The traditional kitchen garden, also known as a potager,
is a seasonally used space separate from the rest of the
residential garden - the ornamental plants and lawn areas. Most
vegetable gardens are still miniature versions of old family farm
plots, but the kitchen garden is different not only in its
history, but also its design.
The kitchen garden may be a landscape feature that can be the
central feature of an ornamental, all-season landscape, but can be
little more than a humble vegetable plot. It is a source of herbs,
vegetables, fruits, and flowers, but it is also a structured
garden space, a design based on repetitive geometric patterns.
The kitchen garden has year-round visual appeal and can
incorporate permanent perennials or woody plantings around (or
among) the annual plants.