What is a potager? The word potager in French means kitchen garden. Over the years the word has changed to mean a kitchen or herb garden. I am sure Julia Child had her own potager in the 1960's. This garden is laid out in a geometrical shape. It sounds so French, and I love it. The shapes of the beds should either be circular, square or rectangular. The divisions can be made with hedges or different paths. The inspiration for a potager comes from the time of Louis XIV, and the famous gardens of Versailles. I would suggest a visit to the outskirts of Paris, or watch the film, Midnight in Paris. You will fall in love all over again.
If you want an herbal potager it doesn't have to be a large space. You can reserve a small part of your flower beds for a small potager. You must know the shapes and sizes of the herbs so one herb does not overgrow another. For example if you planted rosemary next to Angelica--you may never see the rosemary as it is a shrub and angelica is a very tall stately plant. Try to research your herbs to achieve an overall balance. If you do not prop up the taller herbs with stakes, they will flop over and the whole concept of peaceful, serene potager is lost.
A friend of mine has made a potager of culinary herbs. It was exquisite with exact 8 by 8 squares of different culinary herbs. He had thyme, rosemary, basil, spearmint, verbena and hyssop in his culinary potager.
Here is a list of my favorite culinary herbs for your new potager.
1. Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
2. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
3. Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
4. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilcum)
5. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
6. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
7. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
8. Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
One plant I love in the garden which is not a culinary herb is Foxglove.
If you want an herbal potager it doesn't have to be a large space. You can reserve a small part of your flower beds for a small potager. You must know the shapes and sizes of the herbs so one herb does not overgrow another. For example if you planted rosemary next to Angelica--you may never see the rosemary as it is a shrub and angelica is a very tall stately plant. Try to research your herbs to achieve an overall balance. If you do not prop up the taller herbs with stakes, they will flop over and the whole concept of peaceful, serene potager is lost.
A friend of mine has made a potager of culinary herbs. It was exquisite with exact 8 by 8 squares of different culinary herbs. He had thyme, rosemary, basil, spearmint, verbena and hyssop in his culinary potager.
Here is a list of my favorite culinary herbs for your new potager.
1. Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculus)
2. English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
3. Spearmint (Mentha spicata)
4. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilcum)
5. Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)
6. Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis)
7. Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)
8. Myrtle (Myrtus communis)
One plant I love in the garden which is not a culinary herb is Foxglove.
Top photograph: Bobeli Gardens in Florence, Italy
Bottom two photographs: Gardens of Versailles, France
Until tomorrow...
Until tomorrow...
Your blog got me thinking. I found some interesting information.
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