As soon as we moved to Chez Foti at the end of 2010 my main focus was on getting a veggie patch going (or a Potager as they’re known in France). I had zero experience and if truth be known was the least green fingered person I knew. I couldn’t even keep supermarket potted herbs alive for more than a few days!. But for some reason I was desperately excited about giving veggie growing a go, and it was all part of our scheme to become as self sufficient out here as we possibly could be.
So in the early Spring of 2011 we converted an empty section of land into a veggie patch and I sowed lots and lots of seeds and nervously waited. I still didn’t believe I could possibly grow anything edible. And you know what everything was, pretty much everything grew and everything prospered and I only had a few minor disappointments (with my peas – too hot, celery – refused to germinate, chilies – not very hot).
The following year, with a year’s experience under my belt, confidence, a good deal more planning and an enlarged plot I’ve managed to keep us in a plentiful supply of veggies throughout the spring, summer, autumn and winter
People regularly ask me what I’m growing at Chez Foti and to be honest I’m pretty much trying everything here! But here’s the list anyway, in no particular order:
Potatoes and lots of them, old and newies
Tomatoes (at my latest count we’ve got 71 plants!), beef, plum and cherries
Aubergines (one of my biggest successes of last year, so easy and quick to grow here)
Peppers
Courgettes
Peas (not particularly successful, but I’m growing just a few for the kids to eat raw)
French Beans, Borlotti Beans, Broad Beans
Lettuces (4 types), Rocket
Radishes, Celery, Cucumbers
Spring Onions, Red Onions, Shallots, Leeks, Garlic
Pumpkins, Various Squash, Butternut Squash (38 plants in total!, another huge success of 2011)
Spinach (new for 2012 and so far amazing and so quick and plentiful to grow)
Swiss Chard (another huge success)
Sweetcorn
Brussel Sprouts, Savoy Cabbage, Cauliflowers, Romanesca Caulies
Purple Sprouting Broccoli, Calabrese
Carrots, Swede, Parsnips
Globe Artichokes
Fruit: Strawberries, Melons, Raspberries, Rhubarb
Herbs: Basil, Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Tarragon, Oregano, Parsley, Coriander, Chives
And last but not least we’re lucky enough to have quite a few goodies growing wild in the garden:
Wild Stuff: Plums, Cherries, Greengages, Elderberries, Pears, Apples, Blackberries (and LOTS of them!), Ceps, Girolles & Parasol Mushrooms, Bay leaves (we’ve got about 10 full size trees!), Sweet Chestnuts, Rosemary, Sloes, Mint….
For more info on my potager, take a look back at my monthly Garden Updates:
November and December 2012 in the Garden
August & September 2012 in the Garden
March 2012 in the Garden
February 2012 in the Garden
December & January 2012 in the Garden
Chez Foti 
June 13th, 2012 at 3:32 pm
We have been growing our own for a few years, and it gives us so much pleasure. It can be tricky though, weather conditions are not always perfect. My aubergines failed miserably last year – I’m so envious of you x.
June 14th, 2012 at 4:53 pm
I have to admit my garden is a bit of an obsession, well it would be if I had more time!. Quite a bit of hot sun certainly seems to help, our peppers and aubergines were amazing last year as were the melons and french beans, Louisa