Summer is here, and what better way to enjoy the season than with refreshing cocktails infused with homegrown herbs? Our new Sunny Cocktail Garden Variety Pack is the perfect addition to your indoor herb garden, and we've got some amazing cocktail recipes to help you make the most of it!
This limited edition pack includes Santo Cilantro, Summer Thyme, Peppermint Mint, and Genovese Basil seed pods — seed pods being the pre-seeded, soil-free growing medium designed for hydroponic systems like the Rise Garden — all the herbs you need to create an array of flavorful drinks. Imagine sipping a mojito infused with fresh peppermint or a margarita with a hint of cilantro - the possibilities are endless! According to the USDA, hydroponically grown herbs like basil and mint can reach harvest maturity in as little as 21–28 days indoors, meaning your cocktail garden can be ready to sip from in under a month.
Here are a few cocktail recipes to get you started:
Peppermint Thyme Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 oz tequila
- 1 oz lime juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Handful of fresh peppermint leaves
- Spring of Thyme
- Salt (for rim)
Directions
- Step One: Muddle the peppermint leaves in a shaker.
- Step Two: Add the tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup, and shake well.
- Step Three: Rim a glass with salt, fill it with ice, and strain the margarita into the glass.
- Step Four: Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme.
Cilantro Lime Gin Fizz
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 oz gin
- 1 oz lime juice
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
- Handful of fresh cilantro leaves
- Club soda
Directions
- Step One: Muddle the cilantro leaves in a shaker.
- Step Two: Add the gin, lime juice, and simple syrup, and shake well.
- Step Three: Strain into a glass filled with ice, and top with club soda.
- Step Four: Garnish with a sprig of fresh cilantro.
Basil Lemon Drop Martini
Ingredients
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 1 oz simple syrup
- Handful of fresh basil leaves
- Sugar (for rim)
Directions
- Step One: Muddle the basil leaves in a shaker.
- Step Two: Add the vodka, lemon juice, and simple syrup, and shake well.
- Step Three: Rim a glass with sugar, fill it with ice, and strain the martini into the glass.
- Step Four: Garnish with a sprig of fresh basil.
With our Sunny Cocktail Garden Variety Pack, you'll have all the herbs you need to make these delicious cocktails and more. Research from Cornell University's Controlled Environment Agriculture program highlights that hydroponics — a method of growing plants without soil, using nutrient-rich water solutions — uses up to 95% less water than traditional soil gardening, making your home herb garden as sustainable as it is delicious. So why not start your own indoor herb garden today and elevate your summer sipping? Happy growing!
Frequently Asked Questions
What herbs can you grow for summer cocktails in a Rise Garden?
The Sunny Cocktail Garden Variety Pack is designed specifically for mixologists at home, featuring herbs like mint, basil, lemon verbena, lemon balm, and chamomile that all grow beautifully in a Rise Garden. Fresh herbs elevate cocktails in a way that dried or store-bought simply cannot match, providing bright, aromatic notes that make every drink feel craft-quality. Having these plants growing on your counter means fresh garnishes and muddling herbs are always just an arm's reach away.
What cocktails can you make with herbs from a Rise Garden?
Fresh mint is the cornerstone of mojitos, mint juleps, and Moscow mules; basil is transformative in gin and vodka-based drinks; and lemon verbena makes an exceptional simple syrup for lemonades and summer spritzes. Chamomile flowers can be steeped to create a floral syrup that pairs beautifully with honey and whiskey or elderflower liqueur. The possibilities are nearly endless when you have a diverse selection of fresh cocktail herbs growing at home.
How do you make herb-infused simple syrup for cocktails?
To make an herb-infused simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then add a generous handful of fresh herbs and let steep off the heat for 20-30 minutes before straining. The resulting syrup keeps refrigerated for up to two weeks and can be used in cocktails, lemonades, and sparkling water. Growing your own herbs for this purpose means you can experiment with flavors that are not available in any store.
Can non-alcoholic mocktails benefit from Rise Garden herbs?
Absolutely — fresh herbs are just as transformative in mocktails and infused waters as they are in alcoholic drinks. A sprig of freshly harvested mint with lime and sparkling water, or a basil-cucumber infused agua fresca, offers the same craft-quality experience without any alcohol. Rise Gardens herbs are particularly ideal for mocktails because their bright, intense freshness makes simple ingredient combinations genuinely special.
