students at Hadlow College are growing peas. This in itself is not unusual - a pea crop is particularly useful academically when familiarising new horticulture students with basic growing techniques. What is unusual is that these particular peas are the sweet flowering types and were chosen for a particular reason.

Horticulture lecturer Stefan Jordan came up with the idea of growing sweet peas with the intention of selling them to support the charity Help for Heroes (H4H)*. Set up by Bryn Parry in the latter part of 2007, the charity was launched with the intention of providing better facilities for wounded British servicemen and women. Formerly a member of The Royal Greenjackets, cartoonist Parry had the idea after visiting wounded soldiers being treated in Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham. The charity has attracted numerous high-profile patrons and trustees, has the support of the British Army Benevolent Fund and the ministry of defence, and is profiled and supported by several national newspapers.

Jordan’s idea is simple yet effective. Seeds are being sown in two batches. One sowing took place this month, the other will happen in February. The seeds have been donated by Richard Massey of Simply Sweet Peas. The varieties selected are Red Ensign (to represent the Army), Blue Velvet ( to represent the Navy) and Leamington ( to signify the Royal Air Force).

The college intends to sell the plants just as they are coming into flower. The students will act as salespeople and the plants will be available at a number of events in which the college is involved next year, such as the Kent County Agricultural Society Show. Interest in buying some of the plants has also been expressed by a designer who will be exhibiting at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. In addition, the college is developing the idea in connection with its Schools Programme, in the hope of achieving further support for H4H.

Hadlow students involved in this project will have the benefit of being involved in growing a crop from sowing to harvest within an academic year. Jordan remarks that peas are ideal as an introductory crop. He says: “The seeds germinate very quickly in glasshouse or similar conditions, which is particularly helpful in school projects because some youngsters become disengaged if they don’t achieve fairly quick results.”

Horticulture students selected the seeds and then formed a production line to make paper pots. The compost was then mixed, the pots filled and the seeds sown. They now have the job of taking care of the peas until maturity and this has to include ensuring their plants are in flower at exactly the right times to coincide with Hadlow’s involvement at various venues.

This sort of situation always results in healthy competition between the students to see who can achieve the most successful results - no doubt this will also include whose crop benefits the charity the most! In this particular case, timing is going to be a very important factor - perfect flowers at the wrong time won’t fulfil the criteria. It is likely that some of the students will want to compete with the college’s head gardener, Alex Rennie, who has exhibited sweet peas at the Kent County Agricultural Society Show and won top gold medals for three successive years, plus a best in show award. But they might find challenging Rennie’s expertise is carrying competition just a little too far... l

*The initial aim of H4H was to raise the £5 million required to enhance facilities, including provision of a new gym and full-size swimming pool, at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre in Headley, Surrey. Since then, millions more have been raised by individuals and groups in all age groups and from all walks of life. H4H was awarded the 2008 Sun Military Award for providing invaluable “help to the armed forces”.

Topics