Although I do love winter and snow, I always welcome le Printemps (spring) with a smile and open arms! I actually love ALL seasons for different reasons, but now that spring has finally arrived, I can hardly wait to start planting all sorts of flowers and plants. I’m itching to get my hands in the dirt and to frenchify my gardens this spring!
This year, my husband and I are going to attempt to do a complete overhaul of our entire garden. We want to add planting space as well as a small seating area and a focal point for a large French urn on a pedestal or perhaps a fountain. It looks so pretty on paper, but it will be a whole lot of work! Stay tuned to see our progress once we get started.
So, what exactly is a potager? Potager is a French word meaning vegetable or kitchen garden. It is essentially a planting of things that are edible and often some medicinal plants are added as well. They should be near the house for quick access while cooking. French cuisine uses lots of fresh herbs which is one reason why it is my favorite type of food.
Potagers can be as vast as an acre or more (such as many château potagers) or as small as a container garden. It all depends on your space and what you want to plant. A potager should be a separate or designated space from the rest of the non-edible garden.
I purchased this herb planter (pictured below) last year and I absolutely LOVE it! In fact, I love it so much that I just purchased another one last week, haha! They are very economical and it held up very well over the winter. I have it just outside my kitchen door so that I can quickly pick some fresh herbs while I’m cooking.
Last year, I only planted herbs in this box including:
- Rosemary
- Dill
- Curled Parsley
- Thyme (several varieties)
- Basil (several varieties)
- Sage
- Oregano
- Chives
As you can see, it was really full and healthy. I used this raised bed soil and I could not believe how well my herbs did. It was the first time I had used it and I will certainly be purchasing more for this year. My herbs didn’t require any additional food the entire summer!
Cute little herb markers are a fun way to add a little personality to your plants. I found these cast iron ones on Etsy and I love how heavy duty they are. I also like that they’re a bit rustic looking.
This year, I’m going to add my additional planter (that I just ordered) near this one, but I am going to mix in edible flowers. Not only do I love that anything we take from these planters is edible, but they are also very pretty. I love when some of the herbs bloom, especially the lavender and the sweet, dainty blooms from the thyme and rosemary. They’re so small and delicate and smell so good. I can’t help but smile when I walk past them.
This year, I’m going to add these edible flowers to my potager (and probably more):
- Nasturtiums (pepper flavor)
- Violas (or sometimes called Johnny Jump Ups)
- Chamomile
- Borage (mild cucumber flavor)
- Marigolds
- Bachelor Buttons
Hopefully after this week of colder temps and storms, we’ll be able to get our hands in the dirt!
What types of herbs and edible flowers are your favorites? Please leave a comment below. I’d love to hear any tips you may have as well.
Merci for stopping by! À la prochaine…
Allons faire un tour…
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