This year, cocktail gardens have popped up as a new and hip gardening theme taking over gardens everywhere. Enjoying a nice cold cocktail after a long hard day at work, or during weekends with friends, has become something a lot of us have come accustomed to, especially during the hot summer months. Now that summer is winding down, yet still staying a little warm for us to enjoy time outside after work, we decided that a little knowledge about building your own cocktail garden could be helpful for the upcoming year.
What is great about cultivating your own cocktail garden is that you can start indoors now that the weather is getting a little chillier. Container gardening has become a lot more popular this year, and has gained an immense amount of attention, where people everywhere are noticing that although you may not have a piece of land suitable enough for gardening, you can always set up a planter or 2 indoors or out, to satisfy your gardening needs. We know this to be true from experience. This past summer, some of us at Algreen decided to start planting some tomatoes and herbs in our new Valencia planters. We were all so happy and surprised to see how successful this venture was, as we began being able to make fresh tomato basil salads every afternoon at the cottage. Not only did the tomatoes and herbs taste amazing, but there is something super exciting and rewarding about harvesting your own produce for eating, enjoying, and sharing with friends and family.
Our Modena windowsill herb garden is absolutely perfect for your cocktail garden throughout the cooler months and is especially helpful as it comes with a self watering element to allow you to leave your plants without care for an extended of time without watering! Depending on which herbs you have, place them by a window with enough sun, and ensure you water them as much as they need to be. Because each plant requires different things, like more sun, or less water, it’s helpful to do research on each herb or plant you plan to have in your cocktail gardens to ensure you don’t over water them or dry them out.
Some perfect herbs to have for some essential drinks during cocktail hour are herbs like mint, basil, rosemary, cilantro, dill, and one of my favorites, lemon verbena. You can make some of the most common and well known cocktails like Mojitos with mint or basil and Limonana (frozen mint lemonade)! Both of these are extremely easy to make, and absolutely delicious!
Below are a few of our favorite summer time cocktails using herbs from our herb garden!
Hope you enjoy :)
Limonana – Frozen Mint Lemonade
Blend & Serve!
Mojito - Blueberry Thai Basil
Combine, Shake & Serve!
Our Modena windowsill herb garden is absolutely perfect for your cocktail garden throughout the cooler months and is especially helpful as it comes with a self watering element to allow you to leave your plants without care for an extended of time without watering! Depending on which herbs you have, place them by a window with enough sun, and ensure you water them as much as they need to be. Because each plant requires different things, like more sun, or less water, it’s helpful to do research on each herb or plant you plan to have in your cocktail gardens to ensure you don’t over water them or dry them out.
Some perfect herbs to have for some essential drinks during cocktail hour are herbs like mint, basil, rosemary, cilantro, dill, and one of my favorites, lemon verbena. You can make some of the most common and well known cocktails like Mojitos with mint or basil and Limonana (frozen mint lemonade)! Both of these are extremely easy to make, and absolutely delicious!
Below are a few of our favorite summer time cocktails using herbs from our herb garden!
Hope you enjoy :)
Limonana – Frozen Mint Lemonade
Blend & Serve!
- 1/2 cup sugar (or more to taste)
- 1 3/4 cups water (divided)
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 1/2 cups ice
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 6 mint sprigs for garnish (optional)
Mojito - Blueberry Thai Basil
Combine, Shake & Serve!
- 1 Tbsp. Fresh Thai Basil Leaves
- 1 Tbsp. Agave
- 2 oz. Light Rum
- ¼ C. Fresh Blueberries
- 2 tsp. Lime Juice
- 6 oz. Sparkling Water
- Ice
- Optional: Extra Basil for Garnish