Some years ago, when the giant FordHook Silver beet was still in vogue and beautiful girls would dress in string tied dyed dresses, listen to Carole King while sitting on doorsteps and pleating their hair; there passed a time when Sweet Peas were abundant in people’s gardens.

 All gone now, haven’t laid eyes on Sweet Peas for ages. Not even here in Bowral; a traditional haven for lush gardens, thick with superannuated retirees with green fingers and red cardigans. Many have special knee pads and shuffle about tending lovely gardens.

 I went through a stage of keenly growing those lovely climbing Sweet Pea flowers. You knew summer had almost arrived when the Sweet Pea was climbing a foot a night and the flowers were coming faster than you could pick them.

What has happened to them? Is even the world of growing things now so fickle as to be subject to fashion as well?  What next, will roses disappear? I have noticed that the Boxes are all the rage now. English box (Buxus sempervirens) or Japanese box (Buxus microphylla Japonica. Rows and rows of them with many shaped into submission by electric shears that shriek away almost in every street here in the Southern Highlands. There are round boxes, pyramid boxes, square boxes, and even double layered boxes. It is all firmly in hands, don’t worry. But, not a Sweet Pea in sight.

Perhaps, the very strict instruction on how to grow Sweet Peas might have had something to do with their demise. I was amazed at the time that the ticket dangling from the Sweet Pea seedlings had me somewhat intimidated. I ended up buying stakes and chicken wire, all according to the instructions. I nervously planted them and absolutely forced them facing north.

I also did an etching.