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Refreshing Herb-Infused Cocktail & Mocktail Recipes Straight from the Garden

Updated: Apr 2

Is there anything better than walking out into your garden to collect ingredients for your favorite recipes? You can easily grow your own cocktail or mocktail garden and harvest your own herbs and fruit to make the delicious drinks below!



COCKTAILS

Two glasses of light yellow drink with ice cubes and blue flowers, surrounded by green leaves and purple flowers on a white background.

Made with a basil and borage simple syrup this is a fun new take on a traditional gimlet. We especially love the addition of the vibrant blue borage flowers to ice cubes - simply add the flowers to the ice cube tray for a beautiful and tasty treat! Get this recipe from The Ranger's Daughter.



Pink drink garnished with daisies in a glass, set on a table with scattered daisies and sliced grapefruit. Bright, fresh mood.

The sweet white chamomile flowers floating in this tequila-based drink make it a truly special refreshment! Made with chamomile simple syrup (from dried flowers) and homemade grapefruit soda, we are dying to mix one of these up! Get the recipe from Darling.



A frosty cocktail with ice, topped with blackberries, next to a bottle on a wooden table. The drink is vibrant purple. Text on bottle: "Hendrick's Gin."

Goodbye traditional gin & tonic, hello blackberry sage gin smash! Garnished with candied sage leaves, this drink checks all the boxes and is beautiful to boot!



Cocktail with lemon, mint, and cherries on a wooden table. Brick wall background adds a rustic feel. Another cocktail is blurred in the distance.

Created by Dean Neff, former chef de cuisine at Rhubarb in Asheville, NC, we love the local roots that inspired a southern take on a traditional whiskey sour. This musky and herbal cocktail would be great to sip on a fall day (when muscadine grapes are ripe).




A refreshing strawberry mojito with lime and mint in a glass, on a marble surface with dark blurred background. Fresh strawberries nearby.

This refreshing and effervescent drink is filled with strawberries and mint (we want to try making it with strawberry mint!). This cocktail can also easily be made as a mocktail - simply leave out the rum. Get the recipe from Vanilla and Bean.





MOCKTAILS

The addition of rosemary and lemon to ice cubes takes this spritzer infused with rosemary, honey, and lemon to the next level! This drink can also be served hot, making it a great year-round option. Get the recipe from @holisticrendezvous.



Three glasses of pink cocktail with ice, raspberries, and thyme on a wooden table, creating a refreshing and elegant vibe.

Inspired by Escoffier's famed Peach Melba dessert, this light fizzy drink pairs peaches and raspberries with lemon thyme - making it perfect to sip on a hot summer afternoon.





WANT YOUR OWN COCKTAIL/MOCKTAIL GARDEN?
START WITH THESE 13 PLANTS:


HERBS

Sprigs of green rosemary on a rustic wooden surface, showcasing fresh, detailed leaves in a natural, earthy setting.

Rosemary

Hill's Hardy and ARP are two of our favorite varieties of rosemary that do well in WNC and tend to be tougher than most in hard winters.



Close-up of lush green basil leaves in bright sunlight, with glossy textures and visible veins. The setting is a vibrant garden scene.

Basil

Lemon basil is a fun twist on this favorite herb, and is sure to add lots of flavor to any drink!



A close-up of green tulsi, or holy, basil leaves with tiny purple flowers, against a blurred leafy background. Bright and fresh, capturing nature's detail.

Tulsi, aka Holy Basil

Sweet and medicinal holy basil, or tulsi, is a sacred herb in India. It's also a common ingredient in tea and pairs well with smokey liquors like whiskey.




Yellow-centered chamomile with white petals bloom in a lush green field, creating a vibrant, cheerful floral scene.

Chamomile

Chamomile is used in herbal remedies, teas, skin care products, cocktails, and more. The flowers are edible and make a cute garnish for your herbal cocktails!



Close-up of lush lemon thyme plants with small leaves, bathed in sunlight. A few tiny white flowers are visible among the foliage.

Lemon Thyme

Actually its own species, Thymus citriodorus, lemon thyme is as easy to grow as its classic cousin - preferring well-draining soil that dries out between waterings, matching its Mediterranean climate.


Close-up of vibrant strawberry mint leaves with textured surfaces, in a lush garden setting. Bright and fresh atmosphere.

Strawberry Mint

At Painters we have 7 varieties of mint including chocolate, mojito, orange, spearmint, peppermint, and more! Strawberry mint is a fun addition to any drink with strawberries in it!



Close-up of sage leaves with textured, velvety surfaces. The pale green color and detailed veining create a calm, natural feel.

Sage

This perennial herb is easy to grow and a great addition to any food or drink. We have both Purple and Berggarten varieties at painters.



Close-up of a vibrant blue borage flower with fuzzy buds on a blurred green background. The mood is serene and natural.

Borage

Borage is a less common annual herb that self-seeds, making it a relatively carefree plant to grow. It's a favorite companion to vegetables as it attracts pollinators. The stunning star-shaped blue flowers are the real attraction and make for a great garnish. Both the flowers and young leaves taste like cucumber!




FRUITS


Strawberry plants in pots, bearing ripe red and unripe green berries, with green leaves in sunlight. The background is leafy and blurred.

Strawberries

We've still got a beautiful selection of June-bearing strawberries at Painters.



Ripe blackberries with a few unripe ones hang from branches against a lush green background. Glowing light creates a fresh, vibrant mood.

Blackberries

There is nothing better than harvesting fresh berries to eat with breakfast or add to an evening's cocktail. We've got 5 varieties of blackberry bushes right now.

(View all the varieties here: https://www.paintersgreenhouse.com/general-availability)



Two ripe raspberries with green leaves on a white background, showcasing vibrant red and green colors.

Raspberries

Just like blackberries, raspberries are satisfying to grow and a great addition to

many meals/beverages.




Ripe peaches on a branch with vibrant green leaves, set against a lush garden background. Rich red and orange hues dominate the fruits.

Peaches

Painters always carries peach trees, but even if you don't grow your own that doesn't mean you can't plan on enjoying them fresh from the farmers market and in a number of cocktails!



Clusters of ripe green grapes hang on vines with lush leaves in a sunlit vineyard. The setting is vibrant and lush.

Muscadine Grapes

Ripening in fall, muscadine grapes are becoming more common and are a fun and unique addition to cocktails!




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