The new potager

16 years ago

As some of you know, I've had a difficult time with my potager. The space I had for it is not large and kept shrinking. It started at 24' x 28' and was down to 20' x 20' when the well pump went out. Trucks had to drive up to the well to replace the pump and my space got even smaller, more like 14' x 12'. I had plans for a little place to sit with veggies, herbs and flowers and it was just too small for that plan. I told my husband that I could still fit in a few tomato beds and some herbs when he offered to help me find a new space for my potager.

He moved the horse corral and is going to move the horse fence back this spring, giving me a space about 50' x 40'. Very exciting! Now I can put in the grape arbor with dining table and chairs I've always wanted, a few beds for the nieces and nephews and a perimeter bed all the way around. The arbor will be 14' x 11' with grapes planted on the four corners. Pots of herbs can go on the patio underneath. Lots of tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, salad veggies, some broccoli and cabbage, melons and zucchini, climbing purple beans and baby peas, herbs, sunflowers, some lavender....kind of a mediterranean/provence style kitchen garden.

The old potager space will now be my tea/potpourri garden. I would like to have a small table with two chairs with roses, bee balm, lemon verbena, lavender, mints (some in pots) and maybe a climbing rose on a little arbor over the seating area. More of an english garden with herbs and some other fragrant flowers. It would be nice to put a bird bath in the center, with the snow pavement roses and red bee balm, maybe some violets and alpine strawberries around the edges.

While I'm still planning a more rustic farm-style vegetable garden for the corn, potatoes, pumpkins and winter squash, pole beans and other large vegetables, that may not begin until next year. I'd also like to have the space for asaparagus and raspberries, which might be in this garden too. There's a lot of grass and old weeds to clear out before I can really access this area, but that will be my planning project for next winter (LOL)

I had so much trouble planning the potager, but once I got the new space, both gardens came together very easily. Now, I just have to wait for it to warm up enough to go outside and start digging :)

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Comments (8)

girlgroupgirl
16 years ago
Lavender Lass, that's just wonderful that you are going to have so much more space! 12x14 is very small for a place if you add raised beds and paths, especially with perennial foods in there.
I can't wait to see your plans!
lavender_lass
Original Author
16 years ago
Girlgroupgirl- Thanks, it's fun drawing the plans up, and easier than actually digging! I hope to be able to get out and take some "before" pictures pretty soon. It's still very muddy, so it may be a while before I can do much.

This garden has been the only one that's been difficult to plan. The others don't need to be very big, so they're tucked in around the house or along a border, but for the potager, I really needed more space. My husband is such a sweetie for moving everything! He just says it's easier than digging up the grass, but I think he's glad to have the garden...and the seating area. I showed him some pictures of a grape arbor I saw on the rose forum and he thought it would be great to sit out and enjoy the view...and have some shade :)
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bugtussleok
16 years ago
I too am planning and my potager garden, I have the plans, know the veggies, flowers, herbs, and shrubs dwarf trees that will go in. Getting my hubby to "buy in" and quit throwing negatives as he is the "realist" and I the dreamer was more challenging than the maze design. Good luck and cant wait to see pictures
girlgroupgirl
16 years ago
Oh, yes, mud Lavender. It's putting my entire huge edible/ornamental garden on hold for now. I know it too well.

Bugtussleok, I want to see a maze design!!!!! My neighbor has a sort of maze design in his front yard potager and it's so nice.
lavender_lass
Original Author
16 years ago
My husband has been great about the garden and says he'll be happy to help me get it set up and frame in the beds, etc....but he was very clear that he does NOT weed :)

GGG- I know mud has been terrible for you. I hope that gets settled soon, so you can put your garden in.

Bugtussleok- A maze design sounds difficult, but fun! I hope you post pictures.
girlgroupgirl
16 years ago
Mud will not be settling any time soon. There are extenuating circumstances and I will be muddy for some time, I'm afraid. It is very frustrating and is ruining our property and one of our buildings. My hubby builds simple raised beds for me if I really need him to, and last year he dug and planted a square plot of corn and had about 35-40 ears of corn from it. I was quite proud of him. That was the first time he gardened. He chose a 9x9 foot square and took two days to carefully turn the soil. It was cute. I'd have had it turned and planted in two hours :)
I do need hubby to learn to make me some raised beds that can go on a slope. That will be tricky. He's really not a wood worker. More of a mechanic.
nycynthias
16 years ago
Wonderful! I can't wait to see pictures of this grand and big new potager!
lavender_lass
Original Author
16 years ago
My nephew was out this weekend and wants to take pictures and post them on the internet. I told him about GW and he wants to be a member :)

He so wants his own garden space, so I told him that the grape arbor would be expensive and it would probably be better to save up some money and put that in next year. This year, I'm letting him have the 11' x 14' space for his very own garden. He's so excited! He wants a bean teepee, watermelons and mini-pumpkins.

Next year he can move all that to the bigger farm garden, but since that's not ready, I thought he should be able to grow some things this year. It is probably a good idea to live with this new garden a year before I install anything permanent....and this will give me a little more money for some roses in another area :)