Grow your own cocktail garnishes - and how to reuse simple herbs and plants
The art of a cocktail lies in the sensory details. It’s not just a drink, it’s an experience.
There’s the flavour, of course. Nuanced notes to savour. Then there’s the subtle sound of effervescent bubbles and clinking ice. The sound of coming together with a loved one to celebrate, or taking a moment away from the to-do list. And there’s the scents. Fresh garnishes and seasonal ingredients evoking what they’re meant to - freshly cut gardens, in a summer drink, soothing spice in a winter warmer.
No cocktail is complete without all of these things coming together, and garnishes go a long way in exaggerating the exhilaration. They might never be the main attraction, but a cocktail wouldn’t be complete without. And when they’re the very freshest, purest quality, even better.
Growing your own garnishes might sound like it would require hours of gardening know-how and backbreaking labour, but there are many herbs and plants that are foundational to flavour exploration that can be grown in any sized space, with very little effort.
This guide covers everything you need to know: the easiest garnishes to grow in small spaces, how to pair them with popular cocktails, and creative ways to reuse your homegrown bounty into syrups and infusions. Cultivating your home bar essentials goes beyond stocking up on your favourite bottles and equipment, it can involve a touch of horticulture.
Easy garnishes to grow in any sized garden
Luckily, you don’t need a garden worthy of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show to experiment with some essential cocktail ingredients and flavourful herbs. Whether you’ve got a sprawling back garden or you’ve got a balcony in a city apartment, you can grow a handful of classic go-tos, including:
Mint - can be used with Mojitos, Juleps, Kentucky Mules
Rosemary - great in Gin and Tonics, Palomas, Bourbon Smashes
Basil - perfect in fruity cocktails, herbaceous Margarita twists and gin drinks
Thyme - a great garnish for a French 75, simple highballs and more.
Mint is one of the easiest plants to grow, and the fresh, crisp, menthol flavours work with a range of spirits and cocktails (not to mention cooking). Mint can be grown in even the smallest of spaces, as all you need to do is plant your mint in a container with drainage holes. Fill with rich, multi-purpose compost and place in an area with lots of sun. Keep the soil evenly damp, watering often.
What space is needed? A small to medium pot around 8-10 inches wide
Effort required? Very low maintenance plant
Growing tips: Always grow mint in its own container. It is an aggressive spreader that can quickly take over. Keep the soil moist, give it plenty of sun, and trim the top leaves frequently to encourage growth.
When it comes to using your mint, a top bartender tip is ‘bruising’ the leaf before using it.
This simply means placing the leaves flat in your palm and slapping it with your other. This bruises the cells, releasing the essential oils and unlocking the flavour, so you get the best of the mint before it gets soggy and mushy in the drink.
Aromatic and distinct, there’s a reason rosemary is so popular. With its memorable scent and delicate flavours, it enhances without ever overwhelming a drink or a dish.
When planting rosemary plants, choose a pot that is at least 30cm wide and deep and make sure there are plenty of drainage holes in the base, as rosemary must never sit in waterlogged compost. Use a peat-free soil-based compost and mix in some horticultural grit (this can be coarse sand, broken up terracotta bits or specially bought grit) to improve drainage. Position the container in a sunny location.
What space is needed? A small to medium pot around 30cm deep
Effort required? Low - avoid overwatering and ensure it gets around 6-8 hours of sunlight.
When it comes to using rosemary, a top tip is to briefly light the tip of a rosemary sprig with a lighter until it smokes, then blow it out. Plunging the smoking sprig into a cocktail adds an incredible campfire aroma to the smokier, deeper spirits like whisky or rum.
Plant your basil in a pot that can hold at least five litres of soil per plant and has drainage holes. Place your pot where it receives at least 5 to 6 hours of direct sunlight daily, water consistently when the top inch of soil feels dry, and trim stems above leaf pairs to encourage a bushy shape and prevent it going to seed.
What space is needed? A small to medium pot
Effort required? Very low maintenance plant
Growing tips: Basil does thrive in direct sun, but can dry out quickly in intense heat, so consider moving to a shadier spot on particularly hot summer afternoons.
Thyme adds a sophisticated, earthy touch to drinks without overwhelming the palate.
To grow, choose a terracotta pot at least 15 cm wide with good drainage holes. Add a bottom layer of gravel or small stones to keep the drainage holes clear. Combine standard multi-purpose compost with 50% perlite or horticultural sand because heavy garden soil will trap water. Place your pot in the sunniest spot on your balcony, ideally getting at least 6 hours of direct sun every day and avoid overwatering - let the soil dry out completely between watering sessions.
What space is needed? A small to medium pot
Effort required? Low
Growing tips: Allow the soil to dry out to avoid overwatering or the herb to get woody.
Create a herbal simple syrup
If you’ve found yourself with a healthy crop and you don’t want to see any of it go to waste, you don’t need to over-garnish your drinks for the sake of it. Instead, experiment with herbal simple syrup variations.
A simple syrup is one of the unsung heroes of any home bar - adding sweetness to dry drinks without compromising the quality, or being a go-to ingredient for creating a balance of flavours. By creating a herbal simple syrup, you can experiment with new depths and dimensions of flavour with some timeless recipes - a minty, zingy burst added to a refreshing highball like a classic Mojito, or a subtly-spicy, aromatic aftertaste on a slow sip like an Old Fashioned.
To make any herbal simple syrup of your choosing, start by combining equal parts water and granulated sugar (e.g., 1 cup water to 1 cup sugar) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and add a generous handful of your homegrown herb (mint, rosemary, or basil are particularly versatile in their usability).
Cover and let steep for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Strain out the plant matter through a fine-mesh strainer into a clean glass bottle. Store in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
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Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
The Bar Team
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