A potager is an ornamental kitchen garden originating in France…
The name is derived from “potage,” the French word for soup. Both royal chefs and home cooks gathered fresh ingredients from their potager gardens to make delicious meals. Other garden delights such as fruits, herbs, & flowers were also grown in a potager.
The massive grounds of Versailles included a “potager du roi” to grow vegetables & herbs used to make dishes fit for a king.
Built at the request of King Louis XIV, the potager is laid out in the orderly Hippodamian (grid) style.
Creation of the potager du roi started in 1678. As the modern photo below shows, the potager’s original design still remains.
Another French landmark, Villandry in the Loire Valley pictured below, has been growing a potager since medieval times. Villandry’s potager is a perfect example of symmetrical & geometrical groups of vegetables planted in patterns. These thoughtful designs elevate gardening to an art form.
Back here in the Garden State, we benefit from an average growing season of 180 days. And a potager garden does not require an estate, just enough space for your favorites. There are many options suited to New Jersey’s climate. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, cucumbers, & squash are all multi-seasonal. Tomatoes, eggplants, & collard greens can all withstand the hot summer sun. Peas, green beans, & peppers can grow on a trellis, adding vertical interest. Kale is both colorful and nutritious, making it the perfect potager addition.
Using your outdoor space as a canvas, you have carte blanche to create an inviting area that also serves a purpose. The design can range from simply planting vegetables that are particularly ornamental, to designing a more formal layout using paths and shrub dividers. Fruits and flowers are eye-catching additions as well.
Even a porch pot or some pretty baskets can provide enough space for a functional herb garden that also adds natural beauty to your backyard.
Best of all, with a potager garden, fresh seasonal produce is just steps away from your kitchen. Just harvested vegetables can not only be used as ingredients for soup & salads, but also roasted, grilled, pickled, & more as part of a delicious meal that is a feast for the senses.
Bon Appetit!
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