Potager Gardening - Chives - Perennial Plants for Edging

Chives are the smallest of the onion family. Its name comes from the French word cive. It`s used in the kitchen for its leaves on fish potatoes and soups.

In the Garden: In the Potager Garden, I think it looks best as a border or a beautiful purple clump in the centre of a circle. It also serves a secondary purpose by repelling pests. Chives are one of the `fine herbes` of French cuisine, which also include tarragon, chervile and parsley. They bloom in May and June.

In the Kitchen: Chives need to be chopped before drying or freezing. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and let them dry a little to prevent freezer burn, put them in a freezer bag and try to remove as much air as you can before freezing.

Medicinal Properties: Chives lower blood pressure and cholesterol.

Potager Gardening - Kale - Plant for Edging and Garden Paths

Kale and cabbage prefer cool weather and can survive light frosts. They can be purchased from the nursery and should be planted at least 12 inches apart. Ornamental kale are not as nice to eat as their cabbage cousins, but their bright color is beautiful in the garden in the fall after frost has set in. I've put kale under the heading 'Plant for Edging' although you can see in the picture above that kale has been used as a filler. Unless you live in a Chateau and own a huge plot, I would suggest using it as an edging plant.