Our Moroccan Inspired Potager Garden Phase 1: The Plan

Hi Everyone!

Happy Wednesday friends. So today I wanna chat a bit about our garden…or I should say our SOON TO BE garden. Its completley non existent at the moment, but its coming.

If you follow me on IG then last week you caught my weekend history lesson on potager gardens in my insta stories. I was first introduced to potager gardens about 8 years ago and I became quickly obsessed with them. I’ve actually written about them before here on the blog when we first made the decision to sell our previous house and downsize. Part of the reason I was so adamant about having a big yard when we were on the house hunt is because I wanted the ability to have a large area to design and build a potager garden of my own.

So what the heck is a potager garden anyway? Potager is a French term for an ornamental vegetable or kitchen garden. . Often flowers and herbs are planted with the vegetables to enhance the garden’s beauty. Its utilitarian in nature, but the ultimate goal is to make the function of providing food aesthetically pleasing. These artistic gardens can be very intricate in design or quite casual, but they are always created with the intention to be highly functional and to provide lots of fresh food. They are beautiful and always have carefully created pathways and rows. I mean, leave it to the French to find a way to create beauty in all things, right?!

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After 3 years in our bungalow I’m finally ready to start building the garden and I thought I’d share some of the details about what I have in mind. Let’s start with the inspiration. Just as you see within our home, I’ll be incorporating as many global inspired elements as possible. My bohemian spirit wont let me have this be your average kitchen garden. Im predominately inspired by the gardens of France, Morocco, and the Mediterranean, so I’m planning to include an eclectic mix of several details you’d see in those gardens here in mine. Think the cobalt blues of the Meditteranean and Mororcco, the lavendar fields, soft florals, and espalier fruit trees of France, heat tolerant agave and cacti, lanterns, potted trees, and I’m even hoping to try and sneak in some patterned tiles somehow. Also because Naomi and I like to cook alot of ethnic dishes I’m planning to grow lots of the fruits, veggies, and herbs you’d see in the souks and medinas. We are lucky to have a climate that will allow for us to grow them so Im gonna take full advantage.

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Over the past 3 years Ive had the chance to really get a lay of the land, if you will, and observe our yard through all the seasons. I know where it gets the best sun, where its the most level, where the rain pools, etc. This has allowed me to determine the best possible spot to put the garden in order for it to thrive. We’ve decided to tuck it off to the side behind the garage running the entire length of the fence and from the fence out the width where the garage ends.

This area is perfect for several reasons:

1. It gets a full 8-10 hours of sun in summer and 6-8 in winter.

2. Its flat

3. Its tucked away a bit from the main yard area

4. Its not too far from the kitchen

The space is actually quite large and measures about 60 ft long x 24 ft wide so its just under 1400 sqft of space….which is technically larger than our house!

I’ve been sketching up a design plan for the layout which I’ll share in my next garden update post once I finalize some of the details. There’s alot of work to be done and we have to start by clearing out the space and relocating the shed. Just like with the inside of our home, the process of making this garden is not going to be overnight. This first year the only goals I have are to get the foundation of the design in place, and to hopefully get a few things planted-particularly the fruit trees since it’ll take a couple seasons for them to start producing. Not gonna lie, Im a little nervous and just a tad overwhelmed, bit I’m also really excited to get started!

Until next time friends…

Posted By: Shavonda Gardner · In: gardening, thecottagebungalow

Comments

Vanessa says

May 21, 2018 at 5:49 PM

A note of caution, gardens take years to become what they’ll be. Set your sights low and slow so that you don’t get frustrated. But good luck! I love gardening, it’s like painting with plants but I have to say, I am in it for the flowers not the vegetables (although there is nothing better than a homegrown Brandywine tomato, nothing.
- Shavonda Gardner says
  
  May 23, 2018 at 10:47 PM
  
  Im definitely taking things slow. My grandmother and mother are avid gardeners so I know my way around the soil! Every year they would add a little more than the last so is defintely going to be a slow going process. I know what I want it to be and ill keep trodding along until it gets there:)
ElleX says

March 16, 2018 at 4:47 PM

I concur with Haley…I am looking forward to seeing how your garden will come together over the years. I want to start working on my yard too.
- Shavonda Gardner says
  
  March 29, 2018 at 9:05 PM
  
  Im so so excited about getting the garden going. Its been too long and I know the biggest hurdle is just to get started. I think starting with raised beds is what we will do. So excited to have you along with me on my journey.
Margaux says

March 7, 2018 at 7:50 PM

I saw these on your insta story the other day and fell in love! These are so lovely and I didn’t even know they had a name. Thanks for all the education. I CANNOT wait to see what yours becomes!
- Shavonda Gardner says
  
  March 12, 2018 at 9:33 PM
  
  Youre so welcome! I love potager’s so much. Im so excited to finally have one of my own.
Jessie Buckmaster says

March 7, 2018 at 8:55 AM

Love this plan, can’t wait to see how it shapes up! My own little yard is in desperate need of work and I plan to do a little bit here and there this spring, budget allowing. My inspiration is sort of a norcal version of the Parker Palm Springs: moroccan/mid-century, drought-tolerant but lush.
- Shavonda Gardner says
  
  March 12, 2018 at 9:37 PM
  
  Ooooh I love the sound of that!
Haley says

March 7, 2018 at 5:40 AM

I love this! I didn’t know the name for it, but this is exactly what I’ve been dreaming of for my own space. I can’t wait to follow along and see what you do!

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