Dr Keith Hammett                         Dr Keith Hammett was born in the UK in 1942 and graduated from the University of Southampton with a BSc in Botany in 1963 and a PhD in 1967. He was recruited by the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research in 1967 and emigrated to a very successful career as a government scientist involved in research into a wide range of alternative fruit crops for New Zealand growers.

               As a boy Keith's first love was Dahlias and he still has a world renowned breeding programme in this popular variety. Sweet Peas were also a childhood interest and he has been breeding them for the greater part of his life. Keith has been responsible for a number of significant achievements in sweet pea breeding, not least of which is the first hybridisation between Lathyrus Odoratus, the old fashioned Sweet Pea and Lathyrus Bellenensis a yellow species from Turkey. This cross was made in an attempt to produce the elusive yellow sweet pea but this goal has not been achieved so far! However, the cross has yielded some unique flower colours, including 'Mamma Mia',  a stunning bi colour with the unique pink and blue colour combination.

              Keith's breeding work on sweet peas, Dahlias and Clivias continues at his home in New Zealand and Keith tells me that many exciting new varieties are still to come very soon. Keith was awarded the Queen's Service Medal (QSM) in the 2008 New Zealand New Year's Honours list for services to horticulture.

Here is Keith's famous Sweet Pea, Royalty (Blue Vein) This most incredible variety has achieved stardom with the Royal Horticultural Society, orange being one of the most difficult colours to breed. Here Keith exquisitely creates this most heavenly of varieties. Subtle shades of orange are entwined with feathered violet blue veins making Royalty a firm favourite with sweet pea lovers, gardeners, judges and breeders alike. Royalty is featured in the current, April 2009 edition of "The Gardener", the Royal Horticultural Society's magazine.