French Gardens - Ooo La La!

[Peas'n'Kews]

We have spent several happy camping and fishing holidays in Normand and Brittany, and I always admire the ordinary French gardens - they have a knack of combining veg, flowers and fruit together and having it all look soooo organised and, well, yummy.

But having admired these gardens I have failed to take a single photo.....

We are hoping to move house this year and my ambition is create french-style plots in my new garden - but I need your help!!!

I have noticed many of you have French locations (I'm not jealous!!!) soooo, would you be willing to take photos of French gardens and post them or send them to me? Or maybe your own garden is organised along these lines and you could photo them (without having to lean over the fence!! )

I'd be extemely grateful as we may not make a French camping trip this year, especially if we move house.

Thanks and Merci!

[lottie dolly]

have you tryed google map look and gone in closer,don't know if it will help as not tryed it myself,it does work in parts of uk

[zazen999]

Try doing a search online for 'French Potager' and you should have all the images you need.

[Two_Sheds]

^ yep, I found 3million and 60,000 of them on google images

[Nicos]

To be honest- most gardens here are dreadful!!!!

Grass enclosed by metal mesh fencing with the odd bush plonked around.
Not nice at all!

My garden is a field/work in progress so very much not worth posting piccies of!...sorry.

I'd love to see your work in progress of a potager/research...might give me a few ideas!!!!

[zazen999]

^ yep, I found 3million and 60,000 of them on google images

That all? You are slipping...

[Jardiniere]

My garden is in France but I don't think its French - I do grow veg and flowers togehter a bit ....but my small garden attached to the house is 75% swimming pool and my big garden by the river is more or less an allotment. If you want to see pictures there are some on my profile page and more on my very out of date blog -
I agree with Nicos ...most of my neighbours have awful gardens or just lawns.

[Peas'n'Kews]

have you tryed google map look and gone in closer,don't know if it will help as not tryed it myself,it does work in parts of uk

Yes, tried that, as we are Google maps adicts (for the UK). However, most of the places we been and have seen good examples are not even on Google Street view <sigh>.

[Peas'n'Kews]

Try doing a search online for 'French Potager' and you should have all the images you need.

I did try Googling French Gardens, but with limited result, didn't try potager, not sure what it means?

Am off to Google it now, though! Thanks

P.S. Just found out what potager means - http://french.about.com/cs/vocabulary/g/potager.htm

[rustylady]

Check this one out East Ruston Gardens Not French, but the veg garden/potager is beautiful

[Peas'n'Kews]

Thanks for the Google tip - I have now ordered a book called "Kitchen Gardens of France" by Louise Jones - apparently there are 150 pics, so I should be just fine.

Will let you know how good (or not!) the book is.
:-)

[chazhammer]

Hello, I live in France and have recently bought a house with a garden (having moved out of Paris for this reason among others) and ready to personalise it.
It's hard to know where to start really and in terms of timing all the digging should really have been done at the end of last year...anyway just started digging up all the brambles at the bottom of the garden where I plan to have my vegetable patch and have just ordered some French gardening books (I'm a TOTAL novice) about this very subject (i.e. the marriage of veg with other plants for beneficial results in terms of keeping the creepy crawlies away etc).
I will update my progress during the year regarding anything that seems to work or not.

This seems like a great site, so am looking forward to learning and sharing!

[Peas'n'Kews]

I haven't had my book yet, but I'll let you know how good or not it is!

Are you anywhere near Etampes, I've camped there and really enjoyed it!

[Peas'n'Kews]

Thanks for the Google tip - I have now ordered a book called "Kitchen Gardens of France" by Louise Jones - apparently there are 150 pics, so I should be just fine.

Will let you know how good (or not!) the book is.
:-)

Book arrived and is full of lovely photos which I have oooo'd over - must read the words! Not sure that the gardens in the pics are as, well, ordinary as I'd've liked, but I do like the book!

Thanks for all the help, guys.