Our new Potager

[galtezza]

Thought I would share some piccies of our new potager.
We have spent the whole of December building it, and just need to fence round it, and build the greenhouse and compost heap now.

The raised beds are all 10 foot x 5 foot and between 12 and 20 inches high (sloping plot).
More details are on my blog..

Deep in Dordogne

Marking out with tarpaulins...


Building the beds from floorboards recycled from one of our cottages...


Lining them and fixing pipes for hoops to support mesh or fleece...


Filling and connecting seep pipes...


Weedmatting and gravelling the paths...


We're quite pleased with the plot so far.
Would really appreciate some help on the actual planting scheme for the beds, but will post that on a separate thread.

[VirginVegGrower]

Looks nice. Given your location I would be looking to put some herbs in and salad crops. You could create some permanent structures in the centre to give height and provide scramble for beans/peas. You look to have lots of space for yet more beds, fruit beds, cordon fruit trees, figs. Leeks, onions and garlic in a bed. Potatoes and roots such as carrots in another. The beauty of a potager is that you mix it up a bit but plant decoratively a la jardin. Try old French Heirloom varieties of tomatoes and other crops. If you grow fruit then you could make your own preserves to go with fresh croissants...ooh and an asparagus bed. The possibilities are endless. Looks beautiful. Old roses growing too would provide a welcome vase of cut flowers in your cottage.

[VirginVegGrower]

Are you having French hens? I also thought if cut sweet peas. Emma Bridgewater has a nice potager cafe garden at their factory in Stoke. Next time I am there in Summer I will take photos. I am about to sow Bleu de Solaise leek and Jaune de Poitou leek from Real Seeds. Check out their French varieties.

[Nicos]

It's looking really good- as is the other work you are doing!
Satisfying isn't it?

[binley100]

Just been looking at your blog and the work you are doing/have done ......Wow

[Scarlet]

Yes, I've had a little look too. You've done a great job - and I love the new roof!

[galtezza]

Thank you so much guys. It feels like we've been working really hard the last 6 months, but its been really enjoyable. I seem to sleep really well now!
It will be even better when we can actually get some plants in and enjoy the fruits of our labours.

I hadn't thought about permanent structures for the peas and beans VVG, but that could be really pretty - maybe something in wrought iron (very french) and then we could echo this near the greenhouse for some sweet peas. We were only talking today about needing some shade - a nice wrought iron terrace to put the bench and table under when its hitting 30 degrees every day in August! And some nice fragrant plants nearby - we had thought lavender and honeysuckle.

As well as the herbs mingled in with the raised beds (more as companion planting than to harvest) we have a separate herb garden area planned at the base of the garden, and we have planted a small orchard of fruit trees including peach, pear, cherry, nectarine and fig. I think if I suggested any more raised beds, my better half would down tools!
I would love to see some photos of the Emma Bridgewater potager when you go there in the summer - thanks so much for your help.

[VirginVegGrower]

Add quince and grape vines if possible. The grapes could wind up your pergola/shade structure. Wrought iron was what I was thinking of. Look for a forge or antique ones - shouldn't be hard en France
Lavender, honeysuckles, old gallica roses - try David Austin, they post overseas, Cupani sweet pea, interplant with herbs. Gorgeous!

[galtezza]

I thought I'd share the finished potager with you.
We've fenced the whole plot with post and rail...



Laid a concrete slab and erected a greenhouse (and picked up 2 x 60 year old grapevines from my parents-in-law who move around so much they have not been able to really look after them)



And my husband made me some plywood shelving and a potting bench, with a mixing area for my seed compost. He even bought a car battery, with a solar panel to power it, and a 12 volt kettle and Ipod dock, for my tea and music while I do my potting in Spring!



Albeit I have to be patient now..... Although I have managed to get some fruit bushes in and fleeced, the weather has now put a stop to any more playing! Whoever tells you it is always warm in the south of France - don't believe them. Glorious maybe, but warm - no! It was -13 degrees last night and its still -4 today. The snow fell 4 days ago, but it hasn't got a chance of melting as it hasn't been above -3 degrees in the daytime for a week now.

So beautiful though...

[VirginVegGrower]

Loving the look of those old vines. There's one in my local garden centre, but they want £100 for it. The whole thing looks ready for action. Here's hoping for better weather for you really soon

[allotment grower]

nice set up,

i would love to retire to something like this - just relax and manage my potager....

[chris]

nice set up,

i would love to retire to something like this - just relax and manage my potager....

Same here. I'm constantly looking out for land around(ish) here to build (as in self-build) a retirement home for us over some years.

[perkin]

I hadn't thought about permanent structures for the peas and beans VVG, but that could be really pretty - maybe something in wrought iron (very french) and then we could echo this near the greenhouse for some sweet peas.

Here's something I saw in a garden in California last year
suburbanvegplot.blogspot.com/2011/06/growing-on-coast-california-style
The pea plants were quite small still but planted all around the base of the frame. I don't have room for anything on this scale in my current garden, but it's definitely on my list for the next (larger) place!

[chris]

That's a great idea perkin

[galtezza]

Thats so cool Perkin. We have been going through all the old furniture we took out of the old houses and stored in the barn until we could decide if they were of use, or scrap - and there are two old brass style bedsteads! They would need painting.... but could work really well, and I love the idea of recycling as much of the stuff we found here as possible.