Cheers!
Here’s to how to Plant a Cocktail Garden!
Drinks made with fresh-picked herbs, fruit, and vegetables as flavorings and garnishes are the toast of the summer party season, whether made with alcohol or not.
As cocktail gardeners have grown more adventurous, the happy-hour repertoire has expanded well beyond the classic sprig of spearmint for juleps and mojitos and into the realm of refreshing homegrown blackberry cocktails and summer drinks garnished with edible petals and frilly little marigolds. When the ingredients are within easy reach of an imaginative backyard bartender, every cocktail becomes a flourishing signature drink.
I’ve been a busy little bee 🐝 here in Chatsworth. This summer is all about planting everything that is edible. We started with an amazing plot of land that had no trees or plants on it. So we made it a point to keep adding new fruit trees and edible plants a little at a time. I decided that our atrium, which is off our living room, will be an edible atrium and filled with fruits and vegetables that we can use for an edible cocktail garden. It’s also where our guests relax with cocktails as our son’s jazz band entertains us.
Here’s the list of what’s been planted so far:
Herbs and Trees:
- mint
- basil
- cilantro
- parsley
- rosemary
- tarragon
- chives
- thyme
- sage
- oregano
- lavender
- lemongrass
- lemon balm
- marigolds
- cherry tree
- red valencia orange
- asian pear
- fig trees
- avocado trees
- pomergrate trees
- apple tree
- lime tree
- lemon tree
- mango tree
If you love making your own custom cocktails at home, a fun project can be growing your favorite herbs, fruits, and vegetables yourself. This will make for fresh, delicious cocktails for friends and families to enjoy. You will need to plant your cocktail garden in a sunny area in your yard with quality soil. Plant a variety of herbs, fruits, and vegetables commonly used in cocktails and harvest your plants once they’re mature. With some time and dedication, your cocktail garden can thrive.
Just a few steps out the kitchen door, you can grow a container filled with herbs to enhance your favorite garden-inspired cocktails. All you need is a sunny location, a suitably large container, and some of the hottest herbs for mixology.
Cheers to the cocktail garden! Grow a happy hour in your own backyard with these good-time tips and fruit and vegetable plant ideas.
Let me know if you need any suggestions or help on starting your own Edible Cocktail Garden?
Ali in the Valley
Happy Hibiscus Cocktail
Here’s a perfect summer time cocktail! Refreshing, Beautiful and has a little Punch!
- 1 oz Tequila
- 1 oz Hibiscus Syrup
- 3/4 oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
- 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- Edible Karma Orchid
- Chill Martini Glass
Hibiscus Syrup
- 2 cups filter, cold water
- 1 cup all-natural cane sugar
- 3/4 cup dired hibiscus flowers
Fill mixing glass with tequila, hibiscus syrup, St. Germain, fresh lime juice and ice. Shake Vigorously for 10 seconds and strain contents of shaker into glass. Garnish with an orchid of lime slice.
Hibiscus Syrup
- Add water, sugar and dried flowers to a medium pot. Slowly bring to a boil while stirring occasionally, over medium heat.
- Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer on low for 15 minutes until slightly reduced and syrup like (it won’t be super thick).
- Cool completely in pan, about 45-60 minutes
- Placing pourable measuring bowl in sink, fitted with a mesh strainer, slowly pour liquid into bowl.
- Fit a small jar with a funnel and slowly pour the hibiscus syrup into the jar.
- Secure with lid, store in refrigerator 3-6 months.
Uses for simple syrup:
Replacing it for grenadine syrup in a Shirley Temple
Pour over ice cream, sorbet or sherbet (perhaps over vanilla, or a raspberry sorbet??)
Freeze it into small ice cubes for iced tea’s and other drinks
Flavor Italian Sodas, it’s the pretties pink color!
Bottle for hostess, teacher, Christmas and gift baskets
Drizzle a little into your buttercream for both flavor and pink coloring, naturally!
But probably my favorite is in craft cocktails, such as Mojitos, Mules and Gin & Tonics
Basil Gimlet
This cocktail has satisfying combination of mint and basil flavors. It’s perfect for sipping in warm weather or any time you want a zippy, refreshing drink.
- 6 large basil leaves – cut into strips or finely chopped
- Zest from ½ lime
- Juice from one lime (mine was 1/25 oz)
- ½ oz simple syrup or honey (which I used)
- 2.5 oz vodka
- Muddle the basil leaves, lime zest, lime juice and simple syrup at the bottom of a cocktail shaker.
- Let it stand approximately 5 minutes to let the flavors blend
- Add the vodka and fill the cocktail shaker ½ to ⅔ of the way full with ice
- Shake and strain if you aren’t into the basil leaves.
- Pour into a glass and add a basil spring for a garnish, if you desire.
Moscow Mule
- 1 cup ginger beer
- 1 or 2 shots vodka
- juice of one lime wedge
- lots of ice
- garnish with mint or basil
Directions
- Pour the ginger beer, vodka and lime juice in a cup or for more traditional mule in a copper cup and stir. Add in the ice. Give it another stir and garnish with a lime wedge and mint.
