Ange and her family prepare for summer in Saint-Vallier

The summer season is finally here! Long days spent outdoors are just around the corner, from early morning coffee to late evenings on the terrace. It’s a time of abundance when, like nature, our energy returns in full force, and that’s good!

One of our favourite family spring traditions is planning our vegetable garden. The formula changes every year: sometimes we stick to a few tubs of herbs and other more classic plants, sometimes we play at being a flower farm, and other times we set about discovering and experimenting with new things. Sometimes we’ll stick to a few tubs of herbs and other more traditional plants, sometimes we’ll play flower farm, and other times we’ll start discovering and experimenting with new things; why not harvest figs and artichokes in our own backyard! But whatever the case, Lajoie Horticultural Farm, in the village of Saint-Vallier-de-Bellechasse, is the place to go every spring to make your horticultural finds and have a great time dreaming of summer from May onwards!

We love this soothing place for so many reasons, starting with the enveloping atmosphere of the greenhouses and the warm welcome from a team of passionate people. It’s a family-run business now in its third generation, and you can occasionally run into Clément and Gemma, the founders, who are still putting their hands to the soil (it’s a good way of putting it) even after 90 years! Just goes to show that gardening keeps you young and healthy!

The variety of their plants, 75% of which are grown on site, is always very inspiring. You get a basic idea, but you also end up picking a few spontaneous favourites on the spot. My must-have is lemon verbena as an iced tea in summer, then as a hot drink once dried. For my son, it’s the cucamelons, for my daughter, the sweet peas that never make it into the kitchen, and for my lover, the sun-drenched heirloom tomatoes.

This year, we’re redesigning our yard, so we can also count on their expert landscaping advice to help us make the best choices for our rather small, half-sun, half-shade space. Another exciting project!

In addition to the garden centre and nursery, you can also take part in horticultural workshops on your own, with friends or family. It’s a really great way to prolong the pleasure of being in the greenhouses, learn new things and, of course, take home your own creation. A self-service coffee area is also available for visitors to enjoy even more!