6 Essential Plants to Grow in a Cocktail Garden

Marigolds

GARNISH

A single bloom nested in a drink or a smattering of petals adds instant cheer

to a beverage. The smell is usually mild, whereas the flavor can be distinctive.

Sometimes called the poor man’s saffron, the bright color of marigold will

hold when dried, but not when frozen.

CRAFT

Marigold’s flavors range from spicy to bitter to tangy. Use them raw or

blanched, fresh or dry. Heat will bring out bitterness. Remove the green and

white part of the stems before eating. Traditionally used in Mexican Day of the

Dead ceremonies, pair them with tequila!

MUDDLE

Avoid muddling marigolds because they will become bitter.

GROW

Choose mini marigold varieties for drinks. Growing these beauties from seed

is really easy, especially since they are quick to germinate and bloom which

makes them a fun plant to start with kids. While you will love this little plant,

many vegetable eating insect pests do not, which is why we recommend

planting them near your vegetable gardens. The first recorded use of

Marigolds was by the Aztecs so it should be no surprise that Marigolds love

the sun! They will give you extra flowers if you supply them with a little

organic compost. Once the plant starts flowering make sure to remove the

dead blooms that didn’t make it into your drinks, to extend it’s flowering

season. However, know that Marigolds do not like the cold and once the first

frost hits the plant will start to die.

Basil

GARNISH

The sweet scent of basil and strong leaves make a great garnish. Clip off and

float a single leaf on the top of the drink, or clip off a sprig with multiple

leaves and stand it straight up in the cocktail so the leaves come out from the

top in a small bouquet. Basil micro green sprinkles also look great and add

texture in a drink.

CRAFT

Basil can withstand high temperatures for only a short time before losing the

purity of it’s flavor, so take care not to overexpose it to heat. You do not need

to steep basil long to impart good flavor. Cook your syrup or shrub

thoroughly, reduce heat or even turn off the heat, and add basil last.

MUDDLE

Leaves can be muddled into drinks to add a fresh herbal taste to gin, vodka,

tequila, aperitif, and wine cocktails. Muddling basil into a drink adds flavor

without additional calories or sweetness. Muddle gently to avoid bitterness

releasing from the veins of the soft leaf.

GROW

Basil likes a lot of sun and regular watering. With a bit of babying, it will

produce well for a long season. Basil is fast growing and reacts well to

regular, heavy pruning which makes it great for a cocktail garden. The most

important thing to remember when harvesting basil is to not take just the

leaves, and to never clip it all the way back to the main stem. Instead, clip

each branch back to the last “fork.” This encourages strong regrowth and can

be done as soon as the plant reaches 6” tall. To keep basil productive, it is

important to keep the plant from flowering. If the plant is allowed to bloom, it

will put energy into producing flowers rather than leaves and the leaves will

become bitter. But all good things eventually come to an end, and when you

can no longer combat the blooms, harvest the remaining leaves to make pesto

and use the flowers as a garnish.

Thyme

GARNISH

Trailing thyme adds instant romance and elegance to a cocktail. Clip off a 4 to

7 inch sprig and rest one end in the glass, letting the rest overhang the edge.

Thyme is hardy even after clipping. If stems are rested in water it will hold up

for hours or even days.

CRAFT

Thyme can withstand high temperatures without losing the purity of its flavor,

so it is an excellent candidate for syrups and hot process shrubs. Thyme can

become very pungent if steeped too long, so take care not to let your mix get

too savory.

MUDDLE

Thyme sprigs can be muddled into drinks to add a deep herbal taste to gin,

vodka, whiskey, aperitif, and wine cocktails. The leaves are hardy enough to

withstand muddling but they will be torn apart so the drink should be fine

strained after. Muddling thyme into a drink adds flavor without additional

calories or sweetness.

GROW

Thyme is one of the lowest maintenance herbs in our garden. Like the other

Mediterranean herbs, thyme is drought tolerant, likes well-draining soil, does

not need much water and loves the sun. Make sure you let the soil get

completely dry between watering. Thyme does very well in containers,

although it likes to spread so be sure to leave enough spacing between plants

and if it starts to get crowded, dig some up and start a new container. Regular

pruning has double benefits. First, you can enjoy more in your cocktails and

second, the plant will continue to grow and be healthier. When pruning make

sure to only trim the new, green growth and leave alone the woody part of the

plant. Although it is rumored to be difficult to propagate from seed, we have

never had an issue. Once your initial thyme plant is established it will spread

by putting roots down from all the branches that touch the ground. After 3-4

years thyme plants will likely become woody so it is a good idea to divide

your plants. This way you will always have a fresh plant growing.

Borage

GARNISH

Borage’s bright and delicate flowers attract bees to the garden and look equally

stunning in drinks. Their mild cucumber flavor will not overwhelm or compete

with the taste of drinks, making it the perfect garnish. Even better, they hold

color when frozen, for pretty garnishment possibilities year-round.

CRAFT

Borage can be made into a syrup, though its very mild flavor tends to be lost

in shrubs and liqueurs. It pairs very well with citrus, cucumber, and herbal

flavors.

MUDDLE

Leaves can be muddled into drinks to add color and flavor. The taste is mild

so a muddling tool can be used.

GROW

Borage is a tall plant growing up to 2’ so make sure you plant it in an area

that won’t choke out smaller plants. You will also want to space your plants at

least 12” apart as they can get bushy quickly! It is an annual but it very easily

self-seeds so you will likely get repeat showings if you let it. If you don’t want

it to re-seed, be sure you pinch off and use flowers before they go to seed.

The flowers make their appearance earlier than a lot of the other herb

flowers, in June and July, so it will be one of the first ones you enjoy in your

cocktail garden. It will also tolerate very little watering and will still bloom

throughout the growing season so it is a great choice for beginner gardeners.

The bees and butterflies love borage which makes it a great plant to plant

near your fruits and veggies.

Bachelor Buttons

GARNISH

Our favorite garnish! The flowers hold up well over time and even in heat after

picking. The gorgeous range of colors will hold frozen or dried, and the

delicate petals make for excellent sugar and salt rims when dried and

chopped.

CRAFT

Bachelor Buttons’ best value lies in its color and appearance, though they have

a mild, grassy flavor. The petals can be used dried, ground, frozen, and fresh.

MUDDLE

Petals can be stirred into drinks and frozen in ice cubes to add color and

texture to a drink, but the flavor is very mild and generally not the reason for

its inclusion.

GROW

We think every cocktail garden should include Bachelor Buttons because these

tough little plants produce flowers that give all season long! Considered a

weed by many, Bachelor Buttons grow well just about anywhere and really

like rocky, well-draining soil. They often self-sow themselves in the gravel

right outside our raised beds. Like most weeds, they grow easily and are

pretty difficult to kill, which makes them a perfect flower for beginners. They

reseed themselves freely so plant them in an area you are okay with having

them year after year. They grow so well on their own and are cold hearty so

we don’t waste our energy starting them indoors and instead direct seed

them in the later winter or early fall. We generally plant Bachelor Buttons

twice, once in the early spring and then again in early summer so that we

have blooms all season long! When all the rest of the flowers have given up

for the year, the Bachelor Buttons are the last ones sprinkling the cocktail

garden with color.

Sage

GARNISH

The silvery color and intricate leaves of sage make a classy garnishment

when a single leaf is rested on top of the drink or placed on the side of the

glass before filling with ice, so that the leaf is like an imprint. The scent

welcomes the drinker without overwhelming. Sage is so hearty it has a very

long season and will allow for garnishment well into winter in mild climates.

If allowed to flower, it will not produce as many leaves, but flowers also

complement cocktails.

CRAFT

Sage can withstand high temperatures without losing the purity of its flavor,

so it is an excellent candidate for hot and cold infusions. Think about cooking

when using it, and pair it with other traditionally used herbs like lavender,

tarragon, rosemary, and citrus. Embrace the earthiness of sage by pairing it

with smoky spirits.

MUDDLE

Sage leaves are hardy and won’t get bitter, so they can be muddled into drinks

to add flavor without additional calories or sweetness.

GROW

Sage is an evergreen that is incredibly unfussy. Even in the dead of winter

Sage will be there for you and your cocktails. Sage isn’t picky and will grow in

the shade and the full sun, but when planted in the full sun it gives you its

best version of itself. Don’t get overzealous on the fertilizer, or be like us and

don’t fertilize it at all, because the assisted growth will also lead to less

flavorful leaves. Sage is also a fairly drought tolerant plant so don’t give it too

much water. Overwatering can cause mildew issues. If given the opportunity

Sage can get very large pretty quickly so make sure you give it lots of space

with at least 24” between plants with 36” being even better! Sage is a

subshrub which means you do not want to cut it all the way back in the fall

like you do with many herbaceous plants, as you would likely remove all of

its growing points, resulting in a dead plant. The fall and winter are the worst

times to prune your sage. Instead wait until after the first sign of new growth

in the spring to prune your plant and only trim your plant back to the first

signs of new growth so that you don’t delay flowering.

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