The Kitchen Garden (Le Jardin Potager)

Unfortunately, I am one of those who thinks that the basic vegetable garden is not a thing of beauty.  It is simply a vegetable garden, laid out in the typical rows that are more common than not.


I see no reason why a vegetable garden can't be a thing of beauty as well as functional.  Thus the potager (pronounced poh ta zhay), the kitchen garden or as they say in France, "le jardin potager".  A relatively simple design that needs just a few key elements to make it stand out from the average vegetable garden.


A potager is a garden that combines both edibles and flowers.  It can vary in size and shape and is typically walled in by the use of a fence, low wall or a border of bushes ie, boxwoods.  This gives the vegetable garden a "room" effect, it is a destination unto itself.  The potager is typically laid out with pathways and raised beds, there should be a focal point of some sort, maybe a water feature or a birdbath.  Arbors with gates add a charming touch and enclose the garden even further.   You can add a seating area as well, or maybe a charming table to set your tools on.  All of these individual elements turn the average hard working vegetable garden into a charming potager where one can find respite and pleasure.


Below are a couple of pics of my potager that have been shown in earlier posts.  Mine contains a birdhouse and a birdbath that is surrounded with sage.  There are arbors at each end of the post and rail fence as well as gates.  I love walking in there and closing the gate behind me, it takes me to another world.  When I designed this vegetable garden I wasn't really thinking of a "potager",  I just wanted it to have a cottage style and be a room of it's own.  It was only later after researching "le jardin potager" that I realized that was what I actually had.  Happy accident!
Good Luck creating your own potager!  I think you will find it fun and greatly rewarding.

VIEW FROM THE COOP!

I am always astonished when people say that they don't think animals have distinct personalities when they are born.  Some people seem to think that we give them their personalities.  I disagree with that.  Even my chickens have their own personality.  Sometimes a particular breed will behave very similarly but they are still each one unique.  I have one rooster (Winston) who feels he is in charge and must assess my every move as I enter the run to feed them.  Frequently, he becomes so concerned he spurs me.  The first time that happened I was shocked at how fast and furious the action was.  It literally took as much time as a blink of the eye. Of course each time he does this I make certain he knows he is not in charge of me by sending him away from me with the inside of my foot,  gently but definitively.  But now I am familiar with is posturing (puffing up and acting very protective) and have learned that he does not like it when I carry unfamiliar objects into the run.  I have one little Polish (Violet) who is very independent and more often than not is off by herself digging holes.  My Welsummer rooster is very fearful and does not like to interact with me at all, the Polish rooster is pretty laid back about it all.  I adore my Welsummer hen (Dot), she is very friendly and is an only child in her "flock".  My first ever chickens are my Americaunas.  They are large and beautiful and have nice friendly personalities.  The Panadasenca hens are all in a flurry and run in a crowd.


Sadly,  very sadly, I had my first chicken loss yesterday.  One of my Americaunas (Latte or Breve, I am not sure) pushed her way out of the run gate as I was going in.  They have all started crowding at the gate and making it very difficult for me to get in without them getting out.  She got herself in a  frenzy and pushed her way out behind me.  My two dogs of course were right on her.  It was awful, but something that is a fact of life when you have chickens and dogs.  There was nothing to do but hope for a quick end to her terror.  My heart was and is broken.  I do everything in my power to keep my chickens all safe and happy and now it is time to reevaluate how I enter the run with treats.  Ho hum,  life with animals is fraught with happiness and heartbreak.


Below is a pic from inside the coop, they are all very curious when I am in there cleaning and can't wait to come in and roll around in the newly fluffed up bedding.

WINTER TIDY UP

As it is still officially mid winter there isn't a tremendous amount of activity going on in the gardens.  However, it is the perfect time to see to the "winter tidy up".  Around here that means quite a lot of heavy lifting and cleaning.  Large limbs fall from the old trees, as well as multiple small branches, leftover leaves and the annual deep cleaning of the wooded areas on the property.  It's amazing how much input Mother Nature has around here.  I have given up the fight with the wild anemone that is here and there.  It insists on being very present.  Following are a couple of pics of the areas I have finished round one with.  The ferns are all natural and it's anyones guess to how long they have existed.  Each year I trim out all of the dead brown fronds and clean the leaves out of the center.  One year my husband thought I should know that they all got along just fine without me doing all of that.  Yes, they did, but did they look this good after being cleaned up?  Hmmm... doubt it.

COMPOSTING

I have been using my current (albeit minimal) composting method for many years now.  It has worked well during the winter & fall months. This spring we will be building three large compost bins that will accommodate the 100 lbs. of horse manure I am anticipating getting daily when I bring my horses home. To this I will add chicken manure, trimmings, weeds, produce etc... and will begin composting correctly and efficiently. But for now, I thought I would share with you my process at this point.  It works and gives me nutrient rich soil for my vegetables.  Once the garden has been cleared of its bounty and the left behinds, I begin turning the soil manually with a shovel.  Once it is all turned under I add a layer of leaves and grass clippings in each bed and during the fall/winter months anything that my chickens won't eat goes into the beds.  Throughout the week as I clean out my chicken coop I add their bedding and manure to my raised beds.  At the end of January I begin turning the organic matter under (again with a shovel) and continue adding produce and chicken manure until the end of March.  At this time I turn the beds every week so that the organic matter decomposes and is no longer identifiable when it comes time to plant in the spring.  (usually just before Mothers Day).  Below is a before and after pic.  Happy Composting, whatever your method!

TWINKLE, TWINKLE!

The steel gazebo that we had built and installed this summer (see earlier post) has been carefully painted (by yours truly) with first an epoxy primer that was like working with glue and then with a black machine paint. All total it took me about 25 hours to complete.  It looks great and is (I am told) rust proof.  With this being it's first Christmas here on the property I felt that we should honor it by trimming it with little lights.  It looks sweet out there in the dark by itself,  romantic and feminine.  I'm thinking this would be a great gazebo for an intimate wedding someday (in the summer or early fall of course).  Just the beginning of the holiday season preparations here at our place.  What are your plans for decorations for the holidays? 

A TINY SURPRISE!

I was stripping down the chicken coop the other day and discovered this teeny tiny egg hiding in the corner on the floor in the bedding.  I was quite surprised by this little find and discovered that other chicken owners have found the same thing.  Some of them told me how they preserved theirs but it was too late, I was dying of curiosity and just had to crack it open after taking it's picture.  Inside was a teeny tiny yolk about half the size of a pea.  Imagine that, perfection in miniature.  I will preserve any future small gifts I should receive as they seem to be very precious and few.  

Autumn

The potager has been "put to bed" for the winter ahead.  This is a rather small vegetable garden but it produces very well and is more than enough for me to handle.  I call it my salad garden, using it mostly for on the spot, in season produce that can be put on the table right after it is picked.  Sometimes I get lucky enough to need to can tomatoes but not often.  The beds are raised with gravel paths in between, making weeding and overall management rather simple.  I compost the beds throughout the winter so they are rich with nutrients and don't get worn out and the soil is ideal.  The vine on the arbor is a grape that I got as a start from my neighbor, it is a Sweet Madeline Angevine. It grew like crazy this year, I had a hard time keeping it in check and even got a few teeny tiny grape clusters. The leaves are just now turning color and it looks like it's going to be golden and beautiful.  Sweet dreams little garden of mine.

 We have had a beautiful fall here in the Pacific Northwest.  We can usually count on very nice late summer weather in September and perfect fall weather in October.  One of my roses has surprised me with late season blooms and my asters are beautiful as they always are.  Asters are so nice in the garden for fall color.  They are hardy and dependable and look inspirational on fall days when the sun casts its golden glow.  Consider Asters for your garden if you don't already have them, they won't disappoint.

FIRST DOZEN!

This is why I have chickens.  Granted I have a few too many but my excuse is that I wanted 4 different breeds and only 2 of those could be sexed.  Actually, only 1 was 100% accurate (Americauna).  So after doing the calculations I determined that I should have enough to give me two hens of each breed.  I had decided that if I ended up with too many roosters I would find them new homes.  Well, it all worked out.  I have 12 hens and 3 roosters and I love them all.  I will have plenty of beautiful eggs to share.

HOW FAR CAN IT GROW?

I have posted about this clematis before but this year it's performance has astonished me.  The cool summer has really made this plant a "happy plant."  It is planted at the base of a Tuteur and each winter I cut it to the ground.  It grows up the Tuteur and reaches out towards the picket fence as it gets longer.  This year I have measured a total of 28 feet in length!  The vines just keep growing and growing.  My only regret is that I do not know the name or variety of this clematis.  It has delicate flowers,  blooms prolifically and is a delight to see every day.  I hope you enjoy the photos of this lovely vine.

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

August is upon us all and in the gardening world it means different things in different areas to different gardeners. As I have mentioned before we had a very cool summer this year but August is what it is and the plants all seem to stall and go into a holding pattern before giving in to autumn.  I too change my focus;  less watering, minimal deadheading, less weeding. I do however deep water my roses and young trees.  Time to gather like crazy (hopefully) from the vegie garden and see to the excessive zucchini crop, pole beans and lettuce.  Still eagerly awaiting the first ripe tomato (I know... it is the end of August) and cucumbers.  Slugs played havoc with my beds this year and all had to be planted twice, losing precious growing time.  Slugs also managed to eat every one of my much desired Walla Walla Sweet onions. Sad.  I am already composting that bed.  C'est la vie.  So I will take advantage of these "dog days of summer",  and take on some much needed painting projects and start my mental list of the fall projects ahead of me.  I am also being careful to take time to soak in the last weeks of the "blooms in my beds".  Echinacea, Hollyhocks, Loosestrife and Gaura to name a few.

APPLE ANNIE

One never knows about fruit trees.  Will the conditions be right for a bountiful harvest or will there be any fruit at all?  I have no idea what the secrets to a successful harvest are, one year we have 0-12 apples on each tree (Yellow Delicious, Granny Smith) the next we have so many it is difficult to figure out just what to do with all of them.  This year the Yellow Delicious (not a great "eating" apple) sprang forth with abundance and they began falling to the ground.  I gathered up the ones on the ground and took them to the barn where my horses are and all had a good treat.  I picked the rest (totaling close to 300) and spent several hours turning them into applesauce.  I have never made applesauce before but with the aid of the ever handy sieve attachment (that I borrowed from a friend) for my KitchenAid it was actually very simple. Not sure if we will eat 24 jars of applesauce, but I am thinking apple butter would be very yummy too!

CUTTING GARDEN re-do

When I initially began investigating the concept of a Cutting Garden most of what I read said that a cutting garden should be hidden away somewhere where it can't be easily seen.  I already had my old lavender field at my disposal and it certainly wasn't out of sight.  Also, I will be opening my cutting garden to the public and feel that it should be an inviting and memorable place to visit.  So... my approach is a different one. It will be one of the focal points of our property.  It is currently undergoing a re-do as I have decided to take a new approach and will be using mostly old fashioned annuals (that I will seed and grow myself) in addition to the already existing perennials.  I will also have peonies as well as cutting roses.  The edges will be bordered with flowering bushes of various varieties; lilacs, wigelia, dappled willow, old garden roses with hollyhocks tucked in here and there. There will be lavender at the front of the garden.  I will add birdhouses, feeders and baths as well as a fountain or bubbler.  As I type this it sounds like an impossibly big plan. Hopefully, if all of the stars line up correctly my impossibly big plan will take place next spring.  The first step of this transformation took place this past weekend with the installation of a beautiful iron gazebo that my ever creative husband had constructed for me.  It sits in the center of the cutting garden. It isn't huge but at 6x11 ft. it sits perfectly in the center of the beds.  It will be painted black with a weather resistant paint and will one day act as host to several large vintage rambling roses.  Lots of hard work awaits me out there, but I feel it will be well worth it.  I will keep you posted next spring as to it's progress. 

ALMOST ALL GROWN UP!

My chickens have grown like weeds, as chickens do.  I am truly enjoying listening to them go about their "chicken business", clucking, pecking and scratching.  When I hear a commotion I feel compelled to run over to the coop and insist that they stop terrorizing each other.  However, I refrain and remind myself that they are in fact, chickens.  I have slowly begun to name them as they have matured and shown their personalities and individual markings.  The Roosters are named Dickens (polish), Winston (Wellsummer), and Hemmingway (Penadasenca).  Hemmingway is rather aloof and seems to be afraid of me, but he isn't aggressive.  They each have a unique crow and I love listening to them.  The Polish hens are named, Violet, Ruby, Pearl and Emmie.  Violet is darling;  she is tiny (about half the size of the other hens) and very independent and a bit of a loner.  My Americaunas are named Latte, Breve, and Macchiato.  Breve seems to have poor conformation in her tail, it hangs down all the time.  I am still working on the others names.  They love their big run and cozy coop.  Every night just before dusk they all head into the coop and roost.  I lock them in so that they are safe from murderous racoons and coyotes.  I keep their coop and run clean and they get treats twice a day in addition to their chicken feed.  Below is a pic of my Polish rooster, I think he is terribly handsome.  I hope you think so too.

MAKING NEW LOOK OLD

If you're like me you appreciate the look of old, well used garden tools and pots.  It gives us an indication that they served (or serve) their purpose well and have a story to tell.  I am fond of the vintage look of pots in particular.  Terra cotta can be tricky however, because it tends to disintegrate over time.  I have a need for 24 pots to go into some iron "window boxes" that my husband had created for me and wanted them to have a well worn look.  I used the popular and easy method of lime application to the pots.  I purchased powdered lime from the local hardware store (I now have enough for the rest of my life!), poured about 2 cups of lime into a plastic container and added water slowly, stirring until I reached the desired consistency.  I have done this two different times now;  the first time the lime was too watered down,  which offered minimal results.  The 2nd time it was too thick.  After the lime has been applied to clean pots with a paint brush, allow it to dry.  When dry use fine grit sandpaper and sand the lime off, stopping when you have achieved the look you want.  Keep in mind that when you water the plants you put in your new "vintage" pots more of the lime will wash off the first time.  Ta da!  New "old" pots.  It's a very simple and effective way to add charm to your garden.

RASPBERRIES RULE

We have a bumper crop of both Golden and Red Raspberries this year.  I don't know if it's the excessive rain or if the bushes have just finally matured.  The berries are large and juicy.  I had two gallon ziplocks in the freezer from last year and decided it was time to make jam.  I haven't made raspberry jam before, just strawberry and pear jam.  Speaking of pear jam, it is to die for.  I use a recipe that was given to me by my mother in law.  But again, I digress, back to raspberry jam.  I managed to get 40 jars in assorted sizes. I can't imagine we will go through all of that in one year so I plan on giving plenty of it away as gifts.  I must say it turned out delicious.  Nothing beats homemade preserves.  There are many, many more berries left on the bushes.  I haven't decided if I will freeze them or make more jam.  I'm sure I will give some of them away as well.  Here's hoping your berries are producing profusely.  Happy canning!

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Rosemary only grows where the mistress is master - anonymouta

CHERRY TIME

It is cherry season here in the Pacific Northwest.  They are readily available at the farmers market and at roadside stands.  There is even a little stand on the side of the road selling them for $1.00 a basket, quite a steal if you ask me.  Rainier and Queen Anne varieties are in high demand.  We are the proud owners of a Rainier cherry tree, unfortunately we have had this tree for about 8 years and this is the first year we had any cherries at all.  We had exactly 5, that is until the birds managed to get 4 of them.  We were so excited to see our little cherries finally making an appearance and just as they ripened the birds came snacking.  However, they took mercy upon us and left us one.  I took a picture of it just before we picked it and my daughter and I shared it.  It was delicious.  Hopefully. next year we will get more than 5 and hopefully, I will do some preventative maintenance and throw some bird netting over the tree.  

UNEXPECTED VISITORS

No, the unexpected visitors are not people who have just "dropped by".  These visitors are of the amphibian variety.  For some strange reason (all the rain we have had this year?) we have had one decent sized turtle, possibly a Red Slider, and two large bullfrogs show up in the back portion of our property.  They appear to have made their way up from the seasonal stream/swamp that we have just behind us.  They would have had to travel quite a distance to arrive at the location where we found them.  I have no idea why they would leave their swampy home but they did.  They managed their way through brambles, mud and skunk cabbage and crawled through a field fence finally coming to rest near the chicken coop.  They probably stopped there because that is where the dogs found them.  Fortunately,  all they did was bark with alarm and did not harm them.  We scooped them up and returned them to their safe haven.  I wonder if they will try and come back to visit.

Georgia O'Keefe anyone?

Calla Lilies always remind me of Georgia O'Keefes beautiful paintings.  She was a master at capturing the essence of the simplicity of beautiful flowers.  I have not had much success with Callas but this one has done quite well.  It must be in exactly the right place because the one that is just 10 feet south has never done much of anything.  It is not a huge plant but delivers lovely blooms every spring and grows slowly but surely as the years pass.  Green leaves and long strong stems support a single velvety white bloom with a yellow stamen.  Does a flower get any simpler than the Calla with absolute perfection in form and beauty?   

OH NO!!

I have 100 boxwoods that I nearly ruined myself planting about 5 years ago.  They were in 5 gallon pots and are on the list of "the hardest things we have done on the property."  Up until this year they have done beautifully.  They are the exterior definition of my back perennial beds with some of them on the interior of the border.  Last fall I carefully pulled out the soaker hoses that I no longer needed.  Some of the roots had grown around the hose so I clipped it on either side of the bush and pulled it out so as not to disturb the roots.  This spring the result of that decision has hit hard.  They are in shock and may be dying.  I am just sick!!  They are the backbone of my garden layout and were very expensive.  As I have looked down into the center of the large dying areas I can see bits of green, so I have decided that I must cut out the dead so that the new growth can get light and air.  This is going to be another one of my large tasks but must be done.  Hopefully it is the correct thing to do.  It doesn't make sense to me to leave the dead on the bush.  They are no longer the perfect beautiful bushes they were last year.  I am so sad. Does anyone have another idea as to how I can save these boxwoods?

NEW VS. OLD

It's a wonder how the "new and improved" items we use in our everyday lives are more often than not, not "improved."  With the exception of course being technology.  I won't touch on that subject as it is irrelevant here.  Except of course for the fact that I am writing a "blog" which is new and I am doing this on a newer version of the Apple laptop.  But I digress;  the point is that sometimes the old is better than the new.  Case in point,  the lightweight, colorful, easy to use and relatively affordable plastic watering can.  Yes, it's true, I who prefer vintage furniture, garden furniture and gardening "accroutrements", do in fact own a plastic watering can.  I have had it for a few years now.  I also have a lovely galvanized watering can that I use for display purposes (lest something should happen to it, it would be difficult to replace).  However, it is very true that you pay for what you get and plastic watering cans are no exception.  Last year mine became one of the dogs favorite toys.  It is hysterical to see them running across the lawn with either the spout or the handle in their mouth; they think they have hit the jackpot.  My galvanized can sits proudly at the corner of my deck year after year doing its duty of being "garden art."  The plastic watering can bit the dust this past week as the youngest of the dogs managed to completely chew through the handle as well as the spout of the plastic watering can.  I looked at it wondering if I should replace it or not and remembered my galvanized watering can that at some point in time served another gardener well.  Needless to say, I will not be purchasing another plastic watering can, but instead will put the galvanized one back into service.  It has the better spout anyway and my dogs will be hard pressed to use it as a toy.  It's time to let the old be new again and share with me the wisdom of it's past uses.

LATE SPRING

It seems that in many places across the country this year it has been a wet and cool spring.  It certainly has here in the Pacific Northwest.  It has only been recently that my beds have not been soaked with water and I am actually able to move soil around.  Everything is blooming much later than usual.  Yesterday, when I was puttering around in the evening I realized that spring really is the longest season here.  It lasts at least until the first week of July and depending on the summer, beyond that.  I have decided that rather than fuss about "summer never coming" I will enjoy the long springs that we have and the abundance of lasting blooms that it brings with it.  The Wigelia are profuse with blooms, which in turn makes the hummingbirds very happy.  This blooming bush has quickly entered the realm of one of my favorites and is very easy to maintain.  Consider it for your perennial beds if you haven't already.  Lovely in spring and summer and autumn brings out it's beautiful reds and golds.

DELICATE WISTERIA

I have so very many favorite flowers that I could never choose just one or even a dozen.  Amongst them is of course the Wisteria.  Some people find if too consuming both in care and in growth habit and would rather not have it in their gardens.  I love it's wild ways and the delicate flowers. It's intoxicating fragrance  floats on the breeze and causes one to glance around wondering where that incredible scent is coming from.  Mine is climbing on our "pavillion" helping to hide the hard edges of the roofline both on the outside and on the inside.  I spend time trimming it twice yearly to keep it in order, it is still young and relatively easy at this point.  The pic is of a single bloom that is tucked inside some branches of my dappled willow.  I love it when the plants intermingle.  I guess that is why I prefer a cottage garden style to any other.

SNOWBALLS IN SPRING!

My snowball bush is quite large this year and heavily laden with beautiful creamy white clusters of hydrangea like blossoms.  They don't offer much of a fragrance but their beauty wins out.  My bush is very large and has a wonderfully wild look to it.  The branches reach up to the sky as well as droop downward, giving it a very romantic and old fashioned appearance.  I trim it yearly but all of the rain we have had caused it to grow excessively.  Unfortunately, after I took this pic one of the branches split down at the base during a downpour the other night.  Happily though it hasn't changed the symmetry of the bush and all is well.  I was sad to see all of those beautiful "snowballs" laying on the ground however.  Enjoy your spring.... it is a season filled with uncertainty as well as promise.

IMPORTANT NOTICE!

Recently my blog has been flagged as a "phishing site."  This is an inaccurate warning and I am currently trying to remedy the situation.  I appreciate your patience and understanding.

SIMPLE PLEASURES OF SPRING

It has been a very wet and cool spring around here.  Very different from last year.  My flowering cherry tree bloomed 5 weeks later this year!  Then of course 3 days later a hail storm arrived sending a good portion of the beautiful blossoms onto the ground.  The lilacs were late as well, typically blooming just before Mothers Day.  However, they finally arrived and their scent has been lilting in the breezes ever since.  There is no mistaking the wonderful fragrant perfume of the lilac.  I am certain it is my favorite.  The forecast is for more of the same through June so everything will be delayed and diminished but I will continue to enjoy the simple pleasures of spring even if they do arrive at the beginning of  "summer."

NEW DIGS!

The chicks became "tweens" and it was time for them to move out into their new coop.  They seem to be very content and happy to have more room to move around.  The oldest of the flock (Americaunas) wasted no time in trying out one of the roosts. Funny how their instincts kick in, no one taught them to do what chickens do, they just do it. They have loved going outside and can run back into the safety of their coop as they wish. The only ones who are named at this point are the Americaunas as they are all hens.  My daughter decided that they should be named after coffee drinks (after all we are in the Northwest), the bravest one is named  Breve, the most timid is Macchiato (Macchi for short), and the middle one is named Latte.  Their names suit their personalities.  Hope you enjoy seeing their progress, it is actually very entertaining watching "chicken TV.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Gardening is a way of showing that you believe in tomorrow.  -  Anonymous

A PEEK OF PERI!

Who can resist the sweet Vinca Minor more commonly known as PeriWinkle.  It is a delightful ground cover that puts on a beautiful display of delicate periwinkle blue flowers covering evergreen leaves. Mine is located at the front of our property in the first bed I created.  This pic shows the periwinkle tucking itself inside the tangled looking stump left behind after a beautiful, old and very large Maple tree decided that it had been upright long enough and simply lay itself down across our driveway in a very quiet manner.  I must say that we were surprised and devastated.  Of course it was rotten from the inside out, as is usually the case with these old maples, so we have another interesting large piece of wood left behind for plants to ramble on and small creatures to move in to. 

CHEAP! CHEAP! CHEAP!

More babies arrived today!  The darling Polish with their little cotton topped heads along with the Penadasenca joined the three Americaunas.  The original three had no idea what to think of this and huddled together in the corner of the crate probably thinking safety in numbers.  After a bit of settling in however, they all began to intermingle and are now one happy flock.  I currently have 13 chicks, more than I ideally would like but I have to factor in possible loss of babies and too many roosters.  It has been a lot of fun watching "chicken TV" and seeing them work out their social order.  Below are pics of each of the breeds. Polish, Penadasenca and the one week old Americauna.  I hope you enjoy their sweet little faces as much as I do.