Creating your own Cocktail garden

28 Sep, 2022

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

Citrus trees are incredibly versatile and a staple in many classic cocktails, infusing your drinks and garden with their zesty, tangy, and refreshing notes.


If you're short on outdoor space, dwarf citrus trees offer a perfect solution. They grow well in containers, provided you choose pots of at least 50L, making them ideal for sunny spots on decks or balconies. Keep in mind that potted citrus can get a little thirsty, so be sure to water deeply and provide regular feeding during the warm summer months.

Lemons

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

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Oranges

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

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Limes

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

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Herbs

Herbs are the secret ingredient in many cocktails, and add an aromatic touch to your garden. They can be grown in pots for easy access from the kitchen, so long as they have well-draining soil. Most herbs grow well with at least 6 hours of sunlight each day, so choose a sunny spot.


Make sure to check the specific requirements for each of your herbs before choosing where to plant them. Regularly harvest and water your herbs to encourage bushier, more productive growth throughout the year.

Mint

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

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Rosemary

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

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Basil

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

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Sage

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

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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.

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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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