Sweetpeas?

How hardy are sweetpeas? Can they be planted out mid to late march and how far apart should they be planted? My grandpa always grew the most amazing deep purple sweetpeas that smelt gorgeous(can anyone recomend a variety that matches that?) and i would love to plant some in his honour.

 

I wouldn't put them out until APril/May, depending on where you live, although they're classed as hardy annuals.

Here's a link to Thompson and Morgan, to a list of sweetpeas they have as seeds, where you can read the details about how strongly scented each one is, as well as see the photos of them

http://seeds.thompson-morgan.com/uk/en/form/dlist/name/sweet?er=googleuk;term=sweet+peas

There are perennial sweet-peas too, but they don't generally have a scent.

 

Unwins are quite good for sweet peas
http://www.unwinsdirect.co.uk/rkMain.asp?PAGEID=20658
I wonder if you would be bter going for the old fashioned varieties
Plant World seeds do some of the old fashoined highly scented varieties
http://www.plant-world-seeds.com/store/search_for_item
Secret seeds do old varieties
http://www.secretseeds.com/acatalog/Climbers.html
but you have to look them up under climbers as Lathyrus odoratus

 

I sowed sweetpeas in a patio pot around december.
They are covered with a cloche and are doing well.
They are about 4in high now.