Make use of the wonderful and fragrant lavender in your garden before it fades! Make this delicious Lavender Gin Cocktail to enjoy in your garden this season.
Catch up on my visit to Cotswold Lavender with This Morning where I look at the benefits of Lavender, and some of the products you can make with them.
Step 1 – Cut your flowers
Head out to your garden, and collect your sprigs of lavender. I suggest that you use about a 1/4 cup of flowers for every half a cup of water.
All varieties of lavender are food safe, provided they have not been treated with chemicals or pesticides. Give them a rinse in lukewarm water.
Once you have your sprigs of lavender, pop them in a pot on the hob.
You could also dry your lavender out first, if your flowers will fade before you have chance. Just hang them up somewhere warm and dry for 2 to 6 weeks.
Step 2 – Boil your lavender
Turn on your hob, and get the water up to boiling.
Once it has been boiling for approximately 2-3 minutes, take it off the heat.
Add a lid to the pot, and allow to cool for 20-30 minutes.
Strain out the flowers, leaving just the lavender water.
Step 3 – Make your Lavender syrup
Combine sugar and water together in a separate pan.
Use an equal ratio of sugar to water, and heat on the hob until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Combine this with your lavender mixture to make a lavender syrup.
If you don’t want to use this straight away, pop it in a resealable container or bottle for when you are ready.
Step 4 – Complete your Lavender Gin Cocktail
Fill up your glasses with ice and a slice.
Measure 15-20ml of lavender syrup into each glass.
Add 25-50ml of gin, or leave this out for mocktails.
Top up your glass with your choice of sparkling, tonic, or soda water, and enjoy!
Other uses for your homemade lavender syrup
There are a lot of different options for using your dried out rose petals. Now that they are dried, they will keep for a long time, so you can save them for when you need them! Just make sure to store them in an airtight container.
Add Rosemary
Rosemary and lavender are age-old friends; their flavours complement one another very well.
They also grow well in similar conditions, so makes the harvesting that much easier.
This can take some of the sweetness out, adding a hint of pine.
To do this, just add some rosemary into the mix when boiling up your lavender, and strain out with the flowers.
Lavender tea
You can make lavender tea with just the flowers, but if you prefer your tea sweet this is a nice touch of flavour.
Add a drop into your tea, and it should add both the sweetness from the syrup, and the floral flavour from the lavender.
Lavender goes particularly well with lemon, so perhaps try with lemon tea. Or, squeeze some lemon juice into your tea to balance out the sweetness.
Lavender Whipped Cream
If you don’t fancy a lavender flavour in your beverage, there is another option for you!
Using heavy cream, powdered sugar, and your homemade lavender syrup, you can make a delicious lavender whipped cream.
With 500ml of heavy cream, whisk in 30g of powdered sugar and 50ml of your lavender syrup. Use an electric whisk if you have one, to get that cream nice and fluffy.
Cover and pop in the fridge until you are ready to use! Add to cakes, meringues, cheesecake, and more for that subtle floral twist.
By drying out your rose petals after your blooms have finished this summer, you can enjoy their lovely colours for months by drying them out with ease.
Find out the answers to Google’s most asked lavender questions:
Or check out my Pinterest board for more ideas:
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
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