I rented the 2009 movie, It's Complicated (with Meryl Streep, Steve Martin, and Alec Baldwin). The movie was very funny and it's always nice to see a good movie with characters more in my age range. There were plenty of young characters, too, so you don't have to be a baby boomer to enjoy it. It's a Nancy Meyer movie, so, of course, the set is wonderful. Some of her other movies with swoon-worthy sets include Something's Gotta Give and The Holiday.
In It's Complicated, Meryl's character is a baker. One scene takes place in her garden - a potager. (I like the quaintness of that word.) According to Wikipedia, a potager is a French term for an ornamental vegetable or kitchen garden. After, reading about the potager in this movie and reading about potagers in general, it's clear that what I have been picturing in my dreams is not just a raised garden, but a pretty and functional potager.
The potager in It's Complicated is fabulous. So naturally, I started Googling to see if there were pictures and information online. Yes, indeed! Apparently, I am far from alone in being smitten by this garden. I'll share what I found.
Please Note: Most of the photos I found online were taken by Melinda Sue Gordon of Universal Studios.
A quote from Jon Hutman, the film's production designer -
We try to make the movies look real, but a very delicious version of real.
All the plants were grown in hothouses and only the best were used on the set. The prettiest tomatoes were actually wired onto the vines!
Shouldn't kitchen gardens have plenty of flowers to make them special?
The Potting Shed - It has that look of being used recently,
but without the messy look that most of us end up with.
but without the messy look that most of us end up with.
When shooting was done, the garden was donated to two inner city schools.
Want more? Here are some fun related posts I came across -
From Cote de Texas - a great post on Nancy Meyer's home and her movie sets.
From Traditional Home - slideshow with 14 photos from the movie set, but none show the garden. The movie set is wonderful, too.
From L.A. Times - tells where most of the film scenes really took place
From Remodelista - a fun post with pictures from the set and tips on how to recreate the look from the set decorator, Beth Rubino.
Images of Potagers from Google - very nice!
From Garden Buzz - comparing the movie garden to her actual front yard garden (I'm in the 50% who loves it). Also see her update here.
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Favorite Things Friday at A Few of My Favorite Things
Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home
Inspired by at The Inspired Room
Grow Cook Eat at GoodLife Eats