Have you heard of a cocktail garden? It’s a fun project for the spring to enjoy all summer and into the fall. It’s especially perfect in containers if you live in an apartment or don’t have extra space to plant herbs and edible flowers. Of course, you can also use the herbs in cooking, but think of how you can elevate even a simple lemonade with mint or basil, or add a sprig of rosemary to a simple gin and tonic. Growing your own herbs is so much more affordable than buying them in the grocery store, and there’s nothing like walking out to your garden and cutting fresh basil for a pesto.
I have flowers in galvanized tubs, and I like to use them as garnishes.
Essential herbs for cocktails:
- Mint
- Rosemary
- Basil
- Thyme
- Sage
- Lavender
Most big-box stores and garden centers carry these herbs. If you’re starting your garden, depending on your zone, it may be too late to start from seed. Small pots of herbs and flowers are relatively affordable and will yield great results as long as you provide them with lots of sun, daily watering, and weekly fertilizer.
Flowers as garnish:
I love to add flowers as a garnish to cheese boards and plates. It just adds a little something extra and a beautiful pop of color. You can also grow edible flowers for salads and cheeses like:
- Marigolds
- Nasturtium
- Snapdragon
- Blue Cornflower
- Johnny Jump-ups
I’ve started a ‘The Garden Happy Hour’ series on my Instagram page, where I share garden-to-glass inspiration for cocktails or appetizers every Friday. I have a fun collection of gardening cocktail cookbooks to use as a resource for trying something new:
Friday Night Cocktails by A.J. Dean – My sister gifted me this book for Easter. There’s an exceptionally yummy recipe for a Cucumber Mint Gimlet that’s so fresh and light. It features seasonal cocktails – one for every week of the year.
The Cocktail Garden: Botanical Cocktails for Every Season by Adriana Picker – I discovered the author on Instagram, and she’s also an artist who illustrated all the artwork in the book. This will make a lovely gift for Mother’s Day!
Garden to Glass by Mike Wolf – written by an expert mixologist, illustrating how to incorporate the natural world into the sips we make, drink, and share with friends. Wolf also includes gardening tips and instructions on how to use plants and herbs to make dynamic cocktails, delicious cordials, and elixirs.
Special note: We practice organic gardening and never use pesticides as this is not only harmful to our pollinators and helpful insects, but it’s toxic for consumption. Please research safe ways to keep pests away from your garden. Here’s a helpful resource.
Let me know if you try a cocktail garden! Cheers!
Hospitality is in my DNA. I founded Home with a Twist, a daughter’s twist on her mother’s traditions, in memory of my mother to celebrate her life and the gifts she shared with me. Mother loved to celebrate life’s occasions – big and small.
