Talented French gardeners are said to have 'green hands' (la main verte).
In England, accomplished gardeners have 'green fingers'. Apparently the term 'green thumb' is US-based but did not become common usage until about the 1940's.
I don't have any green appendages, but I do have a small potager (kitchen garden). I've included a few Frenchie touches, like sorrel:
It's a hardy perennial and lives next to my little pond.
Excuse the tubing - irrigation being rearranged.
I have some French tarragon in a pot.
And black currants growing in a pot on my driveway (the only sunny spot in my Petaluma yard which can be foggy). Doesn't look like I'll have cassis anytime soon, though.
I tried growing mâche without much success, as evidenced below:
My pride and joy and only real gardening accomplishment has been growing pomegranates in a pot. I started with a bare root stick which rapidly produced leaves and a couple years later, flowers. But they dropped off before fruiting. This happened for a couple years. Then finally this year the flowers produced fruit! Et voilà - real pomegranates!
Now, a few French gardening terms. Barbara, can you help with more terms or advice on growing mâche?
gardening: le jardinage
to weed - désherber
to dig - creuser, bêcher
to harvest crops- récolter
to pick (flowers, fruits, etc.) - cueillir
to prune - élaguer
to water - arroser
un sécauteur - pruning shears
un tuyau d'arrosage - garden hose
un déplantoir -trowel
