Garden Plans > 2019: Mary's MN Potager

About this Garden Plan

My garden has developed over many years to complement our traditional Midwest Foursquare house, which is basically a square but also contains elements of assymetry. We have spent 35 years completely renovating this house, which is now over 100 years old. In my garden, I wanted to coomplement the geometry and symmetry of the house by using a circular form for the yard and elements of symmetry in the foundation plantings on the west side, but also add elements of assymetry. My garden has also been inspired by the Amish gardens I have seen in Indiana, which combine vegetables and flowers, as well as the French potager. Since we live on a corner, with an alley on a third side one of my goals is to make my garden both productive and beautiful from all angles. I am also committed to ecological principles such as limiting the amount of grass, planting more and more edible crops, and using non-chemical treatments against diseases, as well as composting to improve the soil. Part of the reason I have included so many flowers is to encourage pollinators. I am using the garden planner to facilitate crop rotation and to help me plan my expansion of my garden for 2020. I love my garden, and there is no place I would rather be in the summer!

Plan Type, Soil and Location

Garden Location: Northfield, MN
Garden Size: 89' 11" x 83' 11"
Garden Type: Home garden
Garden Layout: Potager / Country garden
Sun or Shade: Sunny
Garden Soil Type: Good soil

Plan Notes

Garden Plan

Plant List

 PlantNumberSpacingSpacing in RowsNotes
Alyssum 25"5" x 5" 
Arugula
 Rocket
135"3" x 7" 
Asparagus 101' 5"1' 5" x 1' 5" 
Basil
 Genovese
17"5" x 9" 
Beans (Bush Snap) 249"5" x 1' 1" 
Beans (Pole)
 Scarlet Runner
19"5" x 1' 1" 
Beet
 Detroit Dark Red
355"3" x 7"Plant Bulls' Blood next year--red foliage
Beet
 Chioggia
215"3" x 7" 
Beet 215"3" x 7" 
Black Currant 22' 11"2' 11" x 2' 11" 
Borage 51' 1"11" x 1' 11" 
Calendula 411"9" x 1' 11" 
Carrot 2653"3" x 5" 
Chamomile 311"9" x 1' 3" 
Chives 17"5" x 9" 
Cilantro 47"5" x 9" 
Convolvulus
 Heavenly Blue
111"11" x 11" 
Convolvulus 111"11" x 11" 
Coreopsis 211"11" x 11" 
Cosmos
 Bright Lights Orange
317"7" x 7" 
Cosmos 47"7" x 7" 
Cucumber 21' 11"1' 11" x 1' 11" 
Daylily 11' 11"1' 7" x 1' 11" 
Dill
 Fernleaf
67"5" x 9" 
Echinacea 41' 1"11" x 1' 3" 
Edamame 69"7" x 1' 3" 
Fennel
 Florence
311"9" x 1' 1" 
Flower 427"5" x 7" 
Flower 27"5" x 7" 
Flower 187"5" x 7" 
Flower
 Tithonia, Red Torch
407"5" x 7" 
Fruit (Bush)
 'Regent'
12' 11"2' 11" x 2' 11" 
Gladiolus
 Red flowers
1011"7" x 9" 
Gladiolus 711"7" x 9" 
Gooseberry
 Pixwell
92' 11"2' 11" x 2' 11" 
Herb 27"5" x 9" 
Impatiens 77"7" x 11" 
Iris 311"7" x 1' 1" 
Kale
 Red Russian
21' 3"1' 1" x 1' 5" 
Kale 171' 3"1' 1" x 1' 5" 
Kohlrabi 209"7" x 11" 
Lavender 11' 3"1' 1" x 1' 7" 
Lemon Balm 11' 11"1' 11" x 1' 11" 
Lemon Verbena 11' 1"11" x 1' 5" 
Lettuce (Leaf) 353"3" x 5" 
Mache 45"5" x 5" 
Marigold 1097"7" x 7" 
Melon
 Minnesota Midget
52' 11"2' 11" x 2' 11" 
Mint
 Spearmint
17"5" x 9" 
Mint
 Pear
17"5" x 9" 
Mint
 Chocolate
17"5" x 9" 
Monarda 111"11" x 1' 7" 
Nasturtium
 Fordhook Favorites Mix
1911"11" x 11" 
Nasturtium
 Empress of India
1211"11" x 11" 
Nasturtium 511"11" x 11" 
Nigella 911"11" x 11" 
Okra
 Red Burgundy
21' 7"1' 5" x 1' 11" 
Onion 555"3" x 7" 
Oregano 47"5" x 9" 
Other (Large) 831' 7"1' 7" x 1' 7" 
Other (Large)
 Bridal Veil
11' 7"1' 7" x 1' 7" 
Other (Medium) 759"9" x 9" 
Other (Perennial) 331' 7"1' 7" x 1' 7" 
Other (Small) 303"3" x 3" 
Parsley 55"3" x 9" 
Peas
 Oregon Sugar Pod II
1283"3" x 7" 
Peas
 Amish Snap
73"3" x 7" 
Pepper 31' 1"11" x 1' 3" 
Phlox (Annual) 45"5" x 5" 
Portulaca 87"7" x 7" 
Radish
 French Breakfast
243"3" x 7" 
Radish
 Cherry Belle
243"3" x 7" 
Raspberry 112' 3"1' 11" x 2' 11" 
Red Currant
 Red Lake
12' 11"2' 11" x 2' 11" 
Red Currant 22' 11"2' 11" x 2' 11" 
Rhubarb 42' 11"2' 11" x 2' 11" 
Rose
 Nearly Wild, Other
32' 11"1' 11" x 4' 11" 
Rosemary 17"7" x 7" 
Sage 211"11" x 1' 3" 
Sorrel 111"11" x 11" 
Spinach (Malabar) 111"9" x 1' 1" 
Strawberry
 Alpine Alexandria
111' 7"1' 5" x 1' 11" 
Strawberry
 June-bearing
101' 7"1' 5" x 1' 11" 
Strawberry 321' 7"1' 5" x 1' 11" 
Sweet Pea 17"7" x 7" 
Swiss Chard
 Bright Lights
151' 1"11" x 1' 3" 
Swiss Chard 81' 1"11" x 1' 3" 
Thyme
 Golden Lemon
111"11" x 1' 3" 
Thyme
 Creeping
1011"11" x 1' 3" 
Thyme 211"11" x 1' 3" 
Tomato (Large) 41' 7"1' 5" x 1' 11" 
Tomato (Small) 11' 7"1' 5" x 1' 11" 
Tree (Large) 113' 1"13' 1" x 13' 1" 
Vinca (Annual) 10211"11" x 11" 
Zinnia 111"11" x 11" 
Zucchini
 Dark Green
11' 11"1' 11" x 1' 11"Planted in late July fearing other zucchini would die.
Zucchini 11' 11"1' 11" x 1' 11" 

Planting Times

Plant List key
 PlantJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Alyssum
Arugula
 Rocket
Asparagus
Basil
 Genovese
Beans (Bush Snap)
Beans (Pole)
 Scarlet Runner
Beet
 Detroit Dark Red
Beet
 Chioggia
Beet
Black Currant
Borage
Calendula
Carrot
Chamomile
Chives
Cilantro
Convolvulus
 Heavenly Blue
Convolvulus
Coreopsis
Cosmos
 Bright Lights Orange
Cosmos
Cucumber
Daylily
Dill
 Fernleaf
Echinacea
Edamame
Fennel
 Florence
Flower
Flower
Flower
Flower
 Tithonia, Red Torch
Fruit (Bush)
 'Regent'
Gladiolus
 Red flowers
Gladiolus
Gooseberry
 Pixwell
Herb
Impatiens
Iris
Kale
 Red Russian
Kale
Kohlrabi
Lavender
Lemon Balm
Lemon Verbena
Lettuce (Leaf)
Mache
Marigold
Melon
 Minnesota Midget
Mint
 Spearmint
Mint
 Pear
Mint
 Chocolate
Monarda
Nasturtium
 Fordhook Favorites Mix
Nasturtium
 Empress of India
Nasturtium
Nigella
Okra
 Red Burgundy
Onion
Oregano
Other (Large)
Other (Large)
 Bridal Veil
Other (Medium)
Other (Perennial)
Other (Small)
Parsley
Peas
 Oregon Sugar Pod II
Peas
 Amish Snap
Pepper
Phlox (Annual)
Portulaca
Radish
 French Breakfast
Radish
 Cherry Belle
Raspberry
Red Currant
 Red Lake
Red Currant
Rhubarb
Rose
 Nearly Wild, Other
Rosemary
Sage
Sorrel
Spinach (Malabar)
Strawberry
 Alpine Alexandria
Strawberry
 June-bearing
Strawberry
Sweet Pea
Swiss Chard
 Bright Lights
Swiss Chard
Thyme
 Golden Lemon
Thyme
 Creeping
Thyme
Tomato (Large)
Tomato (Small)
Tree (Large)
Vinca (Annual)
Zinnia
Zucchini
 Dark Green
Zucchini



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