Days to Maturity: 100

A prized English heirloom, dating back to 1890, ‘Champion of England’ is a seed vegetable that Charles Darwin once called the best pea in all England. This tall shelling pea sets plump pods, each packed with 8 to 10 large, sugary sweet peas. If you haven’t tasted peas fresh out of the garden, you really haven’t tasted peas at all.

This hardy herbaceous annual plant is a member of the legume family (Leguminosae or Fabaceae). ‘Champion of England’ produces heavy yields and grows vigorously, forming a tendril-bearing vine that should be grown on a support, a pea fence, or a trellis. It’s tall, vertical growth uses space efficiently, making it a great option for small gardens.

Easy to grow, ‘Champion of England’ prefers a full sun location with rich, moist, well-draining soil. Nitrogen-fixing plants, peas naturally improve the soil in which they are planted by taking nitrogen from the air and convertin