Is it me or is Thursday coming around quicker every week for you too? I almost forgot to prepare my homework for Mrs Matlock's Alphabet Thursday "K" assignment but luckily I didn't have too far to look for inspiration.One of my very favourite things to do is to grow organic vegetables in a small patch of ground outside my back door, my very own Kitchen garden or potager as we call it here in France.
It was in a very sorry state when I inherited it from the previous owners and for the first few years that we lived here it was rather neglected by me also since there was so much work to be done on the house first.
Almost two years ago I decided to completely rehaul the design and wrote about it in my very first blog. (Note to self: NL 2nd Blog Anniversary coming soon!).
With the onset of fine weather a few weeks ago (I say that tongue in cheek as today we have had hail & rain interspersed with blue skies & sunshine) the weed suppressing covers came off. S the G (Sean the Gardener) rotivated and composted the raised beds and it was time to plant!
Last weekend I planted 4 sorts of "pick and come again" lettuce, and scallion/salad onions. In this bed I already have some early and maincrop potatoes, with the blueberry bushes at the end.
I also love to cook, a pastime that goes hand in hand with growing my own produce. Two excellent books which have inspired me with both of these interests are The Ornamental Kitchen Garden by Janet Macdonald for planting plans and gorgeous photography and The Gardeners' Community Cookbook which was a gift from a dear friend, Fayne, several years ago.
These words from Victoria Wise, author of the cookbook, say it all:
Good cooking comes from good growing
Good growing comes from loving the earth
Good dishes come from tending your pot
as you do your plot.
Happy Gardening.
Gardening is one of my favorite things to do. So glad the weather is starting to cooperate. And nothing beats a bench nearby to sit and admire the beauty of nature and one's own work.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Cindy
My husband has a kitchen; I don't.
ReplyDeleteMy husband cooks; I don't
My husband has a good size kitchen garden and a shade herb and lettuce garden.....and, of course, I don't.
But I love gardening. Love looking at it too. Great K
Still growing my cut and come again on the windowsill, too cold outside. I enjoyed reading your post. My K is HERE
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks lovely so far. I'm jealous you could start planting. Around here my husband can't plant usually until the end of May.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great garden space. I love the expanse of land I saw in the background of your picture too.
ReplyDeleteI have never gardened. My husband and I thought we might try some container gardening this spring...we'll start small and see how it goes :-)
Jane
I am sorry that I am not starting a garden this year. We are probably moving, so I am just going to throw down some wildflower seeds.
ReplyDeleteLove it Maggie, the potagers are so nice!
ReplyDeleteOh, how I wish my garden could look like that. It's beautiful, sugar! We're in the desert part of the U.S. so harder to grow but we try our best for garden salad veggies.
ReplyDeletexoxo,
Connie
The Great Dane is busy building raised beds here at Pondside. Our potager won't be anywhere near the kitchen, but out past the goat field, away from the shade of the giant cedars. There's lots of sunshine, fencing against vermin and easy access to the water tap. I'll have to look for one or both of those books - they sound like just the thing.
ReplyDeleteYour garden bed looks very good!
Maggie, love the idea of "cut and come again" lettuce. You know I don't have a kitchen garden other than the small herb garden, but if we had a spot with sunshine we would. Love the quote from Victoria Wise. Great K post, my friend.
ReplyDeleteYour garden looks lovely, Maggie and it is obvious that you tend it well. I am waiting for the last of the frosts to plant my vegetable garden which looks to be the size of yours, only not raised. I hope you continue to post pictures of your potager as the summer goes on!
ReplyDeletexoxo
Jane
that is a great size garden :D
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful that you are already planting your garden. It looks so well tended. Nothing beats going outside to harvest food from one's own plot.
ReplyDeleteLucky you having you own Kitchen garden. I am sure nothing tastes better than your home grown vegetables. We still have bad weather and it seems to be bad over Easter too but maybe the weathercasters are wrong. Let's hope so.
ReplyDeleteHappy Ester
Hi Maggie, you asked about my photo software. Its Corel Paintshop. I have ProX" but I know tha same thing was on older versions. You cn get a free month trial at 5star
ReplyDeleteJx
Lovely garden!
ReplyDeleteWe have a way to go before spring comes to the mountains - we had over a foot of snow last night! I am so ready for greens from the garden....
ReplyDeleteOh Maggie - we do have so much in common. I can't do the gardening that I used but at the cabin I have a small kitchen garden - herbs and such. And then because I have to have some flowers to cut I have lots of containers and window boxes!
ReplyDeleteCarol
What a lovely blog...your header is stunning with the hydrangeas!
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed this post and seeing your garden. I've never grown one vegetable but my hubby and I are thinking of doing so.
Oh what a beautiful garden spot!
ReplyDeleteThank you for telling me what potager meant. I never knew the meaning of that word!
I was working in my garden today a bit and took some pictures for the garden blog I do for Tasteful Garden.
I'd like to share a link with you... http://tastefulgarden2jen.blogspot.com/2010/04/blog-post.html
Living in Arizona we are much farther ahead then other areas of the country.
I can't wait to follow your potager's journey into spring and summer!
Great stop on the Alphabe-Thursday journey through the letter "K"!
A+
Hi Maggie, nice to meet you! We garden too. Here in CO we had a snowstorm a week ago, and then real spring weather this week. All our seeds are started under lights, waiting for the end of May for safe planting. Looking forward to virtual gardening with you :-)
ReplyDeleteoh thanks so much for explaining the whole potager thing. I had no idea what it was. Your garden looks lovey and enjoyable!
ReplyDeleteYour garden sounds wonderful. Living this year in a temporary apartment, I am missing the herb gardens from my old yard.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely Kitchen Garden! You make me quite envious, planting such delicious things and being able to make them grow.
ReplyDeleteI like your lovely header photo and background.
Hi Maggie! I love this beautiful patch of green goodness you have planted! I would love to have a vegetable garden of my own one day. I think I might start with herbs on my back deck.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for visiting and for your well wishes for my 2 sick boys! I am glad Easter is here so that some chocolate eggs will take their mind off their injuries!
Blessings and best wishes for a beautiful Easter,
Natasha.
Good Morning Maggie,
ReplyDeleteI absolutely LOVE your new blog background, layout, and header!!
I did not plant a garden last year as the neighbor let me pick from his--he plants a large one and it helped him as well. This year, we are planting a small plot that we have composted all winter. We are going to try to go "organic" with it and hope that we have good results. Right now, all we have planted are onions but this weekend wll be adding more things to it. I hope to plant some herbs as well.
Thanks for sharing your potager with us today! Have a blessed Easter weekend.
Great post and you have inspired me to try to have a kitchen garden myself. Enjoyed my first but not my last visit to your lovely blog.
ReplyDeleteLinda @ A La Carte
I would love to have a kitchen gardn. But I need a flat place in my yard. Everything in the back is pretty much on a slope.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful garden. I wish mine was as lovely.
ReplyDeleteI only have a rather small balcony, but I bet the pick and come again lettuce would work in containers... I shall have to see if I can find some seeds!
ReplyDeleteI love your kitchen garden. I have all shade in my yard, but we plant a few things in pots and pick them up and move them around during the day so they get the sun.
ReplyDeleteMaggie, your garden is wonderful. Hope you have a nice holiday weekend with your family.
ReplyDeleteSam