Inspired by ~ French Kitchen Gardens

Perhaps it was the White Flower Farm summer catalogue that arrived in my mailbox last week. Maybe it was the fresh spring rain, or news of the Organic Garden at the White House, or our hopes to buy a first house this year. Whatever the reason, I suddenly can’t stop thinking about gardening. In particular, what has really captured my imagination is the whole idea of the potager garden, which is the French version of a kitchen garden. But potager has a more romantic ring to it, n’est-ce pas? A potager is planned with both utility and beauty in mind, providing not only vegetables but also fresh herbs and cut flowers, all in a relatively small space.

{Michael Devine’s garden, photo from Country Living}

If you are planning your first garden as I am, it can be all too easy to get carried away by the literally thousands of varieties of plants in those glossy garden catalogues, and the rows and rows of gorgeousness at your local nursery. But working within the framework of a potager garden, you can keep it small and beautiful. Let’s take a look at the basic elements that go into creating a French kitchen garden…

Choosing a Site – You will certainly want to choose a location that gets plenty of sun, but also keep in mind that part of the appeal of the potager garden is its proximity to the kitchen!

Garden Design – Measure out your space and then sketch out a few rough design ideas on paper. Think about how many beds you would like to have, where the pathways should go, and if you want to leave room around the edges or in the center for anything else (birdbath? strawberry pots? fruit trees?).

Raised Beds – I am a big fan of raised beds: they give your plants better drainage, they don’t strain your back while weeding, and they are the perfect solution if you have very poor soil. A raised bed should be no wider than 4-5 feet, so that you can easily reach the center of the bed from either side. Just about anything can be used to build a raised bed; I found a few good tutorials here, here, and here.

{Plan for a Potager Garden, photo from Country Living}

Plant Selection – A potager garden typically includes a mix of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and climbing plants, all mixed within each bed to add to the visual appeal. The beds tend to be quite full of plants – no neat rows, here! Try planting chamomile, thyme, and ground creeping plants below taller vegetables to keep weeds at bay. Sunset has a wonderful plant finder that lets you search by climate zone, type of plant (herb, veggie, flower, etc.), sun and water requirements, and even height and spread.

The Second Season – Another typical feature of the potager garden is the second planting – done in mid-to late summer in the East and Midwest, or from August-October in the West, these plants are meant to be harvested when the leaves are still delicate and small. Some good choices for a second harvest include radishes, lettuces, spinach, and chard.

Small Space Variations – Even if you do not have a yard, you can still keep the spirit of the potager garden on a patio, terrace, balcony, deck, or even in a few sunny windowboxes. Look for smaller varieties of vegetables that won’t feel cramped in containers, and plant a few nice big pots of mixed herbs and flowers. Just being able to snip a few fresh herbs to add to an omelet and cut a posie of flowers to set on the table can make life a little sweeter.

{Lovely Example of a Kitchen Garden, photo from Vegetable Gardener}

I hope this has inspired you to think about your garden in a new way! Feel free to share your gardening tips in the comments section, or share your gardening plans, wishes, or desires for this year.

No related posts.