Shelleybean,
They were easy to grow in my garden. I'd give em a shot! Just improve the soil, plant
bush vars, and water well. They do the rest.
Of course if I wanted to get a larger crop in small space, I'd grow trellised (pole) varieties. But that takes a bit of work.
In N. Houston (Zone 8b/9a), we can start sugar snap/snow peas December 7th through January 21th. Duane, since you're a bit warmer climate (9b/10a?), I'd sow seeds December 14th. I think I started mine early January which was a tad late but it was just frigid outside! Next year I will probably start mid-December so maybe they'll be done and ready to pull in mid-March when I am wanting to plant bush beans or some other crop.
I can buy bagged sugar snaps and snow peas at the grocery store, so really I was growing them for the curiosity of it, and because it makes a good rotation crop since it actually improves the soil, and the because ones at the store are kinda pricey.
Because I don't have enough projects
I am thinking of a small garden bed in the front of the house with brightly painted timbers that will house decorative vegetables. I'd start with sweet peas with different colors, perhaps a cherry tomato plant, decorative but useful pepper varieties, clearly labeled hot (picante) and sweet in English and Spanish, and some herbs that the local ethnicities of our community would appreciate.