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Potager: French Kitchen Garden

By MrBrownThumb, July 17, 2009 at 6:49 pm
Rows at Urban Potager Kitchen Garden Urban Agriculture Chicago.png
The potager garden is the counterpart to the English kitchen garden and different than a Victory Garden. Victory Gardens date back to World War I and World War II and were planted in an effort to reduce the demand on the public food supply and were also propaganda to boost the morale of the nations affected by being at war. The potager garden predates Victory Gardens even though they both emphasis growing vegetables they are different.

Tomato, tomahto.
 

When I asked Mayor Daley why Chicago didn't place an emphasis on Victory Gardens, like the rest of the world did this year, he mentioned that we had one in Grant Park. Unless, I'm completely mistaken; he was talking about this garden. The kitchen garden in Grant Park, really a mini-farm, is a project by Growing Power, a national nonprofit organization and land trust that focuses on urban agriculture.

This kitchen garden contains 150 heritage and heirloom varieties of
vegetables, edible flowers, culinary and medicinal herbs. During a
recent talk with Michael Thompson, the Farm Director for the Chicago
Honey Co-Op, he told me that the garden was designed by Bill Shores,
who manages Rick Bayless' urban garden/farm. I took a trip out to Grant Park today to photograph this garden after Xan asked for pictures in a comment in a previous post.

Bamboo Teepee Trellis Urban Potager Kichen Garden in Grant Park.png
Companion Plantings Urban Potager Kitchen Garden Urban Agriculture Chicago.png

I really like the use of companion plantings. I believe that the dark red Nasturtium is "Empress of India" and the leaves are very dark in person. I've bought seeds for it over the years and every source has been mislabeled.

Mini Farm Urban Potager Kitchen Garden Urgan Agriculture ChicagoIMG_9436 copy.png

Container Garden Urban Potager Kitchen Garden Urban Agriculture Chicago.png

They're growing corn in the containers.

Ubran Potager Kitchen Garden in Grant Park Chicago.png

Love the bamboo tepees painted blue that the peas are growing on.
 

Urban Potager Kitchen Garden Urban Agriculture Chicago.png

Urban Potager Kitchen Garden Urban Agriculture Chicago 2.png
These photos don't do this place justice, so if you have the time get out and walk around the vegetable garden and see it in person. It looks amazing right now.

Filed under: Garden Themes, Urban Farming

Tags: @featured, Edible Chicago, Garden Inspiration, Urban Agriculture, Urban Farming, What to plant in Chicago

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  • AliceJoyce said July 17, 2009 at 12:00 am

    An awful lot has changed in the decade since I moved West. This garden looks lovely, and it appears unprotected/fenced/or?
    Apparently no vandalism. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to think it's being respected.
    Alice

  • MrBrownThumb said July 17, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to AliceJoyce:

    Alice,

    There is no fence or anything around it. Out in the open, not even protected from the rabbits, which were plentiful when I went today.

    Sarah,

    I'm wondering the same thing. I'm going to see if I can find out about that paint.

    Thank you both for visiting and commenting.

  • naxn said July 18, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to AliceJoyce:

    Thanks MBT, I didn't know about his, although it appears to be directly across from my old offices on Michigan Avenue. This seems like a perfect place for a Chicago-area MyFolia meet up! I also love that it's unfenced-- I've thought about that alot, as I often wonder at friends who tell me that they can't have a garden because they have no sun, when they have an entire full sun FRONT yard-- just plant there! Maybe they're worried about theft?

    There are acres and acres of arable plots in any city that could be farmed, one parkway at a time.

  • MrBrownThumb said July 18, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to naxn:

    Xan,

    You're welcomed. I had been meaning to make a post on it anyways, but my pics didn't come out too good so thanks for the prompt to go back out there. It would be a nice place for a meetup wouldn't it? You're right about all the available spaces around here.

    garden Faerie,

    The day you, me and SSGardenGirl went to the foutain we walked past this on the way back to Michigan Ave in search of lunch. But all they had was the blue tepees.

  • ssgardengirl said July 18, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to naxn:

    I remember passing the garden early this spring before it was planted. It looks gorgeous now. Kudos to Bill Shores.

  • MrBrownThumb said July 18, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to ssgardengirl:

    SSGardenGirl,
    It really does and on cloudy days like the day I was there the colors just pop.

    Violet,

    That's a nice one too.

  • bfuta said September 10, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to ssgardengirl:

    I had occasion to visit/have a tour of this garden over the summer as part of an internship. The staff is incredibly talented and dedicated - I don't think I could stand waking up at 4am 8 months+ out of the year to go pick veggies! There are just some limits I haven't crossed yet! ha! The design is GREAT! I have some amazing pictures as well from earlier in the summer... IF I can find them on my computer ha.

  • MrBrownThumb said September 12, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to bfuta:

    Hi Ben,

    Thanks for signing up to comment. If you find your pics feel free to add them to the Chicago Gardeners flickr pool. You can find it on the sidebar. Would love to see them.

  • Violet said July 18, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to naxn:

    Nice, reminds me of another potager, also currently growing:
    http://cli.gs/NatGreeneVeg2009

  • gardenfaerie said July 18, 2009 at 12:00 am
    In reply to AliceJoyce:

    Hmmm, did we miss that in Grant Park?? I can see I need to come back to Chicago. I also thought potager meant growing veggies and herbs in among annuals, perennials, instead of in a separate bed.

  • Sarah said July 17, 2009 at 12:00 am

    Wow this is gorgeous. I love the blue teepees especially, so perfect with the deep orange of the nasturtiums. I wonder what paint they used for the bamboo.

    Agree with Alice, it is lovely that this is a public garden.

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