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Creating your own Cocktail garden

28 Sep, 2021

A cocktail garden is exactly what it sounds like: planting out a special edible garden with fruit, veggies and herbs that can be used in fancy cocktails, to impress your friends and family! Of course, your cocktail garden can also be used to make delicious mocktails for those who prefer their drinks alcohol-free.

What do I need?

Half the fun is figuring out what you will put in your cocktail garden. Think of your favourite cocktails, along with similar drinks, to narrow down what you will plant in your cocktail garden.


Go on – be a little bit adventurous and try something new! You will need a spot that gets full sun, and either a garden with well-draining soil, or a large deck or sheltered balcony with large containers for your plants.


You will need a spot that gets full sun, and either a garden with well-draining soil, or a large deck or sheltered balcony with large containers for your plants.

Citrus

Not just for baking, there is nothing like a tangy, refreshing citrus cocktail on a summer evening.


Plant citrus in free-draining soil in full sunlight in the ground, or plant dwarf citrus in pots of at least 50 litres. Potted citrus need consistent watering over summer.

Lemons

Use lemons in cocktails such as Lemon Drop, Bootleg, Whisky Smash, SouthSide, Lemon Mojito and Kentucky Lemonade.

Oranges

Plant for cocktails including Orange Crush, Mimosa, Screwdriver, Orange Blossom, Blood Orange French 75 and Orange Martini.

Limes

Use in cocktails such as Bootleg, G&Ts, Daiquiri, Gimlet, Lime Sour, Moscow Mule, Cosmopolitan, Gin Rickey, Mai Thai and Margarita.

Herbs

Easy to grow, herbs need full sun and well-draining soil. Pinching out growth tips will encourage bushing.


Basil and mint need a generous amount of water and a little more shade in the hot summer sun, whereas established rosemary and sage are happy in hotter, drier areas.


A bonus: most herb flowers are great for bees too!

Mint

Essential in G&Ts, Whisky Smash, Southside, Mojito, Kentucky Lemonade, Orange Crush, Mint Collins and Mint Julep.

Rosemary

Use in Lemon and Rosemary Bourbon Sour, Rosemary Bee’s Knees and Rosemary Old Fashioned.

Basil

Great in Cucumber, Basil and Lime Gimlet, Gin Basil Smash, Green Gin Giant, and Lime and Basil Margaritas.

Sage

Use in a Sage Gin, as well as muddled into Tequila Smash and the Bee’s Knees.

Fruit and veggies

Don't forget delicious fruit and veggies for your cocktails too! Harvest from late spring to late summer.

Tomatoes

As well as being amazing fresh in salads and fantastic in sauces, soups and grilled, tomatoes are perfect for Bloody Marys! Grow green or yellow tomatoes for something a little more interesting.

Blackberries and Raspberries

Compliment any of the citrus drinks above with fresh or frozen berries, as well as creating The Bramble, Blackberry Malt, The Floradora, Muddled Rebuttal and Raspberry Snakebite.

Strawberries

Super easy to grow, strawberries can be added to most sweet cocktails including Daiquiris, Strawberry Berryoska, Kentucky Kiss and Cherub’s Cup.

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