3 Heat-Loving Herbs To Grow For Summer Cocktails

Fresh herbs can be an amazing addition to your summer cocktail repertoire. Whether it’s small pots of basil and rosemary on the countertop of your bar cabinet, or a raised bed of mint on your backyard patio, here are a few of our favorite heat-loving herbs to grow for summer cocktails.

Basil

This summer staple needs at least six hours of sun each day and plenty of water. Basil is otherwise easy to grow and is often used for making fresh pesto sauce and margarita pizzas on the grill. But did you know this sweetly aromatic, heat-loving herb is also great in mixed drinks?

Vinepair calls their Lemon Basil Margarita “summer in a glass,” with fresh basil leaves and lemons, Triple Sec and Tequila from your bar cabinet, and a sugar and salt rimmed rocks glass filled with ice. Or try the Gin Foundry’s Basil Smash, a classic gin cocktail with a cheerful, naturally green hue for a hot summer day.

Cucumber gin gimletRosemary

This robust, woodsy herb likes sandy, well-drained soil and lots of bright light. Uniquely ornamental, rosemary can be an attractive potted plant on a tiled backyard patio or near a sunny kitchen window. Bittersweet, with a piny aroma and flavor, it’s often used as a garnish in cocktails. Or shake things up by making rosemary simple syrup as a sweetener for your summer cocktails (for an easy recipe from Food and Wine, click here).

Summer adult beverages that feature rosemary include the Rosemary Cucumber Gimlet, the Watermelon Rosemary Cocktail (or Strawberry with Bourbon), and the Rosemary Lemonade Fizz, with a splash of Vodka from your bar cabinet. Or whip up this citrus and rosemary-infused Sangria from Bon Appetit with a favorite red from your kitchen wine storage cabinet.

Fresh mojito drinkMint

Mint can instantly pep up your summer cocktails with a refreshing punch of flavor. This fragrant perennial is easy to grow both indoors and out and requires very little care. According to The Old Farmer’ Almanac, all mint needs to thrive is a little sun, moist soil, and some room to spread out.

Mint grows vigorously, so be careful where you plant it. If your backyard patio is partly sunny, a large pot or elevated wooden planter box is ideal (for instructions on how to build one from DIY Network, click here.) This warm-weather herb is essential for a classic Mint Julep. It’s also a summer must-have for muddling in Mojitos, with fresh lime, club soda, and white rum from your bar cabinet.

If you don’t have a bar cabinet of your own, visit The RTA Store online and browse our vast selection of affordable, quality cabinets for the home this summer!

 

At The RTA Store, we help make your dream home a reality with RTA (ready to assemble) and pre-assembled cabinets and accessories. Whether it’s your kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, home office, home bar, or TV room, we offer the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store, but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call, and let us make your dreams come true with the help of our free room design service.