'We produce edible flowers and organic black garlic in Vendée'

Pauline Dominicy and Nathalie Guérineau run Le Jardin de Pauline 85 in Coëx in Vendée, producing black garlic and edible flowers along with other herbs and spices. Everything is organic. Together they cultivate 2,600 m2 of land, growing more than 3,000 different varieties of plants. 

"Pauline had been growing edible flowers since the beginning of Covid in 2019," says Nathalie. "Even though most restaurants were closed, she began selling to one restaurateur, and a few traiteurs, pâtissiers, glaciers and chocolatiers, and now she has around 40 clients."

Nathalie joined the enterprise in 2021. "Pauline only deals with professional clients, and I wanted to develop sales to the general public. When a friend who used to make black garlic retired, I bought his machine and added a new product to our offer."

The pair only sell fresh flowers and herbs, they don't dry them or transform them in any way. They grow so many varieties that they have fresh edible flowers available all-year-round. 

In spring, they sell primroses, violets, daisies, forget-me-nots and wisteria, for example. They also sell plants so that people can grow herbs and edible flowers at home. 

"Black garlic is becoming increasingly popular. I sell it in re-sealable plastic pouches which people can keep in the fridge." 

It is made by placing fresh garlic in a machine which maintains even humidity and temperature for several weeks, during which time the garlic softens, ferments and blackens. The taste is sweet and slightly tangy with a milder garlic taste. It is particularly good in sauces and marinades. 

"Customers generally ring ahead to place orders, or they order via the website. We pick the flowers early in the week and deliver the orders towards the end of the week. There also is a growing demand to learn more about edible flowers, so we show people how to create beautiful gardens using plants which are also edible. 

"We teach in a mobile home onsite, but a lot of it is practical teaching in our herb and flower gardens. We have also planted fruit trees but they will only fruit in the future, after we have retired I suppose."

Nathalie and Pauline also run visits in the summer months, for people who reserve ahead.