Initially, my potager will fit into the L-shape made by a privacy fence and my garage. The length of the legs of the L will be 25' and 20' and the width will be 6'-10' (I'm not one for straight edges).

So far, I'm thinking about growing tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, tomatillos, and squash on trellises along my fence and garage. I think that I will grow beans and peas on teepees throughout the border. I may also add some potted blueberry bushes (my soil is too alkaline to amend well). I am thinking about filling in the border with herbs, peppers, shallots, carrots, and cantloupe. I want to tuck in some annuals (marigolds and nasturtiums), monarda, and daylillies. I have a feeling that I am planning too much for the space. The L will probably become a triangle and my other flower border will be supplemented with produce.

What do I need to do now to prepare for next year? What 'must have' fruits, veggies, or herbs should I also include in my garden? Now that you have experience with potager gardens, what would you do differently than what you did as a newbie? I need advice.

I would also LOVE to see pictures of pretty plant combinations and architectural features in your gardens.

Thanks for your help and wisdom.

Katie

I love unique colors and shapes so here are my essentials:
Heirloom tomatoes (Black Krim and Pineapple are my favorites)
Weird colored eggplants (started 6 varieties from seed)
Squash (I'm trying Patty Pan this year!)
Cukes (for my husband who eats them like popsicles in hot weather)
Green Beans
Bright Lights Chard (which fills in the bare spaces)

Then I expand from there. This year my experimentals are parnsips, celery, kohlrabi and I also had another go at Broccoli and Cauliflower which I have had no luck with in previous years.

I planted cilantro this year for salsa, along with about 8 other herbs and I have everything edged with naturtiums and marigolds.

I use lasagna gardening, which means I check my beds and then start feeding them with an eye to what I want to pop into the bed next year. For example, I knew I wanted to try some bush watermelons along the fence. I fed the area throughout last fall with compost, leaves, and lots of coffee grounds.

I think the biggest mistakes I made as a beginner was 1. trying to make things too neat (unless you have a row of greenhouses behind your place, there is always going to be a hole or two where something failed)

2. not planting for my own tastes - I like eggplant and okra but my husband doesn't so a plant of each is plenty! On the other hand, I love fresh flowers, so I give more room than most veggie gardeners I know to cut flowers such as zinnias and coreposis.

3. Forgeting about shade. It seems elementary to push the tallest plants to the back, but I messed up quite a few times and ended up with a plant shaded out by another plant. It took me a while to learn how the sun moves and how the different structures and houses around me affect the light. I think I have almost got the hang of it now!