Pretty Potagers Blend Beauty and Bounty
Ah, the art of the French potager – where beauty and bounty come together in perfect harmony. As I gaze out my window here in southwest France, I’m captivated by the ever-changing tapestry unfolding in our new kitchen garden. The fresh greens of spring are replacing the dull gray shades of winter, and sunshine streams through the front door, signaling the arrival of longer, warmer days.
Nature’s cues are telling me it’s time to get my hands dirty and attend to the potager. You see, I’ve cultivated many gardens in my lifetime, from a single row of strawberries in the Midwest to a large coffee and avocado farm on the side of a volcano in Hawaii. But no matter the size or location, a common theme has always emerged: I plant a mix of favorite vegetables, fruits, flowers, and herbs that produce throughout the seasons. This, my friend, is the very essence of a French potager.
In France, the potager has been an important part of country life for centuries. Literally, the French word ‘potager’ means “for the soup pot,” reflecting the deep connection between our gardens and the simple, seasonal meals we prepare. Since medieval times, French gardeners have carefully intermingled vegetables, fruits, herbs, and even flowers in their beds, always considering the beauty and usefulness of each plant.
Lessons from Villandry
If you’re looking for historical inspiration, you must add Château Villandry in the Loire Valley to your must-visit list. This kitchen garden is the high point of any visit, even compared to the château itself. Villandry’s potager consists of squares planted with different geometric motifs of vegetables and flowers, demonstrating the French gardener’s attention to color, texture, and companion planting.
Everything in this potager is thoughtfully considered, from the feathery greens of the carrots artfully placed alongside the red leaf lettuce, to the careful juxtaposition of the blue leek tops against the vibrant red cabbage and beetroot. The result is nothing short of spectacular – a true masterpiece of form and function.
Designing Your Own Potager
While our new kitchen garden at Glandines won’t be as grand as Villandry’s walled wonder, I’m determined to create a space that is both beautiful and bountiful. Despite its modest size, I’ll figure out how to fit all my heart’s desires into several distinct sections: a culinary garden, salad garden, tea garden, dye garden, cutting garden, and medicinal garden.
You see, the joy of a potager is that it can be adapted to suit your own needs and desires. It can be as small as a few clay pots on an apartment balcony or as large as you can manage. The main premise is that as you harvest, you then plant something new in its place for the next season. It’s a cyclical process, not a linear one, where each crop finishes its production, and the space is cleared, composted, and replanted.
Laying the Groundwork
In our new potager, I’ve already requested three tuteurs to hold the pole beans and cucumbers, and I’ve set aside the perfect spot for a small table and two chairs – a place to rest after weeding and enjoy some lavender lemonade. The hardscape, like fences, gates, and trellises, is not easily changed, so it’s important to plan that carefully from the start.
Perennials, too, need some forethought, as they’ll be in your garden for years to come. And don’t forget to consider which plants self-sow easily – you may not want that mustard taking over the back garden!
Planting for Beauty and Bounty
When it comes to the actual planting, I love to use a mix of colorful, edible plants to create a beautiful, quilt-like tapestry. Vibrant foliage is key, so I’ll be planting blocks of flowers, vegetables, fruits, and herbs next to one another to achieve a truly dramatic display.
I also plan to plant my crops in tight, snug beds rather than traditional rows. This not only gives a more ornamental look, but it helps suppress weeds and maximizes every inch of space. And of course, I’ll be smoothing out the edges with clean paths and borders to really define the space.
The Joy of the Potager
The wonderful thing about a potager is that it satisfies both requirements – a thing of beauty and a joy for dinner. As Karen from Living a French Life so eloquently puts it, “I like to be close to the food I eat. I receive pleasure from seeing it grow, knowing there are no harmful chemicals added.”
Whether you have a sprawling estate or a petite patio, I encourage you to embrace the art of the French potager. Blend beauty and bounty in a space that nourishes both your body and your soul. Who knows, you might even find yourself speaking a bit of French as you tend to your flourishing kitchen garden. À bientôt, mon ami!
And of course, don’t forget to visit ABC Home for all your building and renovation needs to help bring your potager dreams to life.
