As soon as I started designing my potager, I was thinking about how we could enjoy sitting up there on the roof, eating impromptu lunches and enjoying the sunshine.
I have a 6ftx4ft shed, affectionately called the beach hut, which I can use as a writing hut, all year round. I've rigged up electricity in there and a broadband connection so that when it is neither too hot or too cold, I can write, use my computer or just contemplate. I'm often to be found in there, feet up, listening to Gardeners Question Time, even on wet days, as I survey the plot through the open door. The shed, just a very cheap off the peg thing that we painted deep blue outside and white inside is situated under a north facing wall, squeezed into a slot beside the roof light, so it doesn't occupy valuable south facing planting space.
Almost all out roof furniture is folding so that when I'm working I have clear space. However the arbour has a small metal bench, which at a pinch will accommodate four people for lunch. Cheap and cheerful folding deck chairs are made a little more comfortable with a collection of cushions which I keep in the 'beach-hut'. The 800mm folding table is a classic French bistro type. There are hundreds of cheap imitations of this table, but I decided to go for the real thing. It's better made, has a good weather-proof finish and it even has a natty slot in the middle and a 'v' shaped support within the folding mechanism, which anchors a beach umbrella.
A potager should not be just a working place; it should also be a place to enjoy. We certainly get maximum benefit from ours. We have a tiny Japanese barbecue where we can grill fish or Hallumi cheese (a fabulous Cypriot delicacy) and I keep a salad shaker, bowl and dressings in the hut all the time. Our salads are cut, washed and dressed just minutes before they are eaten, providing a freshness that restaurants only dream of. Combined with a tiny fridge and a stock of different teas, I hardly need to descend from the roof, except to sleep.
I think it's really important to ensure that an urban plot is as attractive as possible. A visited plot is a healthy plot. I often notice something that needs attention as I sit and survey my little paradise. Then it takes only minutes to attend to.
Now is a good time of year to assess the plot for leisure use. The majority of summer exuberance will die away as the first frosts sting, but there are still plenty of sunny days before the really hard winter sets in. As the vegetation dies down and the structure starts to reveal itself, I can reassess the plot and make plans for changing things over the winter. Garden furniture is often sold off cheaply at this time of the year as DIY stores make extra space for the Christmas display. So take an hour or so this month to sit in your own little paradise on a sunny day and make plans.
