potager (pot-ah-zhay; French)

a kitchen garden usually taken to mean a formal, decorative kitchen garden

The potager at Villandry, France.

The french have such a fabulous way of presenting the humble little kitchen garden.  Originating back in 16th century France, everybody had one, from the grand aristocratic families to the humble little country farmer, it was the cool thing to do.  And why not?  The potager garden style is fun.

A potager garden is much more than just your average square vegetable plot plunked down in the corner of your yard. They are a more formal take on a kitchen garden.   Instead of straight rows and rows of veggies, you will find fantastic designs of fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers all mixed together in specific ways designed to create an overall effect.  Not only are they more aesthetic to look at, they are fun to plan and implement because you can let your  imagination  run wild.

In a potager garden you can play with shapes.  Sure you can do symmetrical shapes, such as these square plots shown above, which create a more formal feel, but you can also incorporate curves, patterns and even tunnels. You can incorporate pathways, water features and focal points like a charming bench or table to rest at, or something as dramatic as a statue.

It is these things which make a potager garden so much fun.  And it is these things which  I intend to explore and celebrate here at The Potager Garden among other kitchen garden styles.

Things have been quiet around here. We’re working on eating all the canned goodies I worked on last summer. And I should have been planning this years garden but I haven’t. I have vague ideas of what I want to do, but nothing specifically planned out yet.

By the way, I figured out why my potatoes were getting all shrivelly and sprouty. I had to re-read my Root Cellaring book in depth to figure out what my problem was. Not enough moisture and people leaving the light on in my storage room. So next year should be better now that I know that!

I should have ordered seeds and now we’re in the middle of February and if I was going the seed route I think I should be starting my spring crops but . . . . I’ve been super busy with some other things. So hang in there with me! I should hopefully be back in full force soon!