That sounds wonderful, especially the play area for the kids. Cant wait to see pics. As you know, we started a potager. We worked all weekend and got almost all of the beds in, most of the fence, beds filled, and started tilling. I even got my strawberries and raspberry planted this evening. I am going to update my pics soon.
Tammy

Yes, I'm putting in a potager. Yesterday the cedar fence posts went up (and up and UP... the north fence will have 8 ft. high posts for climbing roses and with no plants yet, it looks like a line of totem poles) and the manure got rototilled in. I can't make the paths and beds until my return from a west coast rose trip of 2 weeks length. Very frustrating to start the potager and leave it unfinished. But at least ( in a separate small bed) the peas are in, and the garlics planted last fall growing big.

It's so exciting to finally have the potager being made. I'm thinking about my bed shapes and placements and what to grow where, all the time!

Carol

I'm doing a kind of potager in my former flower beds that were taken out by our gardener in the back of our house (that's a long story!) After attending a flower & garden show, and viewing the display gardens that showed veggies amongst the flowers, I decided to try that in the beds. It will not be a formal potager but more casually planted, if that makes sense.

lavendar - I like your ideas! Have you seen the book The Family Garden by Jan and Michael Gertley. They've got some really cool ideas. One includes pavers painted with a hop scotch board at the entrance. One I really like is a round bed filled with flowers marking out the hours with a large sundial in the center - a flower clock.

I expanded the width of my garden to include a hop yard. I made 3 trellises about 5 feet wide and 8 1/2 feet high for the hops. I worked all Saturday and got the trellises lined up and the hops planted. At one end of the tunnel will be corn and at the other end blueberries. I think along one side I'll be squeezing in some yellow/green zucchini. I have 2 more trellises to make. A 4th to the "tunnel" which will have either cukes or beans. And a linking trellis to the rest of the garden. That should have "black pearl" and "italian ice" cherry tomatoes on it.

Phew. Still so many things to get done.

These are all such lovely and unique ideas!

In answer to your original question, lavender_lass, yes, I am putting in a new potager this year. Mine is a rather small one, a total of 24'x24' including paths. Very excited, but OMG am I glad we didn't try to make it larger because it is a huge amount of work! The site where we're putting it had about a 9" rise over 24 feet, so we had to dig out that whole little hillside and level the whole shebang. That's done. We built the boxes (8 4x4 raised beds of about 14" tall) over the winter, so they're done. We're using 2x6" lumber as the outer edge of the entire potager to hold in the gravel and define the edges; that frame is now built, installed & leveled. Landscape fabric is in place over the whole bottom of the 24x24' square (I'm going to cut it out from the inside of the boxes though' it's really only there to give a foundation for the gravel). Gravel has begun to be shlepped in by hand, which is no small feat given where the potager will be in proximity to the driveway, where the gravel was dumped. Right about now my back wishes we had hired someone to do this! LOL
I know we're going to miss the spring planting season, obviously, but we'll definitely be ready for the warm season veggies to go in on time, so that's the most important thing to me this year. I'll have fun experimenting with autumn-sowing cool season veggies too.
My quite small potager will include: strawberries, asparagus (maybe not this year since the plants arrived about 10 days ago and we're not ready for them yet), plenty of herbs, several lettuces, 3 types of onion, tomatoes, cukes, zucchini, fava beans (already planted in-ground off to one side), swiss chard, celeriac, turnips, parsnips, hot and sweet peppers, radishes, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, leeks, shallots, and beans. Hopefully peas in the autumn too, if they grow. Whew! For flowers I'm including nasturtiums, marigolds, zinnias, german chamomile, and some morning glories on the nearby fence.
There are also blueberry bushes on the way, though how exactly they will relate to the potager I have yet to decide.

The plan for next year is to add an arbor planted with climbing roses, leading out to a crescent of gravel on one end of the potager. Inside the crescent we'd like to put two dwarf fruit trees, and two clipped boxwoods in containers.

We are starting ours this year but I am not sure how much will go in at this point. The fence posts are up, staking out an area that is 60 x 30 but it seems like every time I go out there, there is a need to tweak the plan and I lose planting space. One issue is we are building many beds out of rock and those take up some of the space and we had to widen paths to 3 feet.

As we watched the wind this spring, we were reminded just how bad it gets so we purchased 6 blue point junipers for a windbreak (got lucky and found some large ones for $40 at Home Depot). We also found a nice arbor on clearance at Lowe's (was $500, marked down to $200). This will have a clematis and a rose climbing it, eventually. Our centerpiece bed will have a tree rose that will be underplanted with parsley, strawberries and borage.

This seemed like a big area but I think in the future I will have to expand and I may just build a circular potager for the kids eventually where I can put more crops. Alas, much of what I hoped to get accomplished in the garden will have to wait as we have had 2 hot water leaks within a weeks time, both surrounded by cabinetry. I still hope to plant some green manures to build the soil for the beds that will not get in this year.

Wow, so many great ideas! And, now I don't feel so alone with all of the work that I've planned for myself. I was teasing my husband and said I was going out to the garden "to play,-er-work" He laughed and said "I guess it is play for you."

I hope everyone can get some progress pics up. Love to see those...

Hey lavenderlass, I suspect we live on the same side of the mountains!

I am completely re-vamping/finishing the Potager this week. I have had this one for two years now and decided that it was looking tired and not what wanted so I am putting in a new fence and finishing the addition to the garden. I will definitely post pics to show. Getting the fencing in and arbor done is the biggest task at hand. Wish me luck!

koicool1
What kind of fence? That's on my agenda too. I think I'll work on it in parts and slowly replace the not so stunning chicken wire. I need to keep the expenses down so I've been trying to think of options that will look good but not break the budget.

Koicool- I'm on a farm on the north end of the Palouse (about forty-five minutes southeast of Spokane). We're pretty close to Idaho, so it's a lot colder here and we have a shorter growing season. We're on the edge of the Palouse, so we still have trees and creeks mixed in with the fields and pastures.

Can't wait to see pictures of everyone's potager! It was snowing here most of last week and now it's raining, but it's supposed to warm up and maybe I can finally get out and dig. I hope it looks as good on the ground as it does in my head and on paper :)

here is the one we're working on. I just put up some updated pics on the blog. Still loads of work to do. Its only 3 4x8 beds, and a perimeter bed. I wanted 4, but we needed to make it smaller and in actuality, its probably going to be plenty to care for.
Tammy

I put one in last year. It got torn up at the end of the year when we had irrigation installed, so I feel like I'm starting over. So frustrating! But worth it in the long run.

Tammy- Your garden looks great! I can't wait to see how it's all going to look when you're finished :)

I am planning mine now. Hubby will build it. It's going to be smaller than my last one but I hope still beautiful. The last one was 36x36 (I think). Since I am working now, I cannot maintain that. Hoping that 18 x 20 will work. I just have to stop starting so many seeds! I still plan on putting beds around the potager so that I can plant flowering shrubs and flowers to attract beneficial insects.
Tammy, you have a great garden. You'll be surprised at how much you can plant in those beds.

southshore, I am also planning on beds around mine as well.This one ended up being 15x26.I would have liked a perimeter bed in front, but hubby didnt want it extending towards the house that much further. with a bed in front, that would have brought it almost to the retaining wall. I am wanting to put a seating area off to the right, which will be under the trees and in the shade.I think we will go with a really dark stain, so it kinda disappears into the landscape.
Tammy

We're starting from scratch too this year, and I feel like we're getting a late start! I'm inspired by everyone's ideas and can't wait to get everything in place! We had a lovely potager a couple of years ago that I've been missing terribly! I'll be looking forward to seeing update pics on everyone's projects! Here's my last potager. I'll post new pics when I actually get some plants in the ground lol!

marikay, that is lovely! So orderly.

Beautiful marikay! You have a wonderful flat area to put it. We are working with a slope. Cant wait to see pics of yours when done too.
TAmmy

Late to the thread, but I did just recently introduce myself and explain my potager plans, so no need to repeat. Everyone's plans sound wonderful! I really enjoy the pictures especially in different stages of development.

Why is there no gallery for this forum?

tammyinwv
What progress! It's a garden already. I like how your perimeter beds look with the inside beds.

marikay, That long line of lettuce is very attractive as an edging.

Still A LOT of work to do yet ali_b. The strawberries are in that far bed. I like the way marikay's lettuce looks as an edging as well.
Tammy

juliegardens247, I have wondered why there's no gallery for potagers too! They're sooooo pretty, and we all get so many great ideas from one another's pictures.

I am in such awe of the photos and descriptions of potagers here. What inspiration!

I did a potager two years ago, a much smaller one than what it sounds like folks here are doing. Couldn't keep it up last year (hip replacement) so really, I am starting over. I'm so excited I hardly know where to begin! I've gotten some beds tilled and the bean trellises screwed back together. And our city has free compost which is great, I get a bucket or two every time I go by the city yard. I'm about ready to plant.

One question I have - what does everyone have for paths in their garden? Permanent materials or something else? Last time I used salt marsh hay but wasn't crazy about it. I'd love to hear what others use.

So happy to see this forum - Hope I hear from you!

Donna

What do folks use for their potager pathways? I am "rebuilding" my potager this year and need to figure something out soon; I've used salt marsh hay in the past and it's not the greatest.

Will appreciate any ideas - Thanks -

Donna

In the planning stages now - hoping to have it done in time for winter planting!

I'm building one right now. I live in town, so my backyard is small. The overall size will be 15' wide x 17' long. It will have four 4x4 beds made of stacked blue stone in a quadrant pattern with field stone stepper paths (30" wide). I'm also putting a brick circle in the center where the paths intersect just as a decorative feature. The entire thing will be surrounded by a perimeter planting of perennials and a picket fence.

I am so impressed by everyone who has specific plans for what you are planting. I have a general sense that I want a few veggies, lots of herbs and some perennials. I just want to get the darn stone in! I have two pallets of it sitting in my backyard right now. I did cultivate and level the area somewhat. I'll be using the stone itself to level the beds in the still slightly sloped area.

Here's a pic I posted in the cottage garden forum of the layout. I'll be painting the little building you see a cottage-y green and adding shutters, painted window box, etc. I'm also have the roof redone with corrugated galvanized metal so that it has a cottage-y/potting shed look.

Lisa
{{gwi:658851}}

How neat! I like how you have it all chalked out. All those flowering trees and shrubs around look so picturesque.

Lisa, that is soooo pretty! I love the idea of the stacked bluestone beds, particularly. It's going to have such a beautiful feel, especially with the small outbuildings giving it a sense of enclosure.

I am planning on a new potager garden this year too. It is great to see other peoples plans and designs. I am considering either a circular or oval design, with a central bed and then sort of "pie-slice with the first bite gone" shaped beds around the outside. My fantasy is an espaliered fruit tree fence, but I know that will take years to look right. I have been a flower gardener for years and have avoided edibles because I was more interested in aesthetics. A potager should be able to feed both my artistic sensibilities and my belly !

I am planning on a new potager garden this year too. It is great to see other peoples plans and designs. I am considering either a circular or oval design, with a central bed and then sort of "pie-slice with the first bite gone" shaped beds around the outside. My fantasy is an espaliered fruit tree fence, but I know that will take years to look right. I have been a flower gardener for years and have avoided edibles because I was more interested in aesthetics. A potager should be able to feed both my artistic sensibilities and my belly !

Mandolls- That sounds like a beautiful potager plan. What do you plan to put in the center? Espaliered fruit trees are a lot of work, but it would be fun to have an edible fence :)

Mandolls, I totally relate to your interest in balancing the edible and artistic aspects of gardening. Please post pictures as you make progress! I'd love to see them.

Lisa

WOW! mandolls, that sounds so beautiful!

Thanks for the encouragement! I have to finish digging for the expanded dahlia bed and get them in before I can even begin on this project so I may be another week (especially since we have rain forecasted for the next few days)

This year, for the center island, I am planning on a group of extra tall bamboo teepees with beans and nasturtium vines growing up them, surrounded by ornamental kales and cabbages. I am sure that I will be placing something sculptural (non-vegetable) in there at some point, but I'll have to wait and see what I come up with. This is definitely going to be a long term on-going project! I will try to document the whole thing as it happens and post in this forum when it starts shaping up.

I built mine by myself last year. It needs some refinement but it's functioning!

Oh, I like it. I'm getting green looking at the fence you put in. Is that plastic deer/rabbit fencing or wire stapled around? Did you trench it in the ground?

It's really very charming.