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Potager Gardens

If you could change one thing about your potager...

14 years ago

What would it be?

For me, I would have it big enough to include fruit trees, but I don't have enough room. It would be nice to have the space to have fruit trees, raspberries, strawberry beds and lots of asparagus, but right now I barely have room for the annuals :)

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Comments (17)

nycynthias
14 years ago
I'd love to have mine be already built! LOL!!
lulabellesview
14 years ago
Must I choose just one?

I adore my potager, but would change a few things in hindsight. The pathways could be just a tad wider (I think they are 2 1/2 feet) and the perimeter beds would be easier to access if they were not quite as deep (If I recall, they are about 4 feet deep). I love the quadrants just the way they are (4'x8').

As for plants, I think I'm going to remove the strawberry plants this year and place them outside of the potager. I feel as though they take up too much prime space. Also, I put Sunny Knock-Out rose bushes in two of the corners and was not at all impressed with them. They faded to white pretty quickly and the blooms were short-lived (I have Cherry Red Double Knock-Outs in another area and LOVE them.

My favorite perennials last year were Kim's Knee High coneflower and Mexican Sunflower. And my favorite herbs? I love them all.

Here is a link that might be useful: Lulabellesview
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natal
14 years ago
Lavender lass, when did you build your potager? Pics? I was under the impression it was still in the planning stages.
girlgroupgirl
14 years ago
Bigger.
I'm trying hard to make it much bigger, but the forces of nature have been toying with me....
ali-b
14 years ago
Yes, bigger. Last fall I slowly mowed over the two "natural" areas next to my garden, put down newspaper, and then all the leaves and grass clippings from the last fall mow went on top. But, it needs fencing.

And, speaking of forces of nature, I definitely need a new garden gate. At last check the old one was lying on the ground.
lavender_lass
Original Author
14 years ago
Natal- I have a great area for the potager, since my very nice husband moved the horse corral and the electric fence to give me a space almost 30' x 40'. It's not a huge garden, but the soil is wonderful. I have designed the potager on paper and am transferring the design onto dirt (LOL)

The space is much larger than my old area, but since I'm putting in what will eventually be a seating area with a grape arbor (large garden space this year, as I save up my pennies) there isn't enough room for fruit trees and perennials. I have a nice perimeter bed for tomatoes, salad greens and smaller veggies and another bed in the middle with three arches, where I can grow climbing beans, cherry tomatoes, small summer squash, etc.

Next year, I hope to reclaim the space behind the old farmhouse (weeds and grass now) and put in a big vegetable bed for corn, potatoes, pumpkins, broccoli, root vegetables and hopefully, raspberries and asparagus. The strawberries will probably be groundcover in the flower garden and the fruit trees will have to find space elsewhere.

I'll try to take some picutres, once there's something to see, but right now it's too muddy to do more than stake out the area and wait for it to dry out a bit :)
ali-b
14 years ago
lavender,
What are your arches going to be? I've been toying with ideas for hubby's hopyard (he brews his own beer). I thought about putting in a series of 5' posts (maybe 2x2) about 4' apart with an arch of PVC attached to the top of each pair of posts. I'm hoping the effect would be like a 10' long archway tunnel. I'd let the hops grow up and over the arches. It would be neat to stroll under.
lavender_lass
Original Author
14 years ago
That sounds like a great idea!

The arches I'm using are metal arches you assemble yourself, from a local store. I got some for mom last year (they were on sale for $20 a piece in the spring and fall) and I wish I'd gotten more. Now they're $50 each...but I'm waiting until they go back on sale, hopefully this spring.

At the end of the arches, in the perimeter bed, I'm going to put a little "mushroom" table and two "stump" stools for the little kids to sit on. It should be really cute. I've been thinking of using pvc pipe and lattice for an arbor over the seating area, since it's so hot in the summer. It would be a great place to grow some little gourds of maybe more cherry tomatoes :)
Donna
14 years ago
I'm happy with the potager I have, but this year, I am going to add a boxwood "fence" around it. It needs more structure to remain attractive in the winter. I am also holding out hope that my DH will install my pergola/swing this year too. It's so nice to have the beds done and be able to just "prettify" this year!

lullabelle, I would recommend you try the rose "Carefree Sunshine". It is a lovely lemon yellow (no gold tones) single bloomer and blooms all summer. The color does not fade. It was developed by the Knockout Rose people and at least in our area, it is superior in every way to the Sunny Knockout.
mrtoad
14 years ago
i would install a snow remover or a least a warmer :)

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v453/alycetoad/DSCN2118.jpg[/IMG]
mrtoad
14 years ago
i would install a snow remover or a least a warmer :)
ali-b
14 years ago
mrtoad-But, what better way to enjoy the structure of your garden. I love your layout. Your obelisks are fantastic. Self-built? I would love to see some summer pics.
natal
14 years ago
Mrtoad, it's beautiful even covered in snow. I second Ali's request ... show us more!
lavender_lass
Original Author
14 years ago
It is a beautiful garden. I bumped his fall color garden pictures back to the top :)
mrtoad
14 years ago
thanks all for your kind words - lavender lass, my garden is almost the same size as your - my garden is about 40x20 - note in snow photo above - right side of photo - two espalier apple trees - candelabra shape - the obelisks are self built

ali-b & natal - i will post more photos later in the spring -

mr toad
lavender_lass
Original Author
14 years ago
mr toad- What a good idea to have the apple trees espaliered along the edge of the garden! I am going to cheat a little and put two dwarf apple trees along the back of the "fairy garden" which is close to the potager.

If I wasn't leaving such a big area for the grape arbor, I would have more room, but I've always wanted a big grape arbor with a table and chairs underneath. Our neighbor had one years ago and I just loved it! He had the most wonderful concord grapes and would let us eat all we wanted...great guy. When he moved, the new owners cut down all the grapes :(

If I had been older, I would have tried to save a few starts, but I was only about 8 years old at the time. However, it has inspired me to plan my entire kitchen garden around the grape arbor!
lulabellesview
14 years ago
donnabaskets - thanks for the 'Carefree Sunshine' recommendation! I'm going to try them this year.

mrtoad - gorgeous potager (looks like a winter wonderland) and funny comment about installing a snow remover :)

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