5 Reasons Why You Should Grow a Cocktail Garden

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Spring is around the corner and there’s no better time than right now to grow your own cocktail garden. Here are 5 reasons to get you motivated to start on your path from garden to glass.

What is Cocktail Garden

People often ask me what it means to grow a cocktail garden. They are often under the impression that I’m growing a bunch herbs for a Gin & Tonic garnish. Simply put, it is about growing edibles that can be used as an integral part of a cocktail such as creating infusions, flavoured syrups, drinking shrubs, liqueurs and ferments.

5 Reasons Why You Should Grow a Cocktail Garden

1. Spring is around the Corner

Spring is the best time to get growing in the garden. Nature is waking up, the weather and soil are getting warmer, seeds are germinating and a lot of plants grow faster. Start by choosing the botanicals you like to eat, grow them from seed or buy plant starts from a garden centre and you’ll soon be on your way to growing a cocktail garden.

2. Become More Sustainable

We’ve all bought a bunch of herbs from the supermarket or green grocer only to watch them wilt and die and end up being thrown out. Similarly, many fruit and vegetables are bought and left to rot at the back of the fridge. By growing your own cocktail garden, you can actively minimise waste, reduce food miles, apply organic controls to garden pests and diseases instead of using chemical pesticides and herbicides. Furthermore, by connecting with nature, you’re in control of provenance and where your cocktail ingredients come from.

3. Capture the Flavour in a Cocktail Glass

Nothing compares with biting into garden-grown tomatoes bursting with flavour, freshly-picked juicy Atherton raspberries and the unmistakable scent and flavour of native thyme. When you grow your own cocktail garden, you can capture the freshness of your produce in a glass. Imagine harvesting thick, crimson rhubarb stalks, adding aromatics then turning them into a drinking shrub you can use in an elegant cocktail or a thirst-quenching non-alcoholic beverage.

4. Small Space for a Cocktail Garden

Many of us aren’t blessed with large backyards that can be transformed into food forests. My garden is a paved courtyard with a shallow border of sandy soil sitting on concrete yet I have managed to convert that tiny space into a thriving edible and cocktail garden. You don’t need a lot of room to get started. You can achieve it in a small space, a rental property, a courtyard, front yard, backyard or a sunny balcony.

5. Impress Your Loved Ones

Have you ever cooked for family and friends using produce from your garden and felt a sense of pride and satisfaction? Next time you’re home entertaining, why not impress them with your garden-grown drink repertoire, from tall and refreshing easy sipping drinks, to elegant sparkling cocktails and strong and boozy numbers while designated drivers sip on your creative non-alcoholic cocktail creations.

Whether you’re a beginner gardener or a more seasoned green thumb, with the right knowledge, it’s easy to get started in transforming your fresh produce into cocktail ingredients.

My 260+ page digital book, GROW YOUR OWN COCKTAIL GARDEN has everything you need to grow your own produce and mix delicious drinks no matter the size of your growing space. Get all the details HERE.

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