After planting, you can enhance your container even more with cocktail-themed accents. Try using wine corks as mulch and labeling the plants with signs made from slices of tree branch, supported with a skewer, to resemble drink coasters.
What You Need
Large containerPotting mixBasil plantLavender plantRosemary plantWine corksTree-slice labelsPermanent marker
Step 1: Pot Plants
Fill the bottom half of the container with potting soil; plant basil, lavender, and rosemary (or other herbs of your choice). Plant the herbs 1-2 inches below the lip of the container, allowing room for a dense layer of corks. Continue to fill the container with potting soil, surrounding the new plantings.
Step 2: Place Corks
Save your corks! Cover the exposed potting soil with a thick layer of wine corks. Not only does this hold in moisture, but it adds to the cocktail theme of the container.
Step 3: Create Labels
If you’re unable to find already-made tree slice labels, make your own from a fallen or pruned tree limb (or create DIY plant labels with a different style). With a sharp saw, carefully cut a tree branch into ¼- to ½–inch-thick sections. Using a nail or ice pick, make a hole on the edge. Wear garden gloves for protection. A drill with a small bit will also work. Insert a bamboo skewer as the stake. Write the plant names on the labels using a permanent marker.
More Plants to Include in Your Cocktail Garden
Don’t limit your drink-add on options to lavender, basil, and rosemary. There are plenty of herbs and other garden-fresh options that can thrive in a container garden and add a new twist to your favorite cocktails. Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 20 feet tall (dwarf varieties are up to 10 feet tall) Zones: 10-11 Light: Full sun or part sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 3-7 Buy It: Lemon Balm Seeds, ($4, Burpee) Light: Full sun Water: Plant in moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 12 inches tall Buy It: ‘Tangerine Gem’ Signet Marigold Seeds, ($3, Select Seeds) Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 3 feet tall Zones: 8-10 Light: Full sun or part sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 12 inches tall Zones: 3-10 Buy It: Onion Chives Herb, ($38, The Home Depot) Test Garden Tip: Mint is a vigorous spreader; many gardeners grow it in a container to keep it from taking over the garden. Light: Full sun or part sun Water: Plant in consistently moist, well-drained soil Size: Up to 2 feet tall Zones: 3-10 Buy It: Peppermint Herb Plant, ($26, The Home Depot) Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 12 inches tall Zones: 3-10 Buy It: Strawberry Plant, ($14, Burpee) Light: Full sun Water: Plant in well-drained soil Size: Up to 4 feet tall Zones: 2-11 Buy It: Husky Cherry Red Tomato Seeds, ($4, Reimer Seeds)
