THE sweet smell of success is in the air for Carhampton-based sweet pea grower Peter King after he won two cups at a prestigious flower show attended by some of the best in the business.

Peter relocated his company Somerset Sweet Peas to Carhampton last year and was modest about his achievement, merely saying he had done "rather well".

In fact, he took home the Burpee Cup for the best three vases distinct and the A W Gower Seedling Cup for the best seedling in the National Sweet Pea Society's Early Show in Christchurch.

As yet, the prize-winning seedling is unnamed, although Peter said he was thinking of calling his prize bloom Somerset Lady.

"I've been growing for ten years now and I generally do OK in shows, but I was pleased with this one," he said.

Peter supplies both seeds and plants across the country and is proud to grow and harvest all his own stock in West Somerset.

His collection includes the top 20 "exhibition cultivars", including fancy, stripes, picotee, old fashioned, extreme scented and dwarf varieties of the popular plant.

Photo: Steve Guscott