A Painter's Garden

We have been offered a little bit of land to use by Monsieur Chauvet Junior. They are his peaches, apricots and cherries that appear so often on Julian's
paintings and, low and behold, he turns out to be an amateur painter who has promptly 'fallen in admiration' with Julian's work. It only seems fitting, then, that we should plant a Potager du Peintre, growing things that will find their way onto little Provençal postcards and remind Monsieur (while he is busy packing spices in bottles for Ducros) of the lovely terrain where he hopes to retire. Then of course the vegetables will make their way to our soups and salads.

The first step today was to try and develop some good soil. Here is our somewhat improvised recipe:

1. Round up the oak chippings from the builder, the cut grass from next door, horse manure from the neighbours and our own rotting peelings.
2. Plonk them on the land.
3. Attempt to cover during a fierce mistral wind.
4. Let them simmer under the lid for a Provençal summer.
5. Turn on some loud music and invite the worms to party.

As you can see I have only managed one row and I have a very burnt nose.