Kitchen Gardens of France (Paperback)

~ (Author), Vincent Motte (Author, Photographer)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Magnificent kitchen gardens are a long-standing tradition in France. Every region has its own characteristic examples that--depending on the climate, terrain, and design--boast a profusion of vegetables, fruit, flowers, and herbs. Family knowledge is carefully handed down for the benefit of each new generation. In this wonderful celebration of the French kitchen garden, old-fashioned techniques and obscure produce are rediscovered. An illuminating text and brilliant color photographs uncover vegetable patches alongside chateaux or abbeys, gourmet gardens planted by master chefs, romantic gardens tended by parish priests, and lovely ornamental idylls. Four main sections, covering stately homes, grassroots gardening, dreams and utopias, and vegetable produce, conjure up the rich history and extraordinary variety of the French countryside from Paris to the Alps. The extravagance of the kitchen garden at Mongenan, highly praised by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, the mosaic-like patterns of the allotments at Ivry, and labyrinthine cultivated gardens at Amiens are just a few examples of these most original, most secret, most spectacular, and most poetic of kitchen gardens.

Product Details

• Paperback: 191 pages
• Publisher: Thames & Hudson (April 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0500281181
• ISBN-13: 978-0500281185
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #694,766 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars French garden beauty, February 28, 2006

By	Jennifer Stevens (PA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The french seem to know how to enjoy life. They have even created their kitchen gardens as works of art. I looked long to find a good book on potagers with pictures of real french gardens after reading "Four-Season Harvest" by E. Coleman. And here they are!

More of a coffee table book of beautiful photos of gardens then a how to/design book. But still full of great ideas that will get you motivated and reworking your garden immediately.

These gardens are very functional and very lovely. Not as structured as others, which I rather liked.