

The book discusses in detail the various types of sweet peas, and also provides thorough growing, care and harvest instructions. The later portion of the book includes design information, then profiles of sweet pea varieties. The profiles are organized by color and provide the basic information needed to grow each.

Thank you to Chronicle Books and NetGalley for providing an advance review copy of this book. My opinions are my own.

Just looking at the gorgeous photos of sweet pea vines and flowers can almost bring back the spicy aroma of my grandmother's flower bed. We always loved to watch the progress of the tendrils that would wrap around the string she had set up on an old metal frame. When the colorful blossoms appeared, we knew it was almost time for my sister's birthday. A bouquet of pink, white and lavender blooms would show up on the table or her cake every July 26th for years.
I received a PDF advanced copy of Marryn Mathin's Sweet Pea School from the author and publisher through NetGalley. This is my unsolicited opinion about this book. It is excellent! This is a treasure trove of information about the amazing sweet pea flower, from history to types, ex: Spencer, grandiflora, old-fashioned and on to lessons in growing your own wall or container of the wonderfully scented blooms. The author knows what she has written about having grown 20,000 sweet pea plants each season. She grows sweet peas from seed that she harvests from the previous year. Step by step her book takes you through the entire process. There is practical advice for choosing a variety that is conducive to your zone along with good ways to start seed indoors or direct seeding.
The photographs alone are stunning. Her garden would be a dream for me! Did you know that sweet peas started as wildflowers? That presoaking seeds could cause disease? (I don't know how Gram pulled that off.)
I love this book! I'd give it a ten if I could.

If you are familiar with and enjoy the Floret books, particularly the one on Dahlias, I would highly recommend this book to you. Mathis does an incredible job breaking the information into manageable pieces, giving us quality information, and providing encouragement to readers, making us all feel like we too could be sweet pea flower farmers. While it's an incredible resource, the highlights of the book don't stop there: It's also visually stunning. We're really transported to Mathis' farm through the pictures and can imagine ourselves in the rows and rows of sweet pea flowers. I grew sweet peas last year and felt like I did a pretty good job but with this book I hope I can do ever better this year. She also gives great ideas for bouquets, arrangements, and displays and tips for vase life. She takes you through the entire process -- from recommendations for seed types and what to look for in viable seeds to preparing soil to planting and growing to harvesting for flowers and seeds. This would make an incredible coffee table book or a wonderful gift with some sweet pea seeds to a new gardener or someone with a new home with some garden space. Even though I have the ebook version for this review I'm absolutely considering buying a hard copy for myself to review and gaze at. Highly recommend!

As a reference book for a specific flower it's amazing. It is personable and yet full of information. It reminds me of listening to a professor you really like give a lecture. There are beautiful pictures and guides to help break down information. The other thing I appreciate is there doesn't seem to be gatekeeping - she wants you to succeed and gives you all of her knowledge to do just that.

The sweet pea flower in its airy bluffy folds smells incredible. In my opinion the best smelling flower so of course I was interested the second I saw NetGalley offering Marryn Mathis's book. Those who might not know of Marryn she is one of the most hardworking, talented, with great attention to detail, and an amazing flower farmer. She has built from nothing to a thriving farm and now this exquisite book.

Sweet Pea School is so beautiful it could be a coffee table book. But for me as an educator and farmer of produce and flowers, I am in awe of this almost textbook of beauty regarding sweet peas. Marryn takes us from the history of sweet peas, through her journey in developing her farm and why sweet peas captured her heart. She gives us tips on how to site prep, what sweet pea need to grow well, and then the stuff that is going to make this a sweet pea primer. Sweet peas need a cool climate, they don't like the heat and also Marryn does a great job of distilling the myth of pre-sprouting sweet pea seeds in water or the paper towel sprout method. Also, she teaches how to get the long stems, strong secure support plant close, and harvest often.

Marryn dabbles in her favorite varieties but the book does not have all the varieties featured but it does educate us on the groups, and early or late cultivars but my favorite is the scent level. :) Also, breeder, type, color, height, spacing, and light requirements. All extremely helpful.

I would like to thank NetGalley, the publisher Chronicle Books for the opportunity to read and review The Sweet Pea School by Marryn Mathis.

Thank you to the publisher for this advanced review copy. I am delighted to be adding this book to my library's gardening collection. It is beautiful, thorough, and informative. Sweet peas grow well in my area, and often they are not the focus of gardening books. I'm sure that this one will fly off our shelf and look forward to recommending it to patrons. While the topic piqued my interest, the beautiful photos, informative tips on cultivation and pest control, and the natural history information sealed the deal for my pre-order.

As a sweet pea grower myself I was excited to see a book devoted solely to these wonderful little flowers. This is a great book for anyone just starting out with sweet peas, providing basic growing and care information. I was most interested in the specific varieties recommended by the author, as there are many available and knowing how they differ in size and scent strength can be difficult. Recommended for libraries that have a growing (or thriving!) cut flower growing community.

Sweet Peas! This was a lovely way to learn about such a beautiful flower. The photos were to die for and I loved coming along on the journey from seed to arrangement. This book was ful of color and would make a great addition to any avid gardeners collection.

Sweet Pea School is exactly what I need when I try to grow sweet peas almost every year and every year I fail! This book has seed/variety information and great tips about growing in various climates around the country.
This is also a beautiful book to browse as well as get information from, the photos are gorgeous.
Consider me inspired to get my sweet pea crop grown!

If you’ve ever been enchanted by the fragrance and beauty of sweet peas, Marryn Mathis’s Sweet Pea School is the ultimate guide to growing these stunning flowers right at home. As the reigning "Sweet Pea Queen," Mathis brings years of expertise and passion from her farm to this beautifully illustrated book, making it a must-have for any gardener or flower enthusiast.

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or a complete beginner, Mathis’s step-by-step advice on planting, growing, and harvesting sweet peas is incredibly approachable. She breaks down everything from the history of sweet peas to tips for creating show-stopping floral arrangements. The book is bursting with vibrant photos of sweet peas in full bloom, along with a range of gorgeous varieties that will inspire you to start your own flower garden.

Mathis shares more than just gardening tips—her personal journey of becoming a flower farmer adds a personal touch to the book, making it feel like you're learning from a friend who just happens to be a floral expert. Plus, if you’ve ever dreamed of turning your love for flowers into a business, she gives a peek into life on her Farmhouse Flower Farm, where the magic happens.

Whether you're looking to brighten up your garden or create floral masterpieces, Sweet Pea School offers all the tools you need to cultivate and appreciate these delightful blooms. It’s a perfect gift for anyone who loves flowers—or even for yourself, if you’re ready to dive into the world of sweet peas! 🌸💐

I am embarking on a cut flower garden adventure for next year and one flower that I am unsure if I am going to be able to successfully grow is sweet peas. I'm intimidated.

Thankfully, this book is written so well that I feel that I have gained enough knowledge that I will give it a go and hope for the best. I think without having read this I wouldn't feel like it is a flower that I can start from seed.

We shall see if I am successful or not. Regardless, it is a beautiful book for flower lovers.

What a lovely book! From its photographs to the descriptions and history, this tome is clearly well put together and informative for any sweet pea lover.

Beautifully written book and stunning photos. A perfect read for gardeners and sweet pea fans, both experienced and total novice growers. I particularly liked Marryn's background story of how she fell in love with sweet peas. The instruction and guidance on everything associated with the plants, from sowing your first seeds through to creating stunning displays and/or collecting seeds for next year, is perfectly pitched. I've grown sweet peas many times over the years but I've picked up some great tips and already found myself reaching for the seed catalogues to find some new varieties. This book would also make a great gift for someone hard to buy for. Thank you goes to Chronicle Books for allowing me to preview via Netgalley.

I really do feel like I have been to Sweet Pea School after reading this book. It truly is a start to finish concept, with step by step help, like Marryn is right next to me, cheering me on and reassuring me that I can grow sweet peas. I especially appreciated the tips on seed starting and netting.

I have grown sweet peas, but not well, so I found loads of ideas and suggestions I could implement to set myself up for success. You will feel the same way after read Marryn’s book!