DIY Cocktail Garnish Garden 🌸
There are plenty of ways to elevate the presentation of your cocktails to give them that wow factor. At Husk Distillers, the home of Ink Gin, we have a cocktail garden which grows over 15 different types of edible flowers for our bar team to harvest and use in cocktails (and in syrups, sugars and bitters).
If you’re a renowned plant killer, don’t worry. We’ve rounded up our top 4 most bomb-proof edible flower plants.
Nasturtium:
Starting with one of our favourites. The Nasturtium comes in various colours and compliments Ink Gin cocktails beautifully. You can use the green lily pad leaves on your cocktails too. Nasturtiums grow vigorously, spreading out and mulching your soil at the same time - they are perfect for filling any holes in the garden, or to grow in pots.
Pansy:
The Pansy has pretty colour combinations that add a pop to cocktails. We love the purple blossoms with a dot of yellow in the centre.
Lavender:
Simply pluck some from your garden, or use dried lavender. Both are delcious and dainty on an Ink Gin cocktail.
Marigold:
This bright and cheerful bloom is so easy to grow and compliment any drink. They are just so darn pretty. They are a great companion plant to your veggie garden, as they attract beneficial insects which help manage pests.
Tips for growing edible flowers:
When to plant – It’s best to plant your seeds early in the spring.
Where to plant – Choose a sunny location with well-drained soil. The plant doesn’t need fertilisers and can do well in a poorer soil.
General care tips – Nasturtium and pansies needs regular watering. Make sure to cut off any faded or dead flowers.
When to harvest flowers - You can start harvesting as soon as more you pick, the more they will produce!
Take your cocktails up a notch by preparing floral ice cubes. Simply arrange the flowers in an ice tray and freeze.
If foraging in the garden for garnish, always double check that your blooms are safe - not all flowers are edible, and can be toxic to humans.
If you’re convinced you’re not cut out for the plant life, do not stress. We’ve got you covered. Shop our dried flower garnishes here.
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