Cocktail Gardens Are What Everyone’s Planting In 2025

Starting a garden—no matter if it is a total yard makeover or smaller raised-bed project—can be quite the intimidating undertaking, especially when having to take into account seasonality and climate, as well as your own personal goals for the garden. Do you want something that looks pretty all year long? Do you want something that is easy to maintain? Do you prefer a functional garden that gives something back to you?

If the last question piqued your interest, it might be time to consider a certain type of garden that is trending for 2025: cocktail gardens. Not only are cocktail gardens fun enough to tempt even the least green-thumbed folks out there—in fact, it’s the perfect first foray into the hobby—they can also be customized to suit all gardening levels with whichever plants you love the most.

What Is a Cocktail Garden?

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Basically, a cocktail garden is a plot of yard—or garden bed space—that is dedicated entirely to producing things that could feasibly be used for hosting. We’re talking about fresh herbs that can garnish cocktails (hence the name), produce that could be used for making things in the kitchen (berries to turn into sweet syrups or tomatoes for Bloody Marys), or even cut flowers that can be used in arrangements or for garnish.

The idea is that you are able to provide home-grown details to your hosting, whether that is in the form of a rosemary-garnished lemonade or mocktail, aromatic Mint Julep, or flower-topped fizzy spritzes. Of course, you can also use your herbs and produce for cooking or table displays as well.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

For a cocktail garden, you can use any sort of structure you prefer, whether a surface-level garden bed, raised bed for easy tending, or pots and planters. From there, you choose whichever herbs, produce, or flowers you would like to harvest for all of your hosting needs, heeding the proper guidelines for how to take care of them. For that, we’ve got tips.

Helpful Cocktail Garden Tips

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10 Perennial Herbs To Grow In Your Garden

While you can always plant annual herbs, such as basil, dill, and cilantro, perennial herbs come back year after year, making them a smart investment in your cocktail garden. (Many also have beautiful flowers for pollinators.)

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How To Store Herbs From Your Garden So You Can Cook With Them Year-Round

When you are used to having home-grown herbs on hand, it is hard to give it up. These tips help make sure you can enjoy your labors all year long.

Our Favorite Fresh Herb Cocktail Ideas

Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel

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These fizzy, boozy cocktails celebrate the energy of the season, but are tasty enough to make all year long with your cocktail garden ingredients—especially thanks to our warm Southern weather.